How to boost your mental health

 Annan Boodram, Director/Caribbean Voice, NYC

 

By Annan Boodram – The Caribbean Voice

NEW YORK, NY. Tuesday, August 25, 2020 – Start by talking about your feelings: Expressing your feelings can help you stay healthy, mentally and deal with difficult times better. Talking can be a great way to cope with a problem you have been carrying around in your head for a while. Just being heard can help you feel supported and less lonely. 

As well it is important to discard negativity and instead think and express positivity about yourself. Celebrate each and every success. See every draw back as a learning experience and realize the positive from it. Accept doubts and difficulties as a part of life and more importantly realize that you have come out of them.

Also recognize what helped you, your support system, your own resilience and keep on reminding yourself that the next time you have an up and down, you will be able to recover from the down as well because you’ve done it before and thus the capacity is there.

Stay active: 

Regular exercise can boost your self-esteem and help you concentrate, sleep and feel better. Exercising doesn’t just mean practicing a sport or going to the gym; you go for a walk or pick up running.  In fact, “Research in multiple countries show that spending time in green spaces can lift your mood and relieve anxiety in as little as 10 minutes,” said Michael Brodsky, a psychiatrist. 

A 2019 study found that “forest bathing” – the Japanese practice of spending time among trees – could significantly lower people’s levels of the stress hormone, cortisol, reduce blood pressure, improve concentration and memory.  As well, exposure to airborne chemicals emitted by plants and trees can boost immunity, which has now been revealed as critical to fighting COVID 19 and other diseases.

 

Indulge in more activities that bring you joy: 

 For example, if writing in your thing, then get into the habit of writing once a day. Or take some time each day to read. Listen to music or create your own music. Engage in art or sculpture or fashion design or carving.  Do some gardening or cooking if that’s your craving. Take trips with family or friends, something as basic as a weekend getaway or a day out. The benefit of these activities is that they help you concentrate on one thing and completely free your mind from other stuff that bothers you and overcrowds your mind. As well they all help to reduce stress and anxiety.

 Find one small self-care act that works for you: Pick one self-care activity, at the minimum and practice it regularly. For example, try a five-minute meditation session daily. Engage in mindfulness practice or positive, self-affirming visualization. Give up or cut back on one unhealthy habit such as high alcohol or excessive caffeine consumption. Such acts enhance both physical and mental health.

 Invest in a quality relationship: “If you want to have good long-term mental and physical health, you need to first see if you have meaningful, loving relationships,” said clinical psychologist Kevin Gilliland. “Who knows you better than anyone and who do you know better than anyone? Have you invested in that relationship by staying in touch and talking on the phone (not just texting)? And when was the last time you got together?”

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Editor’s Note: The following was edited for the purpose of this blog. For free counseling, info about The Caribbean Voice and/or to join, send email to; caribvoice@aol.com or call 646-461-0574. Also, check out the website at; www.caribvoice.org for more information.