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You may take care of your body by eating a balanced diet, incorporating regular exercise, and getting enough sleep. But did you know that when it comes to your overall wellness, nurturing your mental well-being is just as important?
According to the CDC, about 50% of Americans will be diagnosed with a mental illness at some point in their life. What’s more, mental health symptoms like anxiety and depression are becoming all the more common as stressors and obligations mount. In fact, from August 2020 to February 2021, the proportion of adults reporting anxiety or depression rose from 36.4% to 41.5%.
How to improve mental health
If you’re living with symptoms of depression, anxiety, or stress, know that you’re not alone. Forty percent of respondents said they feel as though they need mental health treatment, according to a mental health survey conducted by SingleCare in partnership with Mental Health America. May is Mental Health Awareness month, so there’s no better time to get help. Here are 5 steps from our partner Mental Health America that you can take to achieve good mental health today.
RELATED: More mental health statistics
1. Get informed.
Mental health refers to our social and emotional well-being and impacts how we think, feel, and behave. It plays a role in managing social connections, making decisions, handling stress, and many other aspects of daily life. Mental health deserves your attention just as much as your physical health does. In fact, mental health and physical health conditions are often connected, such as anxiety and high blood pressure. Learning about the factors that affect mental health and the warning signs of different mental health conditions can help you catch problems early and take action.
2. Know yourself.
Not everyone experiences the signs and symptoms of mental health conditions in the same way. It is important to have a sense of how you feel when your emotional health is in a good place so you can notice early if things start to change. Take a moment to think about a time when you felt good about your life. What kinds of friendships did you have? What kind of work were you doing? What hobbies did you enjoy? What did your eating, physical activity, and sleep routines look like?
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3. Take a mental health assessment.
A screening test is a quick, free, and confidential way to determine if you might be experiencing signs of a mental health condition. A screening only takes a few minutes, and after you are finished you will be given information about the next steps you should take based on the results. A screening is not a diagnosis, but it can be a helpful tool for starting a conversation with your doctor or a loved one about your mental health. Visit mhascreening.org or ask your primary care provider to get started.
RELATED: What to expect from a depression screening
4. Practice self-care.
Taking care of yourself is critical to prevent your mental health from worsening – factors like nutrition and gut health, stress, sleep, relationships, trauma, and more can contribute to poor mental health. If your mental health is in a good spot, it is a great time to practice coping skills—ways to help you deal with hard feelings—so that you’re better able to handle tough times when they happen. Coping mechanisms may include deep breathing and taking medication.
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5. Know when to reach out.
We all have tough days and weeks and struggling with your mental health doesn’t automatically mean you have a mental health condition. However, if you are experiencing changes in your thinking and emotions (such as a lack of self-esteem or sense of purpose) that are seriously hurting your ability to do the things you want to do; and sticking around longer than they should—sometimes weeks or months—then it is time to get help.
If prioritizing your mental health doesn’t come easily, try to remember that it’s an important piece of the wellness puzzle. If you aren’t sure what warning signs to watch out for, try to establish a baseline—when you’re in a good headspace, how do you normally feel and act? This type of awareness means that if your mental health does start to slip, you’ll be able to recognize it and take steps to remediate the situation. For example, if you’re feeling chronically down and you’ve withdrawn from friends and family members, reach out for emotional support and take time to practice self-care. If you’ve stopped finding pleasure in the things you used to love and just can’t seem to pull yourself out of that funk, it may be time to reach out to a professional.
Mental Health America has various resources for finding professional help year-round, including support group directories, an interactive tool, and tips for how to locate a healthcare provider.
