Mental Health is a crucial step for adopting a healthy lifestyle, and it is often the most difficult to improve due to the numerous contributing factors.
Socialization
Understanding
Humans are social animals. The brain developed a system to reward active social behavior because long ago working in groups was the best way to threats and survive. Due to our brain being wired this way, engaging in active social behavior helps with a wide variety of mental illnesses, including but not limited to depression, anxiety, and dementia.
Solutions
There are many ways participate in active social behavior:
• Interacting with relatives
• Volunteering at charities
• Participating in sports or clubs
• Doing activities with friends
• Attending religious services
• Getting to know co-workers or classmates
Significance
Whatever the activity be, 'Face to face contact is like a vaccine' according to renowned Psychologist Susan Pinker. Socialization is often the single most important step in the road to recovery from any sort of mental health problem.
Sleep
"Americans are notoriously sleep deprived"- Harvard Health Institute
Americans rarely get enough sleep, and many do not even know the correct amounts. Sleep deprivation can lead to and worsens mental illnesses such as depression, anxiety, and bi-polarity. Solutions to sleep deprivation include reduction in intake of caffeine, alcohol, and nicotine. These products quicken heart rate and make sleep more difficult, and alcohol initially slows heart rate, but the effects wear off after a few hours leading to interruptions in essential REM sleep periods. REM sleep is crucial for emotional health.
Depression
According to the National Institute of Mental Health, “Depression (major depressive disorder or clinical depression) is a common but serious mood disorder. It causes severe symptoms that affect how you feel, think, and handle daily activities, such as sleeping, eating, or working. To be diagnosed with depression, the symptoms must be present for at least two weeks.”
If left untreated, depression can lead to a multitude of problems such as addiction, self-harm, relationship problems, or reckless behavior. It is important to seek help in order to resolve these issues and just feel better overall.
Luckily, there are many medications available to help you out. Figuring out which medications or combination of medications work best for you may take time, but don't give up. Psychological therapy is also an option that may work better for some people. Speaking with a professional in order to regain a sense of control in your life or try to solve the root causes of your depression accompanied with medication is a very effective strategy.
Anxiety
According to Mayoclinic “people with anxiety disorders frequently have intense, excessive and persistent worry and fear about everyday situations. Often, anxiety disorders involve repeated episodes of sudden feelings of intense anxiety and fear or terror that reach a peak within minutes (panic attacks).” Anxiety interferes with your daily life.
Anxiety physical symptoms include trembling, sweating, and increased heart rate. Anxiety makes you prone to panic attacks, where you feel an impending sense of danger and the inability to think about anything else other than the present problem. It is important to seek help for anxiety because it can be helped with the right treatment.
Treatments for anxiety include seeking counsel from a professional and taking anti-anxiety medications. Always seek medical guidance before taking a medication to ward off possibilities of side effects. Some antidepressants are also known to help with anxiety.
Stress and Relaxation
According to the National Institute of Mental Health, “Stress is how the brain and body respond to any demand.” Everyone has varying amounts of stress in their lives, but some people just deal with it better than others. Not all stress is bad because it can sometimes motivate you to work harder.
Long-term stress, however, can be detrimental to your health, with effects including sleeplessness, irritability, and headaches. Over time, continued strain can lead to serious health problems such as cardiovascular problems, high blood pressure, diabetes, and mental disorders. It is important to try and tackle stress early on.
Luckily, there are easy ways to deal with stress. Exercising recommended amounts can boost your mood and minimize stress symptoms, and any relaxing activity is sure to help. If the cause of your stress is something you can easily remove from your life, consider doing so. Talking with your doctor can also reveal treatment options.