ACC Matters

A good mental health and a good physical health are equally important for our wellbeing.

What is good mental health differs for each and every one of us.

"Mental health affects how we think, feel and act," says Deirdre Kehoe, Director of Training and Services at YoungMinds. "Having good mental health is about feeling positive about ourselves and others, being able to form good relationships, and having the resilience to overcome challenges." 

If you are in good mental health, you will likely be able to:

• make the most of your potential
• cope with life
• play a full part in your family, work, and community
• build and manage healthy relationships with others

Not being able to do all the above does not mean that you are not in good mental health, what matters is what you perceive as normal for you.

Most of us will have periods in our lives when we feel down, stressed or frightened. Most of the time these feelings will pass however, they can sometimes develop into a serious problem and this could happen to anybody.
 

Everyone has different coping mechanisms. You may bounce back from a setback while someone else may feel weighed down for a longer period of time.
 

Your mental health does not always stay the same. It can change as circumstances change and as you move through different stages of your life.
 

There is a stigma attached to mental health problems, which means that people feel uncomfortable about their problems and will not talk about them either. Many people do not even feel comfortable talking about their personal feelings. It is healthy to know and to talk about how you are feeling.

For the remainder of the week, we will share some tips with you on staying healthy.

Tips for working towards a good mental health.  

Staying active is as good for the brain as it is for the body.

The mind and the body are intrinsically linked. 

When you improve your physical health, you will automatically experience greater mental and emotional well-being. 

Physical activity also releases endorphins, powerful chemicals that lift your mood and provide added energy. 

Regular exercise or activity can have a major impact on mental and emotional health problems, relieve stress, improve memory, and help you to sleep better.

Book your Martial Arts session with Mortal Art Academy

Source: Cleveland Clinic and was legally licensed through the NewsCred publisher network.  

Tips for working towards a good mental health.  

Make social connections a priority.

Humans are social creatures with emotional needs for relationships and positive connections to others. 

We are not meant to survive, let alone thrive, in isolation. Our social brains crave companionship— even when experience has made us shy and distrustful of others.

Tips for connecting to others:

• Call a friend or loved one now and arrange to meet up
• If you do not feel that you have anyone to call, reach out to acquaintances
• Join networking, social, or special interest groups that meet on a regular basis

Source: Patient 

Tips for working towards a good mental health.  

Eat a brain-healthy diet to support strong mental health.

An unhealthy diet can take a toll on your brain and mood, disrupt your sleep, sap your energy, and weaken your immune system. 

Conversely, switching to a wholesome diet, low in sugar and rich in healthy fats, can give you more energy, improve your sleep and mood, and help you to look and feel your best.

Tips for eat a brain-healthy diet

• Eating breakfast gets the day off to a good start.
• Instead of eating a large lunch and dinner, try eating smaller portions spaced out more regularly throughout the day.
• Avoid foods which make your blood sugar rise and fall rapidly, such as sweets, biscuits, sugary drinks, and alcohol.

 Source: Cleveland Clinic and was legally licensed through the NewsCred publisher network.  

Tips for working towards a good mental health.  

Stress is a normal response to tough times. Unfortunately, stress primes our body for negativity.

“When we are in extreme stress, we go into our heads and start to magnify,” says behavioural health therapist and mind-body coach Jane Pernotto Ehrman, MEd. “Our minds cannot tell the difference between what is happening now, what we are reliving from the past or what bad things we are anticipating.”

1. Take a breath

Several times a day, pause to take some slow, deep breaths — in through the nose and out through the mouth.

2. Relinquish control

Give your focus and energy to the things you can control and try to let the rest go.

3. Worry with purpose

Sometimes there is good reason to be concerned. But dwelling on that worry is not doing you any good unless it points you toward a plan.

4. Schedule tantrum time

If you have a stressful situation that is out of your control, you might want to rant and rave. Give yourself 10 minutes. Use that time to get mad, wallow in your anger or vent to a family member.

5. Focus on the good

Every night before bed, write down three good things that happened that day. Also note for yourself the good feeling or feelings that those things sparked, such as joy, happiness, love or appreciation.

6. Make space for calm

Some days, you are not able to get out for a walk or even stop for a proper lunch, but you can spare a couple of minutes, a few times a day, to calm your body and brain. You might do some deep breathing or a guided meditation. (follow our meditation tips tomorrow).

Source: Cleveland Clinic and was legally licensed through the NewsCred publisher network. All licensing questions to legal@newscred.com. 

Tips for working towards a good mental health.  

Meditation is the most radical thing a human can do. 

It is a way to shift our state in the moment to be more relaxed and available. Even more importantly it is a way to shift our future moments so that our baseline of operating in the world is calmer, clear, fearless and more caring.

Meditation helps you to find peace in the moment. How to notice your own thoughts and reactions. How to stand in the world in a way that is stronger, more present, more compassion.

Meditation can help you to calm down without compromising who you are.

Meditation is a way of taking responsibility for ourselves.

Tips on how to meditate for mental health

1. Find a comfortable position either sitting on the floor, chair or at your desk....
2. Allow your body to feel heavy yet relaxed....
3. Breathe deeply in through the nose and slowly but evenly out through the mouth....
4. If your mind wonders off, that is normal!...
5. Notice how you feel.

Source: Calm; Quick Meditation Guide 

Tips for working towards a good mental health.  

Professional support

If you notice changes to your feelings, thoughts and behaviour that last for more than two weeks keep or interfere with your day-to-day life, it may be time to seek professional help. Start with your GP. 

Some of the most common types of problems that move people to seek mental health services include:

• Feeling unhappy, sad, or irritable most of the time.

• Feeling worried, nervous, overwhelmed, and/or anxious most of the time.

• Having emotional struggles that are interfering with your ability to engage in healthy lifestyle habits (eating, sleeping, exercise) and/or your ability to function at work, at school, at home, or in relationships.

• Having thoughts of harming yourself and/or others.

• Struggling with substance abuse or other addictions – or struggling with a loved one who has an addiction.

• Experiencing a significant life change or loss. Examples would be: illness or death of a loved one, the loss of a relationship, or a job change.

• Having an eating disorder and/or struggle with body image.

• Experienced abuse at any time in your life and are struggling with how that affects you now.

• Having difficulty communicating effectively with people in your life.

• Having difficulty with your own sexual orientation or the sexual orientation of someone in your life.

Types of Mental Health Professionals (MHPs)

There are many types of qualified mental health providers (MHPs) to choose from. The most important thing is to select a licensed professional who has the appropriate training and qualification.

The following are the most common MHPs and some of their credentials: 

• Psychiatrists (MDs) 
• Advanced Nurse Practitioners (APN) 
• Psychologists (PhD or PsyD) 
•  Social Workers (LCSW) 
• Marriage and Family Therapists LMFT) and counsellors (LCPC)

Thank you for your support and we hope you have found some of our suggestions useful.

Source: Dr. Judy Ronan Woodburn, Licensed Clinical Psychologist with Advocate Medical Group - Health eNews