As the numbers of mentally ill teenagers are increasing, taking care of our mental health is extremely important. In order for us to maintain a good mentality, we need to deal with our own emotions in an effective way. So, here are a few ways we can look out for symptoms and how we can help ourselves.
Symptoms Symptoms in different mental illnesses may vary but here are a few of the more common ones:
-Feeling sad or down.
-Confused thinking or reduced ability to concentrate.
-Excessive fears or worries, or extreme feelings of guilt.
-Extreme mood changes
-Withdrawal from friends and activities
-Significant tiredness, low energy or problems sleeping
-Suicidal thinking
Healing from a mental illness can be quite hard and we can always do it slowly. There are many ways we can help ourselves build better mental health. Here are 5 ways we can help ourselves build and maintain better mental health but, there are still many other ways we can do it.
Taking care of our physical health.
Poor mental health does not only affect our mental health, but it affects us physically too. It can lead to serious health complications like heart diseases, high blood pressure, a weakened immune system, obesity, gastronomical problems and premature death. Depression alone can cause chronic fatigue, insomnia and increased sensitivity to aches and pains due to the abnormal functions of neurotransmitters in our brain.
Value ourselves.
We can value ourselves by treating ourselves with kindness and respect and avoiding self-criticism. We should embrace who we are and appreciate whatever with have. We should try avoiding any insults about our appearance, personality or behavior and don’t ever change yourself for the interest of others. However, that doesn’t mean you can’t change yourself for you look best when you feel like you.
Surround ourselves with good people.
Surrounding ourselves with good people can help us as people with stronger family bonds or social connections generally have better mental health. Try to find trust and faith in others who you love and cut off ties with anyone who make you feel inferior or destroy your mentality. Regarding this, also distance yourself away from people who would encourage you to take drugs or alcohol because that might just aggravate your problems even more.
Express your feelings in appropriate ways.
Keeping our anger and sadness will just add to our stress so, it’s always best when we talk to people close to use about our feelings. And it can cause problems in our school and workplace. Get your voice out there and if something is holding a negative impact over you, seek help. Don’t worry about burdening someone because there are always people who is willing to assist and listen to you. Confide in someone so you don’t need to bear the burden by yourself.
Get help if we think we need it.
Seeking help is a sign of strength and it’s important to remember that professional treatment is effective. Take it slowly, step by step, and don’t keep your secrets all to yourself. Talk to someone, voice out your troubles and let them know how you are truly feeling. Don’t be scared, there are people who wants to help you.
If we have a close friend around us who are dealing with mental illnesses, a very good way to help is to just simply be there for them and listen to their problems. If you think you need help, know that there are always people who will love and help you.
Because in the end, you are not alone.
Written By: Chang Zhi Xin (Aiko)