The rapidly increasing awareness of mental health issues has made it easy for people going through some emotional or psychological stress to speak about it and to recover from it. Getting over mental illness can be a real struggle, and if not treated timely, it can lead to fatal outcomes.
It is easy to fall prey to depression and anxiety, keeping in view the global, economic and social conditions, but trying to recover from it does not only require will-power of the patient, it also may need a professional councilor or be coupled with support from your loved one. These tools can be vital for a person to get back to a regular happy and healthy life.
Besides getting treatment from a professional person and knowing how to use tools such as medical marijuana, the emotional support you get from the people around you and your lifestyle plays a key role in your recovery. Here are some important guidelines that will help you recover from acute depression and anxiety situations.
Communication: Learn to communicate your feelings and your stress, you feel lightened. Sharing your emotions and talking about things that bother you or makes you anxious is the first step to overcome your mental illness. Do not just communicate with your dog, talk to someone you feel comfortable with be it a friend, sibling, spouse or either of your parents. Moreover, you can keep a diary to write about things that make you anxious, angry or sad, it helps you get rid of the burden of keeping things to yourself and overthinking them. Communication is undoubtedly the best facilitator in your recovery from a mental illness.
Maintaining a Healthy Lifestyle:
Your physical health directly influences your mental health. Whatever you eat or drink it affects your mind and body equally. For example, when a person becomes alcoholic or smokes persistently, he/she loses the ability to remain focused on work or studies and which ultimately leads to failure. Similarly, excess of salt in your diet can abnormally increase the blood flow which in turn causes the feelings of anxiousness and anger. Likewise, having a well-balanced diet, as prescribed by your doctor or a nutritionist keeps you happy and healthy.
Work on managing your time and energy. Try to decrease your workload and take some time for meditation or journaling daily. Go to the gym or work out at home to stay active. Exercise is undoubtedly the best and simplest way to overcome mental illnesses. It also helps you overcome the physical changes like weight gain or weight loss as a result of hormonal changes caused by depression or stress. Keep a close check at your routine and make the best effort to let go of the distress and be regular in taking your prescribed medicine.
Stop Worrying or Blaming:
Do not worry about the thing that you can’t control, neither try to take control of everything around you. Complete recovery needs time and depending upon your conditions it will either be treated through medication or therapy. Trust your doctor and follow the prescribed lifestyle and diet. Do not blame yourself or any other person for your mental illness. Mental health issues might be a result of stress you get from some job-related issue or some family dispute, but no one can be solely blamed for it. Relieve yourself from envy and guilt and focus on your treatment only. Do not let any negative emotions control your life.
Do not Isolate Yourself:
Your relationships and your loved ones around you have a positive impact on your well-being. Do not detach yourself from your family and friends and take their help to overcome your emotional and psychological stress. The care and love they have for you will help you heal quickly and effectively. They are your support system and can help you fight any possible difficulty in life. Having them around will make you happy and less stressful.
Your mental health is what keeps you going in life and help you achieve your desired goals. Wounds on your body can be easily healed by putting on an ointment and a bandage, but to overcome your mental illness, your will-power, support from friends or family and consistent medication is necessary. Keep a constant check of your mental health through your appetite and sleep cycles, in case of any doubt do not hesitate to seek some professional help. A happy healthy mind is what makes you a successful and contented person.
By Hassan Khan, iPain Contributor
