How to Nurture Your Mental Health

By- Whitney Derman

May is Mental Health Awareness Month, and I wanted to share some wisdom with everyone about mental health. If you struggle with your mental health, you are not alone. Whether you see it or not, everyone has something they struggle with. Even that girl with a seemingly perfect life? Yes, even her. Mental Health Awareness Month is about realizing that we are never alone and continuously destigmatizing mental illness and saying it’s OK to not be OK.

So how can you best support your mental health and support those around you?

Use an Affirming Gatekeeper

If a negative or traumatizing thought comes to you, find a way to stop it in its tracks (Gibson, 2022). This could be a mantra or inspirational quote, a joke you tell yourself to relax, a text you saved from a loved one that relaxes your mind, or even a physical activity that takes it off your mind. Great ways to move would be to practice yoga, go for a run, or dance to your favorite tunes. Often these negative thoughts tend to be intrusive, but by dwelling on them, we give them power. By distracting yourself with a positive thought, laugh, or activity, you take away those negative thoughts’ powers by not fixating on them.

Remember the 5:1 Rule

For every negative thought, you need five positive ones to balance it out (Cutruzzula, 2019). Negative thoughts are normal, and you shouldn’t feel ashamed. If they do arise, make sure you utilize an Affirming Gatekeeper to block the thought out, and then think of five positive thoughts to push the negative thought out of your mind. Even if doing so is difficult, challenge yourself to think of five positive thoughts immediately. The faster you balance out the thoughts, the less time the negative thought will have to fester and grow in your mind.

Take a Break

Life can get overwhelming, and sometimes you just need to breathe and recuperate. Activities that you could enjoy are going on a walk or hike, sitting outside and enjoying the sun on your face, taking a bath with your favorite bath bomb, reading your favorite book, listening to relaxing music, or even just using your favorite scented body wash. Find moments of relaxation such as journaling or exercising to release endorphins. It is easy to overwork yourself or get stressed, so doing something small to relax is crucial for your mental and physical health. Taking even five to ten minutes a day for yourself to relax will help improve your mood and well-being.

Call or Text a Friend or Loved One

Contacting a friend or other loved one has several positive outcomes. First, talking to someone you love can lift your spirits and make you smile or laugh, whether the person is a friend you talk to all the time or someone you haven’t spoken to recently. Second, by texting or calling, you’ll send them a clear message that you’re thinking of them and that you care. You never know who in your life is going through a difficult time mentally or emotionally. So just reaching out could often mean more for them than you may think it does. Even if someone doesn’t reply, the knowledge that you are thinking of them could still cheer them up.

Try to start utilizing these skills in your everyday life. They won’t cure you, but I guarantee they will help a lot. Some may take practice, and that’s OK. Even if it’s a challenge, it is worth it. It is crucial to always take care of yourself and put your physical and mental health first. By prioritizing your well-being, you also enable yourself to be fully present for others when the time comes.

We at ARO are here to support you in your personal healing journey to complete well-being. We bring awareness and education to 13 different types of abuse including Narcissistic, Sexual, Physical, Psychological, Financial, Child, Self, Cyberbullying, Bullying, Spousal, Elderly, Isolation and Workplace, and help others heal and find peace.

To learn more about ARO and to make a donation to support our life-saving activities, please visit GoARO.org.

Sources
Gibson, M. (2022). Norm TherapyⓇ Intake Specialist Training Program.

Cutruzzula, K. (2019, September 25). Challenge your negative thinking with the 5:1 ratio. Shine. https://advice.theshineapp.com/articles/challenge-your-negative-thinking-with-the-5-1-ratio/