Mental Wellness
Mental wellness refers to good mental health. It encompasses many aspects of a person's mental well-being, including managing stress, addressing mental health needs, and developing positive coping mechanisms.
Stress management: Stress is a normal part of life, but chronic stress can have a negative impact on physical and mental wellness. Self-awareness involves identifying the sources of stress in your life. Self-care includes developing support or coping mechanisms, such as access to supportive people or activities, relaxation techniques, exercise, and time management, that can help reduce stress and improve mental wellness. As previously stated, while contributing to your physical wellness, physical activity can also improve your mental well-being by relieving stress. Also, time management methods like creating a schedule can allow you to balance caregiving and find time for self-care.
Mental health needs: Finding a balance between your responsibilities to others and yourself can help your mental health needs. This can include finding time for personal activities like hobbies and gardening. Sometimes, when there is an imbalance, mental health conditions, such as depression and anxiety, can negatively impact mental wellness. Self-awareness involves recognizing the signs and symptoms of these conditions and seeking professional help, if necessary, to maintain mental wellness.
Positive coping mechanisms: Developing positive coping tools, such as deep breathing exercises, mindfulness, and journaling, can help to improve mental wellness and reduce the negative impact of stress and mental health issues.
Social Support: Did you know the National Institute on Aging finds that the health effects of prolonged social isolation are equivalent to smoking 15 cigarettes a day? As a caregiver, you can sometimes feel isolated, so it is important to surround yourself with supportive people for your mental and physical health. This can include friends, family, a therapist, or peers with shared experiences. The people in your support network can provide a sounding board for your thoughts and feelings and provide a source of comfort and encouragement during difficult times. Social media can also represent a convenient way to stay connected. Still, it is important to create healthy habits around its use, as social media can also negatively impact mental wellness.
By incorporating these elements of mental wellness into your daily routine, you can improve your overall mental health and well-being.