Help Yourself to Mental Health

Carrying a lot of stress? There are lots of ways you can help yourself cope.Tell yourself the truth. Treat yourself with the same grace you would extend to others. If you make an error, instead of berating yourself, replace, “I’m an idiot,” with “Oops. I took a wrong turn.”Confess. Quit living with guilt. Acknowledge sin to God and apologize to people you’ve wronged. Make appropriate reparations.Care for your body. Take walks, jog, hit the gym. Physical health and aerobic exercise have a direct effect on mental health.Snack on veggies. Good nutrition affects physical health and outlook, too. So replace chips and sour cream dip with crackers and hummus.Sleep. Get to bed on time and transition off technology well before you need to be falling asleep.Get regular check-ups. See a doctor for hormone and mood checks and to monitor health conditions.Live in community. Even if you have no strong family connections, you can live as part of a community. Volunteer. Take a meal. Help set up chairs. Hold a baby. Teach Sunday school. Ask for help. For many, seeking out a counselor or friend who will listen requires courage. Acknowledging “I have a need” may take humility. But we were made to give and receive in relationships.Find what helps you relax. Maybe it’s a massage. Or reading comics. Or keeping a journal. Or watching old episodes of 1960s sit-com. Laughter, as they say, is the best medicine.Pray and meditate. Fill your mind with scripture through reading or listening to it on audio. Cast your cares on God, because he cares for you.