October is Mental Health Awareness Month

Mental health is often misunderstood, however, it affects everyone in one way or another. There are many stigmas surrounding mental health and the topic itself, but there are also many ways to be supportive of those struggling with or recovering from mental illness.

The World Health Organization defines Mental Health as "A state of well-being." Mental Health Awareness Month and Mental health have become a topic of discussion for many people. With Mental health affecting 1 in 5 adults every year, it's important to take care of your mental wellness. But what does that look like? This blog post will teach you ways to improve your Mental Health with self-care techniques and self-love! Mental health can be a sensitive topic for some, and we care about you guys. If Mental Health is important to you then check out this blog post! 

1. Practicing gratitude.

Maintaining a positive mental attitude will assist you in maintaining your overall mental health. Being grateful for what you have and expressing those emotions to others can help you feel better emotionally! Tell others how thankful you are for them, and it'll make a difference in their lives as well as yours!

2. Taking care of your physical health.

Mental Health is directly related to your physical health. Mental illness can lead you to make poor lifestyle choices, leading to many other problems down the road. Don't smoke or drink too much alcohol! Go outside and exercise regularly! Control what you can control, there are always things you have no control over so don't stress about them!

Getting enough sleep

Sleep is related to your mental health, and it's important to be rested when you're practicing healthy Mental habits. Getting at least 7 hours of sleep each night can help immensely!

Checking in with your Mental Health

Mental health isn't something that just affects everyone once, but rather over time. How are you feeling? Are you stressed? Anxious? Depressed? You can monitor your Mental health by checking in with yourself every day. Taking care of your Mental Wellness is like taking care of your mental hygiene, so you'll always be keeping up to date on how you're feeling!

Connecting with others  

Mental Illness can isolate you, but your Mental Health is directly related to the people in your life. Healthy relationships with others can lead to a healthy sense of belonging and a support system. If you're feeling isolated or anxious, take some time for yourself then try connecting with others! Social media has been a great way for people to reach out to others. Starting a Mental Health conversation on Facebook, Twitter or other Social Media sites lets people know that it's okay to talk about Mental health. Mental Health should be discussed as much as physical health!

Talking through your feelings 

Everyone has their down days, but talking about those feelings can help you feel better. If you're struggling with Mental Wellness, it's important to speak up and share your feelings with others. Mental Health problems need time to heal, so don't put any pressure on yourself! In the event that Mental Illness does not improve, there are plenty of Mental Health resources available for support!

Meditation    

Mental Health issues have been known to decrease with meditation, and it's an easy habit to start! There are a ton of Mental Health resources available for free online! You can download a meditation app or watch Mental Health videos on YouTube. If you're not up for watching Mental Health videos there are many other options to try out!

Relaxation techniques

Finding a relaxing practices you do to produce your body's natural relaxation response. This slows down your breathing, lowers your blood pressure, and reduces muscle tension and stress hormones. This technique takes practice to get down, but Mental Health resources are available online for tutorials!

Self-care 

Mental Wellness is important for your entire well-being, and Self-care is important in maintaining mental wellness! The more you invest time into improving Mental Health the better off you'll be! The fact that you're taking care of Mental health is an improvement, and you can make it into a positive habit by practicing Self-care! Make Mental Health a priority in your life to see the benefits of feeling good emotionally.

Self-love 

Loving yourself and being comfortable with who you are is very important for Mental health. If you're struggling with self-esteem issues or  Mental Health, Mental Health resources are available online for support. If Mental Illness continues to be an issue, there are Mental Health professionals who can help with self-love and Mental Wellness.

Don't know where to start? That's okay!

Mental health starts with recognizing the problems within yourself and then gaining the tools to fix them. Mental Health is different for everyone,  so Mental Wellness will be different for you. Mental Health isn't just mental wellness is an integral part of being human, so take some time to improve Mental wellness in your life!

(For more information on Mental Wellness check out Mental Health America's website here .)