As time goes on, scientists are beginning to take a good look at the whole picture
presented by a person's health and they are beginning to realize that the old adage
"one is all, all is one" applies more often than they had thought! Essentially,
no part of your life is free from any other part. The mental and emotional stress
that you are feeling will have a definite effect on your health and vice versa.
When you are feeling more confident and happy with your life, you are much more
able to weather illness or recover from injury. Take a look at a few ways to make
sure that you are on the right track as far as staying healthy mentally so that
you can stay healthy physically.
Keep tabs on yourself
Many people who suffer from depression and anxiety cannot remember ever feeling
different, but that is actually a trick of their mind. Keep a journal where you
can keep track of your mood, even if you only write a few key words down a day.
You may be surprised by the valleys and hills that you experience and this can help
you understand a little more of the way that your mind and your mood work.
Go be social
If you're feeling down, you often don't feel like hanging out with your friends
and family, which is unfortunate because this is when you need them the most. Even
if you have to force yourself at the beginning, go out and see your friends, whether
you just watch a movie together or go get some coffee. Having people around who
like you and enjoy your company is very validating and can be quite helpful if you're
in a place where you can't see anything good about yourself.
Take care of yourself
Are there things that comfort you, or make you feel better when you are down? Think
about what those things might be, make a list, and the next time you feel depressed
or upset, do one. While doing something from this list might feel a little unnatural
at first, if its something that you usually do while you're happy, doing this can
cue your brain back to a more functional, less depressed place.
Smile
A smile can cue your brain to be happy. While you may have to force it at first,
you'll most likely find that it won't take too long before the smile is real. This
is because that when your face smiles, it triggers associations of happiness in
your brain and can actually make you more happy by association.
Reach out.
If you feel your feelings of depression or despair feel overwhelming, don't hesitate
to reach out. There are counselors, peer groups and support networks out there that
can help you. It is not considered weak or shameful to seek help, and you need to
remember that you have the same right to be happy and fulfilled as everyone else.
If you feel yourself sliding downwards, reach out and you'll be surprised at how
many options you have.