July is Minority Mental Health Awareness Month, an important time to focus on the health and wellness of yourself and the others around you. Below are some tips for maintaining your mental health and wellness this month, and all year long!
- Practice self-care and make yourself a priority.
The first step in practicing self-care is to take care of your body. In order to do this it is important to:
– Eat a healthy diet – research has shown that what you eat—and don’t eat—affects the way you think and feel.
– Exercise, which can help decrease depression and anxiety and improve moods.
– Get enough sleep. - Disconnect from electronics and social media.
Consider adding an electronics-free time period to your day. Taking time to unplug and disconnect from the constant stream of emails and alerts will allow you to interact with people face to face and will help reduce the many feelings of FOMO that social media can often stir-up. - Engage in activities that provide meaning.
Partake in activities that make you feel happy, productive, and challenge your creativity. Whether through drawing, taking an exercise class, going out to dinner with friends or caring for a pet, spending quality time with those who matter to you can make you feel good. - Volunteer.
The meaning and purpose derived from helping others or the community can enrich and expand your life—and make you happier. There’s no limit to the individual and group volunteer opportunities you can explore. Schools, places of worship, nonprofits, and charitable organizations of all sorts depend on volunteers for help in any capacity. - Engage in meditation and/or mindfulness.
Relaxation exercises can improve your state of mind and outlook on life. In fact, research shows that meditation may help you feel calmer. FITDC offers DC residents FREE meditation, breathwork, and mindfulness courses to all DC Residents. Check out all our offerings here. - Avoid heavy substance use.
It is important to keep alcohol use to a minimum and avoid other drugs. Many people use alcohol and other drugs to “self-medicate” but in reality, substance use may get in the way of your ability to function at work or school, maintain a stable home life, handle life’s difficulties, and relate to others. - Get help from a licensed mental health professional when and if you need it. Seeking help is a sign of strength — not a weakness.
Just as it requires effort to build and maintain physical health, so it is with mental health.
This list included a few small but impactful ways to improve your mental health every day. It is most important to remember that treatment is effective. People who get appropriate care can recover from mental illness and lead full, productive, and rewarding lives.