Taking A Proactive Approach To Your Mental Health
Updated: May 14, 2024
Written by: Kristin Bone, Executive Contributor
Executive Contributors at Brainz Magazine are handpicked and invited to contribute because of their knowledge and valuable insight within their area of expertise.
Good mental health takes personal effort. Does prioritizing optimal mental health seem elusive? There is no magical cure to achieving effective mental health. Usually good mental health is attained by each person taking responsibility for their own lives, the outcomes, and by putting in the work. If time is never spent on an area it’s hard to be proficient at it. Mental health is no different although a lot of people seem to want to categorize it differently. Good mental health takes time and effort just like everything in life.
Don’t wait for a crisis
Mental health issues can be very sneaky and oftentimes people wait to deal with mental health issues until there is a mental health crisis. Instead of a pattern of a proactive approach, there is a reactive focus. Sometimes this lack of a proactive approach occurs because it is believed we are doing fine and believe we can handle whatever happens. Oftentimes individuals do not realize they cannot handle a situation until it becomes a mental health crisis. A better choice is daily making optimal mental health a priority before it becomes a crisis. Sometimes we are so busy with living our lives and the demands of our lives it feels like there is no way to fit focusing on our mental health in.
10 ways to add mental health to your day
Here are some ways to make sure optimal mental health is a proactive, daily approach.
1. Take your time
Make sure you are taking time for yourself and doing the things you love. Prioritizing yourself and your own needs cannot be neglected no matter how much others pull at us.
2. Enjoy life
Make sure you are pursuing your passions and the things that make you feel alive. Doing your best to enjoy your life will take you a long ways in regards to good mental health.
3. Consider therapy
Check in with a licensed therapist before issues pile up. We do regular check ups for our physical health and our mental health is equally as important.
4. Mental health screenings
Talk to your primary care doctor at check ups not just about your physical health, but to see if there are underlying mental health issues that can be addressed. NAMI suggests regular mental health screenings because frequently there is an 11 year lapse between initial symptoms and intervention currently.
5. Build a support system
A healthy support system is always important so focus on building a healthy support system routinely so you have people you can count on when needed. A study from the National Library of Medicine shows that there is a link between social support and mental health.
6. Be consistent with medication
Take medications daily as scheduled so there is a regular routine. The more you have a consistent routine the more likely it is your will continue to be compliant with your medications.
7. Exercise
Consistent exercise is therapeutic not just for your physical health, but also your mental health. Mayo Clinic studies show that exercise can assist with decreasing anxiety and depression specifically.
8. Sleep
Try and ensure you are getting enough sleep regularly. According to the CDC, people are 2.5 times higher risk to have mental issues if they get less than 6 hours of sleep.
9. Love yourself
Try and love yourself. You are your own best advocate and the person who is presenting yourself to the world. Make sure you believe first what you want others to believe about you, and treat yourself accordingly.
10. Make it personal
Understand you are unique and that an individualized approach is important for maintaining your mental health. While there are principles that have been proven to work each person will be different and that is okay.
Practice makes perfect
Incorporating focusing on our mental health is not something everyone does as a daily task. Just like people have to incorporate a daily routine of caring for their physical fitness, into their lives through discipline… focusing on prioritizing good mental health takes discipline and practice. The more a person focuses on regularly prioritizing their mental health the more natural it becomes to include in your daily life.
This proactive approach helps not just in daily life but then when crisis does come it is easier to deal with in a healthy manner. The reason for this is because the routine has become good daily mental health choices and this does not change just because life has become more challenging all of a sudden. While mental health is very complicated there are definitely ways each of us can set ourselves up to succeed by taking this proactive approach on a daily basis.
Kristin Bone, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine
Kristin Bone, is a leader in the field of mental health. She has worked in all areas of inpatient psychiatric nursing, including admissions and management. She has worked with geriatric, adult and child psychiatric patients in her career. She has also worked as the mental health nurse for incarcerated individuals. She brings a wide array of experience to the table and currently is working as a travel nurse for Aya Healthcare. She was a travel nurse with Aya during the covid pandemic. Kristin is also an actress and model in the NYC area and has been featured in multiple international magazines. She has also had various roles on network television.
