The key to good mental health is making good choices every single day and avoiding bad habits that have a negative effect on your wellbeing. Prevention is always the best way to stay on top of your mental health and if you can live a more positive lifestyle in general, you’ll be far less likely to develop a mental health issue. But everybody is human and we all make mistakes from time to time. In fact, there are a lot of things that most of us get wrong when it comes to looking after our mental health. These are some of the biggest mental health mistakes that you need to avoid.
Multitasking
People assume that multitasking is a good way to reduce stress but it doesn’t really work. If you’re eating lunch at your desk while you’re trying to do work, you’re not giving yourself a break at all during the day. Scrolling on your phone when you’re trying to do something else like watching TV isn’t good either. When you multitask, you’re doing both tasks with half effort and you won’t actually be any more productive. You might feel a bit less stressed in that moment because you feel very productive but afterwards, you’ll feel more stressed because you aren’t getting as much done.
Self Medicating
When you’re stressed or anxious about something or you’ve had a bad day at work, you might decide to relax and unwind with a glass of wine or a beer. That’s fine occasionally but it’s a dangerous habit to get into and it can quickly become a habit. Drinking alcohol also increases symptoms of depression and anxiety over time so even though it might relax you in the short term, it will make things worse in the long term. If you feel that your drinking is already a problem, you should consider a treatment facility (like the one at https://lakewellnesscenter.com/new-orleans-la/) to help you tackle it. Drinking alcohol isn’t entirely bad, just make sure that you aren’t using it for the wrong reasons.
Comfort Eating
Comfort eating is very similar to self medicating in a way. When you’re feeling stressed you might reach for the snacks to make yourself feel better. The thing is, you’ll feel better for a few minutes while you’re eating but afterwards, you’re likely to feel guilty about overeating and your mood will be low. Eating fatty and sugary foods will also sap your energy and increase stress and negative feelings further. If you want to look after your mental health, make sure that you’re eating well and try to incorporate foods that are good for mental health as well.
Slouching
The way that you hold yourself when you walk can actually affect your mental health quite a lot. Studies found that slouching a lot can actually increase feelings of depression in a lot of people. Check out https://www.psychologytoday.com/gb/blog/minding-the-body/201701/good-posture-may-ease-symptoms-depression for more information. If you walk tall and stand proud, that positive energy will make you feel a lot better. It’s a simple change to make but it will make a lot of difference.
Avoiding these simple mistakes will help you to improve your mental health a lot, so make sure to watch out for them.
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