4 new ways to improve your mental health

The following blog post was written by our guest contributor Melissa Howard, the founder of stopsuicide.info. 

When it comes to outside-the-box ideas on how to improve your mental health, it may be time to think beyond some of the standard advice like meditation, relaxation response, or journaling.

While these are all worthwhile and effective endeavors, if you’ve already tried them, and you’re still experiencing a sense of anxiety, it’s time to try something new.

What Are Your Stressors?

Before you embark on a mental health improvement journey, it’s important to target the specific things in your life that are causing you mental distress.

According to the American Psychological Association, for some people, it’s being overworked or underappreciated in your career or at home; for others, it’s money woes, or not having enough personal time.

Keep a diary of the people, places, or things that cause anxiety so you can better pinpoint stress-inducing sources.

Of course, if you are feeling depression not associated with anything in particular, or become despondent, it’s time to seek immediate medical attention.

Ways to improve your mental health

After you have identified the source of your mental distress, consider trying one or more of the suggestions below.

1. Make a Natural Connection

If you work in a windowless office environment, your mental health can be impacted by a lack of fresh air and sunshine, or an opportunity to be alone with your thoughts.

It might be time to get back to nature to seek peace and comfort in relative solitude.

Try downloading a trail-finder app and start taking regular hikes – it can provide a great mental and physical boost.

As part of your outdoor adventures, you might take up birdwatching or photography and chronicle the wonder and beauty of your surroundings.

While listening to upbeat music while you hike can keep you motivated, so can being at one with nature.

2. Nurture a Companion Animal

According to Psychology Today, having a pet can go a long way in helping decrease your anxiety and improve your mental health.

If your schedule and housing situation permits, visit your local pet rescue and see if you feel a connection to a fur baby in need of a home. Not only will you be helping another living creature, you’ll be getting a loving companion who can bring great joy to your life.

If you don’t feel that you have the time or space to adopt a pet of your own, consider volunteering. Shelters and rescues are often overwhelmed and in great need of extra sets of hands.

Fostering pets can be another option, as can occasionally pet-sitting for a friend or family member as your schedule permits. 

3. Change Careers

Many people suffer from work-related anxiety. Perhaps you’re not challenged, you work with difficult people, or you simply don’t enjoy the type of work that you’re doing.

You can pave the way for future success and improve your mental health by returning to school for an online degree in a new and exciting field like computer science. Studying online allows you to work from the location of your choosing, and it often offers a great deal of flexibility so you can still attend to your personal and professional responsibilities.

When exploring online learning options, look for a school that’s accredited and offers competitive tuition rates.

4. Schedule a Wellness Retreat

Sometimes, you just need to get away from it all, relax, reset, and recharge. Perhaps you can visit an old friend or get a vacation rental for a weekend.

If your budget allows, explore different meditative or health retreats that you can go to for a couple of days. Many of these programs offer detox diets, a variety of meditative practices, spa treatments, and opportunities for artistic and creative expression. You may even be able to receive one-on-one consultations in which you dive deeper into the areas of your life and explore the source of your anxieties.

While retreats can be a bit pricey, they can be an enjoyable, stress-reducing investment in yourself.

Summary

Maintaining your mental health is just as important as your physical health. If you feel extreme depressive symptoms or continue to experience general anxiety, speak to your primary healthcare provider about what you’re experiencing. Talk therapy and medication can help.

What are some of the ways you have improved your mental health?

About the Author: Every suicide is preventable. After losing her younger brother to suicide, Melissa Howard felt compelled to create Stop Suicide. By providing helpful resources and articles on her website, she hopes to build a lifeline of information. Melissa attended the University of Colorado, Colorado Springs and currently works as an executive assistant.