Mental Health Awareness Month
May is Mental Health Awareness month, and it may be the most perfectly timed awareness month yet. The collective experience of the COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the importance of mental health, and the toll that putting our mental wellbeing on the back-burner can have.
For the first time, all of us are experiencing simultaneous disruptions in our systems - family, friends, work, support systems, support etc. Navigating the reality of social distancing can feel incredibly isolating - but there is hope. Technology is an amazing tool at our disposal, one which so many of us have been taking advantage of to stay connected to our friends, family, and support systems during this time. Seeing the resilience of the human spirit in the face of adversity, and seeing how we adjust and assimilate to a new “normal” together has been an incredible experience.
One of the biggest takeaways from this experience is the role that our environment plays in mental health. Whether it’s your living environment, work environment, or your relationships, the environments you surround yourself with can have a profound impact on your mental wellbeing - something we can all acknowledge after having our environments disrupted. Together with our amazing counselor, Marrie Ketchum, LICSW, we’ve come up with a few coping strategies to help you navigate this new reality.
Make room for and acknowledge your feelings! Social media presents a fictional reality where everyone is constantly being productive, but it’s okay to not be okay right now. Your worth is not measured in productivity, you are inherently valuable. Be kind to yourself - this is an unprecedented situation, we are all struggling to find balance in this new reality.
Try to create a gentle routine. Our brains like structure, and right now a lot of our regular routine is disrupted. Creating a loose routine can help you to feel more secure - even something as simple as choosing two things to do every morning, afternoon, and evening can help. Choose a few things that serve you, like a morning walk or an online social hour.
Make room for gratitude. It can seem difficult to be grateful right now, but learning to look for the positives in your life can make a profound difference. We like to practice this simple exercise: at the end of the day, write down two things you’re grateful for from today, and two things you are looking forward to tomorrow.
If movement and exercise feels like self-care for you, then practice that! Sometimes moving and getting our heart rate up can boost your mood and help you feel more like yourself.
Journaling is another great way to practice self care. Having an outlet for your emotions makes it easier to not hold on to them. Journaling is flexible - you don’t have to write out all of your innermost thoughts. You can draw, color, create a bullet journal, or any other creative exercise that feels cathartic for you.
Prioritize your nutrition. The food and nutrients we eat have a huge impact on mood regulation, not to mention our immune system functionality. Remember to fuel your body with whole foods that help you feel and perform your best.
Create boundaries to support good sleep hygiene. Limiting screen time before bed, working outside of your bedroom, and establishing a wind-down routine can help improve your sleep quality, which makes you feel and function better.
What are you focusing on this mental health awareness month? We want to hear about your favorite self-care practices and how you’re adjusting to this new collective experience.