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What’s Stopping You From Taking Care of You ? :. Steps to Protecting and Enhancing Your Mental Health By: Dr. Lesajean McDonald Jennings Licensed Psychologist, Clinical Licensed Specialist in School Psychology Private Practice Houston, Texas www.DrLJennings.com (O) 713-225-2280.
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What’s Stopping You From Taking Care of You? : Steps to Protecting and Enhancing Your Mental Health By: Dr. Lesajean McDonald Jennings Licensed Psychologist, Clinical Licensed Specialist in School Psychology Private Practice Houston, Texas www.DrLJennings.com (O) 713-225-2280
Our Mental Health Also Needs Protection • We need to maintain a regime of mental health protection just as we do regarding physical diseases like diabetes, heart disease, and cancer.
Take Care of Yourself FIRST • Only you can best care for your needs • Others who depend on you need you to be whole • It is OK to treat yourself well
Pay attention to the environment in which you allow yourself to live • People • Situations • People with strong family or social connections are generally healthier than those who lack a supportive network. • Practice preferential time management and see your time on earth as precious • Choose to spend time with supportive family members and friends, and in positive situations.
Choose to see the positive sides of all situations. • What we focus on gets bigger!! • Learn ways to cope with negative thoughts • Negative thoughts can be insistent and loud, so make the positive thoughts the louder ones. • Learn to interrupt them and turn them into positives. Don’t try to block them, but don’t let them take over.
Be Honest With Yourself About ALL of your feelings. • Deal with your feelings before they deal with you. • Ignored feelings don’t disappear, they show up in a variety of ways. • Relationships • Physical health • Sleep quality • Coping abilities
Allow yourself to grieve losses and then CHOOSE to move on • Grief is a normal process that should be honored • Losses can appear in a variety of ways • Death • Old job / New job • Life Transitions (i.e. a child leaves for college, moving to a new house, new responsibilities)
Allow yourself to heal from hurts, abuses and other traumas • Get Help When You Need It. • Seeking help is a sign of strength - not a weakness, and it is important to remember that mental health related treatments are effective. • People who get appropriate care can recover from mental illness and substance abuse disorders, and lead full, productive lives.
Types of Mental Health Treatment • Individual Therapy / Counseling • Group Therapy / Counseling • Family or Couples Therapy / Counseling • Support Groups • Psychiatric Treatments
Exercise • Exercise has been shown to help decrease depression and anxiety, and improve our moods. • Regular physical activity improves psychological well-being and can reduce depression and anxiety. • There are many physical benefits, which can lead to even more psychological and social benefits!
Good sleep habits are vital • Research indicates strong benefits to the immune system • Sleep makes you smarter! We learn many things during the day but night time is when our brains process the information. Research indicates that those who slept after learning a task, had better recall rates. • Sleep helps you look better!When you’re asleep, the body repairs and regenerates skin, blood and brain cells, as well as muscles • Sleep increases concentrationSleep deprivation can lead to irritability, reduced concentration and a slower reaction time. • Sleep makes you a nicer personNeurotransmitters (brain chemicals) are also regenerated during sleep. A lack of sleep can lead to cranky, aggressive and unsociable behaviors. At the extremes, a long-term lack of sleep can cause disorientation and paranoia.
A Healthy Diet Is Also Important • Research links depression to low intakes of fish, folic acid and omega-3 fatty acids. • Selenium and the amino acid tryptophan are thought to play an important role in the illness. • Deficiencies of essential fats and antioxidant vitamins are also thought to be a contributory factor in schizophrenia.
Good Foods for Mental Health • Leafy vegetables • Seeds and nuts • Fruit • Whole grains • Wheatgerm • Organic eggs • Organic farmed or wild fish, especially fatty fish
Bad Foods for Mental Health • Deep fried junk foods • Refined processed foods • Pesticides • Alcohol • Sugar • Tea and coffee
Practice Proactive Stress Management • Stress is a part of life so practice good coping skills EVERYDAY, not just after or during a stressful time period or event. • Walking • Playing with your pet • Journal writing • Choose to smile and laugh about life. Research shows that laughter can boost your immune system, ease pain relax your body and reduce stress.
Make Good CHOICES TowardsGOOD MENTAL HEALTH! • Attitude • Social Life • Exercise • Health • Diet
What’s Stopping You From Taking Care of You? : Steps to Protecting and Enhancing Your Mental Health By: Dr. Lesajean McDonald Jennings Licensed Psychologist, Clinical Licensed Specialist in School Psychology Private Practice Houston, Texas www.DrLJennings.com (O) 713-225-2280