Life is like a rollercoaster, full of ups and downs and if you have been experiencing more downs that ups, this can take its toll on your mental health. Men are more likely to suffer from anxiety and for too many years, there was a stigma attached to mental health issues and they weren’t discussed, which isn’t conducive to a solution.
If you find yourself under stress, here are a few tips from mental health professionals.
- Seek professional help – The National Disability Insurance Scheme provides essential funding for many disabilities, which includes mental health issues. You could arrange for a NDIS occupational therapist to carry out a series of assessments and if you are eligible, you will receive funding for mental health therapy and counselling. The best possible way forward is to enlist the help of an experienced mental health counsellor, a person who can work with you to build self-esteem and address your concerns.
- Leisure time – All work and no play make Jack a dull boy, or so the saying goes and without a hobby, life can be boring. Find something you passionately enjoy; it might be a sport, gardening or art and allow yourself a few hours every week to indulge in something that makes you happy.
- Daily exercise – A healthy body is a healthy mind and no matter what troubles you may have, you should stay in shape. If you have no physical ailments, a good workout routine early in the morning will set you up for the day. You might as well make the best use of that gym subscription and when it expires, set up a home gym so you can save time and money. Getting enough quality sleep is important; if you would like to learn more about sleep apnea, click here.
- Take up meditation – This ancient Eastern discipline can be very helpful in dealing with anxiety; those who practice report an elevated mood and if you meditate for 10-15 minutes early in the morning, you should feel more positive about the coming day. There are many ways a person can meditate; you can sit in a cross-legged pose, or lie on your back and some people meditate while walking. It is easy to misunderstand meditation, some think it means you have a totally blank mind, void of all thought, yet this is impossible; the art of meditation is to focus on one thing. It might be your rhythmic breathing, or the ticking of a clock, something to focus your attention on. There are some great meditation tutorial videos on YouTube that will help you to gain a deeper understanding of this calming discipline.
- Stay active – Having too much time on your hands is generally a bad idea; rather you should try to stay active; maintain your friendships and if you have a good friend, why not confide in them regarding your mental health issues?
More Australians are seeking mental health counselling than ever before, which is a reflection of the troubled times we are currently experiencing. It is always good to talk about your problems with someone you trust and hopefully, things will take a turn for the better.
