How Self-Care And Coping Mechanisms Can Help Your Mental Health
Start writing a post
Health and Wellness

How Self-Care And Coping Mechanisms Can Help Your Mental Health

"Nourishing yourself in a way that helps you blossom in the direction you want to go is attainable, and therefore you are work the effort" - Deborah Day

127
How Self-Care And Coping Mechanisms Can Help Your Mental Health

Mental illness affects over a million Americans. Some mental illnesses include anxiety, depression, drug addiction and even serious ones like schizophrenia, mood disorders, just to name a few.

People don’t realize how serious these disorders can be. They affect our whole body, mind and soul. Sometimes, we are too busy to worry about ourselves and we start to find less pleasure in activities and the things we enjoy. As humans, we find pleasure anywhere that we can. But we can get stuck in this stress that we call 'burnout'. Burnout is when we suffer from long tired feelings and a decrease in work ability. This can be placed on people when they have too many commitments.

There are many ways to prevent burnout from happening. We can increase mental wellness by taking some time off and worrying about ourselves. Coping mechanisms are positive ways to manage internal and external stress. Any mental health professional can tell you that adaptive coping mechanisms can increase your mental health and self-awareness. But many people find coping in maladaptive ways like drinking and smoking. This could lead to some of the mental health issues individuals suffer from today. As a mental health counseling student, you are taught to take time out to help yourself and find a hobby or an activity you like and stick with it when you become a professional.

Some questions to ask about our well- being are: To what degree am I taking care of myself, physically and emotionally? Am I generally consistent in my job, home life or school? These are just a few of the many questions we would like to think about. Some coping mechanisms or self-care activities I like to enjoy are hiking, hanging out with friends, writing and reading. These are just a few. Undertake activities that have no other function other than the joy that they give. Read a special book — not one for school, work, parenting or therapy one just for you. Play with pets and animals. Listen to your favorite music. We all have hobbies and activities that we enjoy like reading, watching a movie, going out with friends, going to the gym, yoga and much more. These coping mechanisms can decrease stress and increase happiness. It’s how we utilize them in our everyday life. Meditation is another coping mechanism that can help us find our internal state of mind and it also increases relaxation. Adding humor to a stressful situation can also help to lighten the mood. Organizing and time management are other ways to decrease stress. Organizing your time can help you find time to enjoy the activities you like to enjoy. Another coping mechanism that is a popular one that people enjoy is using is writing or journaling. I am a crisis intervention counselor and one of the things I tell my clients is to write down whatever comes to mind and how you are feeling at the moment. This can help with self-awareness and it teaches us lessons that we can learn for the next time we go through a negative emotion. Self- care and coping mechanisms can give you a sense of relaxation and increase joy in everyday life. If we time that hour or two to give us the “me” time we strive for, everyone will be in their happy place.

People do find coping mechanisms in order to survive burdens in the past or worries about the future. When practicing positive coping mechanisms and caring for yourself, it can increase joy in the present and future. Whether it is venting to a friend, painting, journaling or running, it can serve as ways to help yourself and make time for you.

Report this Content
This article has not been reviewed by Odyssey HQ and solely reflects the ideas and opinions of the creator.
Student Life

Waitlisted for a College Class? Here's What to Do!

Dealing with the inevitable realities of college life.

46517
college students waiting in a long line in the hallway
StableDiffusion

Course registration at college can be a big hassle and is almost never talked about. Classes you want to take fill up before you get a chance to register. You might change your mind about a class you want to take and must struggle to find another class to fit in the same time period. You also have to make sure no classes clash by time. Like I said, it's a big hassle.

This semester, I was waitlisted for two classes. Most people in this situation, especially first years, freak out because they don't know what to do. Here is what you should do when this happens.

Keep Reading...Show less
a man and a woman sitting on the beach in front of the sunset

Whether you met your new love interest online, through mutual friends, or another way entirely, you'll definitely want to know what you're getting into. I mean, really, what's the point in entering a relationship with someone if you don't know whether or not you're compatible on a very basic level?

Consider these 21 questions to ask in the talking stage when getting to know that new guy or girl you just started talking to:

Keep Reading...Show less
Lifestyle

Challah vs. Easter Bread: A Delicious Dilemma

Is there really such a difference in Challah bread or Easter Bread?

29490
loaves of challah and easter bread stacked up aside each other, an abundance of food in baskets
StableDiffusion

Ever since I could remember, it was a treat to receive Easter Bread made by my grandmother. We would only have it once a year and the wait was excruciating. Now that my grandmother has gotten older, she has stopped baking a lot of her recipes that require a lot of hand usage--her traditional Italian baking means no machines. So for the past few years, I have missed enjoying my Easter Bread.

Keep Reading...Show less
Adulting

Unlocking Lake People's Secrets: 15 Must-Knows!

There's no other place you'd rather be in the summer.

953754
Group of joyful friends sitting in a boat
Haley Harvey

The people that spend their summers at the lake are a unique group of people.

Whether you grew up going to the lake, have only recently started going, or have only been once or twice, you know it takes a certain kind of person to be a lake person. To the long-time lake people, the lake holds a special place in your heart, no matter how dirty the water may look.

Keep Reading...Show less
Student Life

Top 10 Reasons My School Rocks!

Why I Chose a Small School Over a Big University.

163999
man in black long sleeve shirt and black pants walking on white concrete pathway

I was asked so many times why I wanted to go to a small school when a big university is so much better. Don't get me wrong, I'm sure a big university is great but I absolutely love going to a small school. I know that I miss out on big sporting events and having people actually know where it is. I can't even count how many times I've been asked where it is and I know they won't know so I just say "somewhere in the middle of Wisconsin." But, I get to know most people at my school and I know my professors very well. Not to mention, being able to walk to the other side of campus in 5 minutes at a casual walking pace. I am so happy I made the decision to go to school where I did. I love my school and these are just a few reasons why.

Keep Reading...Show less

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Facebook Comments