What exactly is mental illness?
Well, it describes a
person’s thought patterns or behavior. According to the DSM-V, anxiety is the
fear that something negative may happen, while depression is a feeling of
sadness, sadness, or loneliness.
When someone is severely depressed, they are said to have
“mood disorders,” which means how you feel daily, regardless of
the time of day.
Mood and anxiety disorders can occur at any age and can make
you feel like your emotions are out of control. You may have been born with
them, but you may feel them within days if not weeks after birth. People with
serious mental illnesses are more prone to mood disorders, including sadness
and anxiety than people without mental illnesses.
There are many different types of mental illness such as
bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, panic disorder, and major depression. Only if
your mental health problem is severe enough will you need help or therapy.
1. Depression and anxiety symptoms vary greatly | Mental wellbeing
Feeling sad most of the day is the most typical symptom of
major depressive disorder. However, many people with this mental illness may
also have physical symptoms, including muscle pain, insomnia, or poor energy.
If you have a mood disorder, you should avoid anything that
makes you feel sad or melancholy, including reading, watching TV, browsing
social media, watching the news, and going out with friends. The last thing you
might want is negative thinking, although it’s hard when you have a mental
illness.
You could be trying to protect yourself from actual death if
you keep thinking about topics like death. This could make you anxious and
stressed about what would happen if you died. On the other hand, anxiety is
caused by fear or discomfort about certain future events.
People may worry about going into debt, losing
their job, being attacked by someone else, etc. Instead of stressing or feeling
catastrophic about something that is out of your control, you will need to
learn to manage your worries and think optimistically.
One way to manage anxiety is to write down all your worries
and anxiety about tomorrow. Then, write them down again when you start to feel
better. When it comes to people with anxiety, it is important to consider if it
is real or just in your head.
2. Your mindset can affect Mental wellbeing
Your behavior is the way you think, which is affected by
your life experiences such as relationships or how you see the world. A person
with depression can lack self-care when it comes to caring for it such as
cooking healthy meals and can find it difficult to exercise when you are
depressed.
Also, people with bipolar disorder have difficulties
concentrating and making decisions that require effort. They might also
struggle to find joy or meaning in everyday life. A good diet and regular
exercise are two of the best ways for dealing with your physical illness and
psychological illness because they both improve your mood.
Not getting enough sleep is one of the main reasons why
people with depression and bipolar conditions get anxious.
Not sleeping enough gives off energy which can prevent you
from relaxing and can lead to stress and overthinking which is one of the
critical symptoms of Major Depressive Disorder (MDD).
Therefore, it is very important to schedule your sleeping
hours or just try not to go to bed before midnight. Maintaining a balanced
lifestyle can help manage and reduce your symptoms such as anxiety and
depression or mania.
Make sure you eat healthily and do things that make you
happy and don’t make you miserable. Try to keep in contact with people and
don’t give up on activities and social situations which can bring you
happiness.
3. Exercise can change the brain | Mental wellbeing
It is very important for someone suffering from major
depression and anxiety to know that exercise is actually essential to your
mental and physical well-being. Walking, running, swimming and even yoga have
shown some evidence to support that exercise helps increase mood and
self-awareness.
Studies by several scientists in 2014 found that exercise
improved a person’s mood by increasing the levels of growth hormone,
neurotrophic factor, and serotonin.
So, you need to find ways to make exercise fun and enjoyable
so that you don’t become stressed and sad as well. Exercising should involve
any activity that helps you release endorphins and neurotransmitters which is
known as EGF.
These substances are released after the exercise and act as
painkillers, giving you instant satisfaction in 30 seconds to 10 minutes.
You’ll feel better after a few sessions so give it a go!
4. Stress management techniques | Mental wellbeing
People who suffer from depression or anxiety can benefit
from meditation as it keeps you calm and focused which is often the reason why
people with depression or anxiety feel bad. As you relax, your thoughts will
automatically focus on your breathing and will naturally slow down and calm you
down to your normal level of mental activity. Breathing exercises and
mindfulness can help you focus on the present moment as well as the past.
Since everyone is different, there is no exact right or
wrong technique for you to practice. Research by psychologist Julia Westwood
found that people who practiced a form of relaxation called deep breathing in
addition to yoga and mindfulness performed better on tests of attention than
those who didn’t practice the mindfulness technique.
Some techniques include; deep breathing techniques, eye
movement, body scanning, and cognitive reappraisal. Practicing these techniques
can either take place during each session or once a week at least.
Relaxation exercise can also help you cope with stressful
events in your life which is beneficial because it gives you a sense of
achievement. To relieve stress, try visualizing positive situations in your
life and focus on the things you can control such as how you feel.
By focusing on the positive outcomes of your stress, you may
be able to help yourself focus on your thoughts, leading yourself towards
greater mental clarity.
5. Take care of your nutrition | Mental wellbeing
If you have problems eating in an attempt to combat
depression and anxiety symptoms, then it is time to do some research. The fact
is some foods that are associated with depression are high in sugar and sugar
substitutes. You may find that these foods are better than others when it comes
to managing your depression symptoms.
Foods that are rich in carbohydrates like cakes and cereals
and pasta sauces can actually trigger anxiety symptoms. Eating too many fatty,
processed foods and sugary foods containing lots of sugar can lead to obesity
which can lead to depression or anxiety disorder.
Dr. Andrew Evans, author of I Love My Chocolate Cake says
that consuming a tablespoon or two of fat-free yogurt every day along with
chocolate cake after every meal is not recommended. Instead, your meals should
consist of whole grains and plenty of fresh fruit and vegetables which are
better for treating anxiety symptoms.
Furthermore, studies showed that fat-free yogurt was beneficial when consuming large amounts in moderation, which is expected when following the keto diet. Keto is one of the fatless and extreme
weight loss programs as well as fasting diets. Fasting and low sugars also made
people with depression or anxiety have an improvement in mood.
Conclusion
Mental health disorders can be difficult to treat but it
doesn’t mean it is impossible to recover. Everyone’s experiences are unique and
a person without depression will have to face some of the same challenges as
those who suffer from other mental disorders. Most of the time, it is better to
manage these symptoms at home, if possible as opposed to going to hospitals as
sometimes some doctors may not agree with taking patients to the hospital for
treatment. However, it does help to have a trained professional by your side to
guide you through the process and provide suggestions and advice on which is
best for your individual circumstances.