Mental health is something that should be worked on every day, but this can be difficult to do when life’s stressors (such as work, school, home responsibilities, family issues, health concerns and more) take over. According to the American Psychological Association’s (APA) Stress in America Survey conducted in 2017, nearly two-thirds of Americans (63%) are considered about this country’s future, with healthcare, trust in government, hate crimes, and crime trailing behind. If not taken care of in a healthy way, stress can have a significantly negative impact on one’s mind, body, and spirit – in fact, muscle tension, migraines, asthma attacks, hyperventilation, heart disease, diabetes, and much more can all develop and/or worsen because of stress.
With all this stress, it’s important that you make your mental health a top priority. Many studies have shown that mindfulness is a great tool for this – with mindfulness, you practice accepting whatever thoughts or feelings you experience so that you can live in the present moment. Too often, our stress takes over and we develop this unhealthy pattern of incessant worrying – this can take away from enjoying the moment we’re currently in, and, after so many moments, an entire lifetime can pass by before our very eyes.
A 2015 study published in the journal Clinical Psychology Review sought to explore interventions to improve mental health. Twenty articles focused on this subject area of research were analyzed, and the following was derived from the study:
- Mindfulness – an excellent mediator to depression, stress, anxiety, mood states, quality of life, anger expression and more, mindfulness was shown to help ameliorate some of these conditions.
- Repetitive negative thinking – often difficult to disengage from, rumination and incessant worrying can increase symptoms of depression. Mindfulness, cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), and stress reduction can combat much of this by forcing the individual to identify unhelpful thoughts and beliefs and combat them with more positive, productive ones.
- Self-compassion – mindfulness was found to help meditate self-compassion, a vital component to mental health.
- Cognitive and emotional reactivity – mild distress paired with stress can certainly reactivate negative thinking, which takes us away from the present moment. Mindfulness, CBT, and stress reduction can certainly help us with these components as we learn to accept our thoughts and control our reactions to them.
Take better care of your mental health starting today. If you’re experiencing a mental illness or substance use disorder (SUD), speak with a professional from a reputable treatment center today to learn more about options to suit your needs. Recovery is possible.
Everyone has a story that starts before treatment. Everyone has a story that changes when treatment is over. Let The Guest House Ocala show you the way to recovery from trauma, addictions, and related mental health issues. Call us today for information on our residential treatment programs, concierge customization, and life at the estate: 1-855-483-7800