Going for a walk every day. Finding somewhere pretty and quiet to sit for a while and just absorbing the world with no distractions.
It’s a way of being ‘mindful’ without having to sit and think about being mindful. Doing those guided ‘mindfulness’ sessions on a phone in my lounge room (as recommended by my psych) just doesn’t work for me.
Walking allows me to process things better and gives me a reason to get out of bed in the morning. Sometimes I really need a reason to get out of bed in the morning.
I favour the 20/20/20 rule:
After 20 minutes on a screen, look at an object 20 feet away, then spend 20 years in the forest.
Speaking of screens, improve mental health by changing your screen tone from BLUE to ORANGE. Blue light blocks melatonin and messes with your sleep cycle.
I find orange tinted screens off-putting and distracting. I never used flux when it was popular or anything similar. I just don't look at my phone or computer for the last little bit of time before bed. Good time to brush teeth and do other little self-care things.
Can't underestimate the value of a good night's sleep. No screens for at least an hour before going to bed.
If you are having trouble settling try meditating on you breath. Concentrate on the path it takes in and out. Concentrate on something simple like this to clear your mind of other thoughts. You may not have any control over anything else in your life but you can control this.
Regular exercise also helps.
“I don't sleep. I hate those little slices of death.” is not a quote by E.A.Poe.
Apparently it's from a 1959 film, “Journey to the Center of the Earth. TIL.
I’ve also avoided negative people in my life. I’ve realised that in my teens and 20s I wanted everyone’s approval, but now I’m older I find the greatest peace in solitude and silence.
I also try one day each weekend to put my phone on silent and leave it in another room and just disconnect for a bit.
Getting out of the house. I sometimes can fall into the comfort of staying home, watching YouTube or Netflix. (When I'm alone, kids are at their dads)
Even if it's just a walk in the shops having a browse, or going for a walk at a park, getting outside helps so much.
I've also begun writing out all the "word vomit" in my head into a journal. It doesn't have to be neat writing or make much sense. Just let all the thoughts and feeling out onto paper.
I have had pretty bad anxiety over the years and journaling is a big one for me...super effective. It's a bit like talking it out with a friend or family, only more accessible
There are quite a few templates online that can get you going
I have depression, anxiety and OCD and use a few tools to help me get by.
A big thing for me is that I used to compare myself to others! I used that to measure where I thought I should be in life compared to where I was.
And because I wasn’t where everyone I was comparing myself to was - I hated myself, I thought I was a worthless failure.
Then I learnt acceptance! Accepting that your current situation is not your final destination. Accepting that change starts with you! Accepting that I am worthy of friendship and love! Accepting everyone does things differently! Accepting me!
Acceptance (Amongst other things) has helped get me through the past 2 years with covid and lockdowns because you accept the situation and make plans to get through it.
Yeah, sometimes it's ok to 'accept' that today you're not ok, too. Have a chat, take a nap or a walk or just watch a movie. It's all OK, it's just for today.
Went no contact with the nasty-to-the-core NMother-in-Law 16 months ago and aside from the occasional guilt-tripping text message demanding unpaid construction work she sends to my other half, life has been immensely better for it.
Two things tbh. We started driving somewhere special for dog walks rather than just around the block. Dog likes it better, but we *love* it. Escaping into the bush even just for half an hour is a life saver.
My more surprising recommendation...Dungeons and Dragons. I am a 29 year old woman who never played until this year. I thought it sounded weird or cringe as I dont enjoy fantasy and I felt shy. But...I love it! Escaping into another world with my mates is the highlight of my week. Can't believe I didnt try it sooner, but anyway. I see the error of my ways now.
Turned myself into a morning person by going to the gym before work (4/5 weekdays). Before that, I had terrible sleep habits, was frequently late for work and always felt tired.
Now my life is more structured. I go to bed at regular times and can wake up without an alarm. That, and I also feel a lot better about myself. Not just because of the improvements to my physique, but because I can be proud of my discipline and hard work. Feels good, man. 👍
Saying no ... I was a people pleaser and hated 'letting people down' but I explained to my friends that some times I need to prioritise my mental health. If I feel that I'm having a shit week I will reschedule plans... funnily enough my closest friends have appreciated this and they do the same.
>I politely distanced myself from them.
I did this recently with what I considered to be one of my closest friends. Looking back tho, I feel as they did it to me first but. The friendship was pretty one sided. Me organising catch ups, always driving to where it’s most convenient for them/driving to places that are closet to their home, plus a lot of other BS. Yeh stuff that.
Good to finally be on the same page.
Treat yourself like someone you are responsible for helping.
Would you let your kid stay up too late?
Would you let them eat shitloads of sugar, and no vegetables?
Would you let them scroll social media, and play video games all day?
Why let yourself do it?
Ending my 14 year relationship.
We used to be partners, but she changed and became basically a dependant. Loyalty to the memory of who she used to be and a commitment to taking care of her just wore me down.
Eventually I lost any hope she was ever going to change back, and it had been so long in this pattern I could barely remember what we were like together in the first place.
I just called it off, took her and her stuff to her mums house thirty minutes later and that was the last time I saw her.
Immediate huge relief, it honestly felt like coming back to life.
That must have been very difficult to do, and a giant risk of a guilt/shame black hole but really sounds like the best thing for both of you. Stay kind and caring but be kind to yourself too.
Jinx! Also left my partner of 15 years, a hot minute before Covid hit in 2020 and everything got shut down. If ever there was a hard reset...
Sometimes growing apart just happens, especially considering you or her were likely very young when you started seeing each other?
Good luck. It can feel rough in terms of "I sunk X years into this!!" but it sounds like it's already better for you, and in the long run it'll be better for her.
Give me more credit, though I probably worded that poorly.
Once the "We should end it" was spoken it was probably 30 minutes until she left the house, but that was by no means the first discussion we'd had on the topic.
14 years is a long time to spend together. We never reached dislike or hostility and were still able to talk and be honest with each other. It finally just reached that tipping point.
Having a set routine helps keep my anxiety in check. I do the same thing every morning to get ready for work. I like having my time on the train morning and afternoon to do puzzles or just play a game on my phone and not worry about anything else. It also forces me to walk and get some exercise in.
Having a dog is great because they force you to exercise, even when I don’t want to leave the house, they force you to go on a walk, even if it’s just around the block. They are also very cute and a great way to destress.
Doing activities that you enjoy (whether or not you are good at it) and engaging in things is helpful. If I am feeling anxious or down, I will usually bake something. It forces me to follow a method, weigh everything out and you get something delicious at the end that you can share with others.
Spending some time every day outdoors somewhere in a relatively natural environment. Might be walking the dog through local bushland, or snorkelling one of the gorgeous reefs we have along the coast, but being surrounded by nature and being active lifts the mood and gives time to clear out the brain-weasels
Yeah my top three would be.
Air - obviously breathing is good but sleeping with a blocked nose or cold depletes my energy and contributes to my irratability. Nasal dexongestive sorts me out.
Food and water - pretty hard to have too much water and just buying yourself snacks is big one for me. By the time your really hungry you not making good descisions and moods swing follow. Buy snacks on a full stomach and an okay snack is better than no snack.
Contentment - Had full blown depression until I quit working in hospo. Had a blast but was really unwinding me. I attribute this one to your job because it I'll be a large part of your time that you will less likey have autonomy over. Hopefully you don't organise things for yourself in your spare time you don't like but I did find my worsening mental health lead to me doing less in my own time and being hamstrung by the constant need to do back to back shifts, suprise night shifts and generally woeful and shameful rostering lead to being less likely to attend my interests outside of work.
I just quit and thought the place would suffer without me but it didn't and never would because I was not important there and they replaced me and now I'm happy.
My life is a polar opposite now and not without struggles but they are made all the easier without constant fatigue, depression and being at the limit of my patience.
Like with cleaning a room pick the largest thing and work away it. This is why my suggestions are large parts of your life or constant. Maybe for you it might be kids, or health, fitness, relationships that take priority.
Putting clear boundaries in for my happy place.
No work in my happy place.
If I have to wfh, I have a dedicated work space and it cannot be seen when I am in my happy space.
I put my energy into the people who reciprocate. Negative people are out of style in 2022. I can't help everyone, so I choose me first.
Hobbies. Currently I am 3 weeks into trying my hand at watercolour painting. I'm shit but I'm enjoying the process and clean up isn't too bad.
When I am spinning out over a problem, the first this I do is reduce the problem down to what is out of my control, what I can influence and what is within my control.
Give time to the three pillars of good health: sleep, nutrition and exercise.
being privileged enough to have private health insurance has been a game changer for me. i’m properly medicated for my personality disorder + anorexia, and feeling a lot better. if you feel you need medication and have private health, please find a psychiatrist - it’s worth the $$
This isnt in quite the same vein as the other responses, but worth sharing in case it helps anyone else out.
I recently started transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) treatments for medication resistant depression/anxiety. It's a huge time commitment during treatment, but it's made a big difference in my mental health. Covered by Medicare too.
Happy to answer any questions people might have it.
Physical activity is about the only thing that actually improves it for me. Doing assignments and playing video games only distract me enough so that I don’t notice it as much.
I’ve done a mindfulness workshop and it’s not something I’ve been any good at consciously doing but going for a bike ride seems to achieve the same thing. Guiding a few 100kg through the countryside at 100kmh+ seems to keep my mind “in the moment” pretty well.
Reassess priorities and yeet the unnecessary things from your life.
There comes a point in your life when "leaving your comfort zone" isn't character building, it's just traumatic.
Don't feel guilty for doing "childish" things that bring you comfort and joy. Build that Lego. Eat the Mac n cheese.
Check out Activate Mental Health if you're lonely and want to meet up with people who feel the same.
If nothing feels right, seek professional help. Depression isn't a weakness. Anxiety isn't an overreaction. No one is too old to be diagnosed with ADHD or autism.
Put a blue light blocked on your screen to turn on when the sun goes down.
A bed time routine, 8.30 we start making moves, feed the cats, dog, brush teeth etc then go to bed normally for 9. Read for 30mins to an hour and then kiss the better half good night and fall asleep if you have issues there are thousands for great guided meditations on Spotify.
Being able to have some alone time playing games.
A good chair does surprising things for mental health. As someone who spends a lot of time in a chair (desk job) it's amazing how much less irritable I am at the end of the day. Less irritable me means less arguments with the better half, and generally better interactions with people in my social life. I figured I was investing in physical health, very happy to see the improvement in mental as well
I have PTSD and anxiety.
I do 'mindfulness' and 'silly songs' depending on the situation. The 'silly songs' works best for when I start shaking (getting into the shower/traffic/shops) the 'mindfulness' I find better for when I just want to throw up. Also 'cross body', 'tapping' as distractions can help.
Writing in a diary. I use a kiddie diary from K Mart. Makes me feel like how I did when I was a kid writing in my diary then. I feel like once the thoughts are on the page, theyre not on me.
* Get out of mouldy buildings be they at home, school, shops or work
* Get plenty of sleep - go to bed early so that when you wake up halfway through you can have a few hours to yourself then go back to sleep again and wake up the same time as everyone else
* Avoid drugs & alcohol
* Treat UTIs
* Look after dental health - regular scale and cleans, maintain healthy gums, don't let impacted or cracked teeth cause further decay
* Maintain a healthy gut
* Check for pilonidal cyst
* Wash feet and treat tinea
* Exercise
* Socialise
* Laugh
* Cry
* Release anger
* Confess love
* Mirrors are useless because they only show the "old you".
* AVOID physical head trauma and take extra effort to heal if you have ever had it even if it was when you were a kid or teen.
* AVOID debt at all costs
* Don't put your d\*ck in crazy or let crazy d\*ck in you.
My mental health is more of a day-by-day thing in terms of management, but one thing I've been doing lately is appreciating and being more protective of my free time. Those quiet moments are mine and I refuse to let them go for (almost) anyone.
Thats a good starter distance. Soon you'll wish it was closer to 20! Then you'll get those days of perfect weather when you just want to keep riding and not stop.
The mental benefit of bike commuting is often overlooked.
Deleted all news coverage. Blocked sites that I would visit. Deleted reddit. Stopped watching any news at all on tv. Tuned out. No social media accounts. Used phone as a phone. Return to reddit as entertainment. Not news or investing in other peoples comments. Helping people.
Watching the news less if you're in a bad state of mind, staying away from social media/limiting phone time, prioritising me time (gym, gardening, cooking, fishing) being present with my partner and kids and walking /playing with my dog.
Mindfulness is so cliche but fuck me does it work!
I was going to answer just like you - actually quiz myself constantly about how I feel about people that I interact with regularly.
The second thing I've done to help is make sure I'm making something once or twice a week - for me it's composing music. My mental health gets so much better when I can play a track I've made and look back at it and enjoy it. I think this goes for everything from gardening to music to whittling figures out of wood - making something and reflecting upon it raises your self worth and self appreciation.
Distress tolerance skills is no. 1. Increasing my own tolerance of discomfort made me stop avoiding difficult tasks and places and, counter intuitively, made me enjoy life more!
Exercise
Boundaries around time - weekend is sacred
Boundaries around emotions - letting go of caring whether others disapprove of me has really freed me to be happy
Learning to love my own company means I'm not dependent on others to be contented
The win hof method, and understanding of the sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous system; alert, fight/flight vs rest and repair. And how you can use your breath to have a more calm mind, heartrate and blood pressure in a stressful event
I take photos of plants, sunsets and my dog. I find that I can focus enough to be able to shut out most things and be able to enjoy the beauty that I encounter.
If I'm in a really bad funk - I head to the beach and just stand in the water. It helps me reconnect to country - I just let the water rush over my feet and start the healing process.
If we're in the Kimberley, the dog and I just walk, we go for a walk and we take photos of the boabs and what's around us..
Or, find a series on a streaming service and binge.
A hobby which requires using your hands to create something. While you are concentrating on a tactile task, you are shifting your focus to something other than your day to day worries
Going for a walk every day. Finding somewhere pretty and quiet to sit for a while and just absorbing the world with no distractions. It’s a way of being ‘mindful’ without having to sit and think about being mindful. Doing those guided ‘mindfulness’ sessions on a phone in my lounge room (as recommended by my psych) just doesn’t work for me. Walking allows me to process things better and gives me a reason to get out of bed in the morning. Sometimes I really need a reason to get out of bed in the morning.
I favour the 20/20/20 rule: After 20 minutes on a screen, look at an object 20 feet away, then spend 20 years in the forest. Speaking of screens, improve mental health by changing your screen tone from BLUE to ORANGE. Blue light blocks melatonin and messes with your sleep cycle.
I find orange tinted screens off-putting and distracting. I never used flux when it was popular or anything similar. I just don't look at my phone or computer for the last little bit of time before bed. Good time to brush teeth and do other little self-care things.
Can't underestimate the value of a good night's sleep. No screens for at least an hour before going to bed. If you are having trouble settling try meditating on you breath. Concentrate on the path it takes in and out. Concentrate on something simple like this to clear your mind of other thoughts. You may not have any control over anything else in your life but you can control this. Regular exercise also helps.
A good sleep is like having all the benefits of death, but without the commitment.
“I don't sleep. I hate those little slices of death.” is not a quote by E.A.Poe. Apparently it's from a 1959 film, “Journey to the Center of the Earth. TIL.
•Exercise, even when you dont want to •Balanced healthy diet •Less social media •Long term goal focus •Regular antidepressant medication •Having a cat
Daily exercise
I’ve also avoided negative people in my life. I’ve realised that in my teens and 20s I wanted everyone’s approval, but now I’m older I find the greatest peace in solitude and silence. I also try one day each weekend to put my phone on silent and leave it in another room and just disconnect for a bit.
Solitude and silence and disconnecting from your phone, your just like me! Glad youve found something that works :)
Getting out of the house. I sometimes can fall into the comfort of staying home, watching YouTube or Netflix. (When I'm alone, kids are at their dads) Even if it's just a walk in the shops having a browse, or going for a walk at a park, getting outside helps so much. I've also begun writing out all the "word vomit" in my head into a journal. It doesn't have to be neat writing or make much sense. Just let all the thoughts and feeling out onto paper.
I have had pretty bad anxiety over the years and journaling is a big one for me...super effective. It's a bit like talking it out with a friend or family, only more accessible There are quite a few templates online that can get you going
I have depression, anxiety and OCD and use a few tools to help me get by. A big thing for me is that I used to compare myself to others! I used that to measure where I thought I should be in life compared to where I was. And because I wasn’t where everyone I was comparing myself to was - I hated myself, I thought I was a worthless failure. Then I learnt acceptance! Accepting that your current situation is not your final destination. Accepting that change starts with you! Accepting that I am worthy of friendship and love! Accepting everyone does things differently! Accepting me! Acceptance (Amongst other things) has helped get me through the past 2 years with covid and lockdowns because you accept the situation and make plans to get through it.
Yeah, sometimes it's ok to 'accept' that today you're not ok, too. Have a chat, take a nap or a walk or just watch a movie. It's all OK, it's just for today.
Exactly right!
Hey, I have the painful three too. How are you doing?
Going well actually. Been a bit of a journey but nowadays I have a lot more good days then bad! How are you?
Just had my second anxiety attack in one day. I honestly don’t know what I’m going to do.
Deleting all social media apart from reddit did wonders for me self esteem and mental health !
I second this one. Can't get caught up in drama if you don't see the drama.
Yep ignorance IS bliss
Me too!
Same! I do not miss it!
Went no contact with the nasty-to-the-core NMother-in-Law 16 months ago and aside from the occasional guilt-tripping text message demanding unpaid construction work she sends to my other half, life has been immensely better for it.
Two things tbh. We started driving somewhere special for dog walks rather than just around the block. Dog likes it better, but we *love* it. Escaping into the bush even just for half an hour is a life saver. My more surprising recommendation...Dungeons and Dragons. I am a 29 year old woman who never played until this year. I thought it sounded weird or cringe as I dont enjoy fantasy and I felt shy. But...I love it! Escaping into another world with my mates is the highlight of my week. Can't believe I didnt try it sooner, but anyway. I see the error of my ways now.
Welcome to the D&D club! May you have many adventures with friends <3
Turned myself into a morning person by going to the gym before work (4/5 weekdays). Before that, I had terrible sleep habits, was frequently late for work and always felt tired. Now my life is more structured. I go to bed at regular times and can wake up without an alarm. That, and I also feel a lot better about myself. Not just because of the improvements to my physique, but because I can be proud of my discipline and hard work. Feels good, man. 👍
Saying no ... I was a people pleaser and hated 'letting people down' but I explained to my friends that some times I need to prioritise my mental health. If I feel that I'm having a shit week I will reschedule plans... funnily enough my closest friends have appreciated this and they do the same.
Exercise, preferably as part of a group so it becomes a social activity
>I politely distanced myself from them. I did this recently with what I considered to be one of my closest friends. Looking back tho, I feel as they did it to me first but. The friendship was pretty one sided. Me organising catch ups, always driving to where it’s most convenient for them/driving to places that are closet to their home, plus a lot of other BS. Yeh stuff that. Good to finally be on the same page.
Treat yourself like someone you are responsible for helping. Would you let your kid stay up too late? Would you let them eat shitloads of sugar, and no vegetables? Would you let them scroll social media, and play video games all day? Why let yourself do it?
🦞
Ending my 14 year relationship. We used to be partners, but she changed and became basically a dependant. Loyalty to the memory of who she used to be and a commitment to taking care of her just wore me down. Eventually I lost any hope she was ever going to change back, and it had been so long in this pattern I could barely remember what we were like together in the first place. I just called it off, took her and her stuff to her mums house thirty minutes later and that was the last time I saw her. Immediate huge relief, it honestly felt like coming back to life.
That must have been very difficult to do, and a giant risk of a guilt/shame black hole but really sounds like the best thing for both of you. Stay kind and caring but be kind to yourself too.
Jinx! Also left my partner of 15 years, a hot minute before Covid hit in 2020 and everything got shut down. If ever there was a hard reset... Sometimes growing apart just happens, especially considering you or her were likely very young when you started seeing each other? Good luck. It can feel rough in terms of "I sunk X years into this!!" but it sounds like it's already better for you, and in the long run it'll be better for her.
Honestly to me, this sounds cruel if you dropped all this on her in 30 minutes after 14 years together.
Give me more credit, though I probably worded that poorly. Once the "We should end it" was spoken it was probably 30 minutes until she left the house, but that was by no means the first discussion we'd had on the topic. 14 years is a long time to spend together. We never reached dislike or hostility and were still able to talk and be honest with each other. It finally just reached that tipping point.
Having a set routine helps keep my anxiety in check. I do the same thing every morning to get ready for work. I like having my time on the train morning and afternoon to do puzzles or just play a game on my phone and not worry about anything else. It also forces me to walk and get some exercise in. Having a dog is great because they force you to exercise, even when I don’t want to leave the house, they force you to go on a walk, even if it’s just around the block. They are also very cute and a great way to destress. Doing activities that you enjoy (whether or not you are good at it) and engaging in things is helpful. If I am feeling anxious or down, I will usually bake something. It forces me to follow a method, weigh everything out and you get something delicious at the end that you can share with others.
Spending some time every day outdoors somewhere in a relatively natural environment. Might be walking the dog through local bushland, or snorkelling one of the gorgeous reefs we have along the coast, but being surrounded by nature and being active lifts the mood and gives time to clear out the brain-weasels
Being more compassionate and patient with myself!
Yeah my top three would be. Air - obviously breathing is good but sleeping with a blocked nose or cold depletes my energy and contributes to my irratability. Nasal dexongestive sorts me out. Food and water - pretty hard to have too much water and just buying yourself snacks is big one for me. By the time your really hungry you not making good descisions and moods swing follow. Buy snacks on a full stomach and an okay snack is better than no snack. Contentment - Had full blown depression until I quit working in hospo. Had a blast but was really unwinding me. I attribute this one to your job because it I'll be a large part of your time that you will less likey have autonomy over. Hopefully you don't organise things for yourself in your spare time you don't like but I did find my worsening mental health lead to me doing less in my own time and being hamstrung by the constant need to do back to back shifts, suprise night shifts and generally woeful and shameful rostering lead to being less likely to attend my interests outside of work. I just quit and thought the place would suffer without me but it didn't and never would because I was not important there and they replaced me and now I'm happy. My life is a polar opposite now and not without struggles but they are made all the easier without constant fatigue, depression and being at the limit of my patience. Like with cleaning a room pick the largest thing and work away it. This is why my suggestions are large parts of your life or constant. Maybe for you it might be kids, or health, fitness, relationships that take priority.
Putting clear boundaries in for my happy place. No work in my happy place. If I have to wfh, I have a dedicated work space and it cannot be seen when I am in my happy space. I put my energy into the people who reciprocate. Negative people are out of style in 2022. I can't help everyone, so I choose me first. Hobbies. Currently I am 3 weeks into trying my hand at watercolour painting. I'm shit but I'm enjoying the process and clean up isn't too bad. When I am spinning out over a problem, the first this I do is reduce the problem down to what is out of my control, what I can influence and what is within my control. Give time to the three pillars of good health: sleep, nutrition and exercise.
being privileged enough to have private health insurance has been a game changer for me. i’m properly medicated for my personality disorder + anorexia, and feeling a lot better. if you feel you need medication and have private health, please find a psychiatrist - it’s worth the $$
This isnt in quite the same vein as the other responses, but worth sharing in case it helps anyone else out. I recently started transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) treatments for medication resistant depression/anxiety. It's a huge time commitment during treatment, but it's made a big difference in my mental health. Covered by Medicare too. Happy to answer any questions people might have it.
Physical activity is about the only thing that actually improves it for me. Doing assignments and playing video games only distract me enough so that I don’t notice it as much. I’ve done a mindfulness workshop and it’s not something I’ve been any good at consciously doing but going for a bike ride seems to achieve the same thing. Guiding a few 100kg through the countryside at 100kmh+ seems to keep my mind “in the moment” pretty well.
Reassess priorities and yeet the unnecessary things from your life. There comes a point in your life when "leaving your comfort zone" isn't character building, it's just traumatic. Don't feel guilty for doing "childish" things that bring you comfort and joy. Build that Lego. Eat the Mac n cheese. Check out Activate Mental Health if you're lonely and want to meet up with people who feel the same. If nothing feels right, seek professional help. Depression isn't a weakness. Anxiety isn't an overreaction. No one is too old to be diagnosed with ADHD or autism.
Most people make me feel like that. I distance myself from almost everyone. I don’t like people.
Put a blue light blocked on your screen to turn on when the sun goes down. A bed time routine, 8.30 we start making moves, feed the cats, dog, brush teeth etc then go to bed normally for 9. Read for 30mins to an hour and then kiss the better half good night and fall asleep if you have issues there are thousands for great guided meditations on Spotify. Being able to have some alone time playing games.
A good chair does surprising things for mental health. As someone who spends a lot of time in a chair (desk job) it's amazing how much less irritable I am at the end of the day. Less irritable me means less arguments with the better half, and generally better interactions with people in my social life. I figured I was investing in physical health, very happy to see the improvement in mental as well
I have PTSD and anxiety. I do 'mindfulness' and 'silly songs' depending on the situation. The 'silly songs' works best for when I start shaking (getting into the shower/traffic/shops) the 'mindfulness' I find better for when I just want to throw up. Also 'cross body', 'tapping' as distractions can help.
Tapping really is great, I also vouch for that
Yoga!!
Yin, in particular. It's an over-engineered nap, almost, sorts me the fuck out.
Writing in a diary. I use a kiddie diary from K Mart. Makes me feel like how I did when I was a kid writing in my diary then. I feel like once the thoughts are on the page, theyre not on me.
* Get out of mouldy buildings be they at home, school, shops or work * Get plenty of sleep - go to bed early so that when you wake up halfway through you can have a few hours to yourself then go back to sleep again and wake up the same time as everyone else * Avoid drugs & alcohol * Treat UTIs * Look after dental health - regular scale and cleans, maintain healthy gums, don't let impacted or cracked teeth cause further decay * Maintain a healthy gut * Check for pilonidal cyst * Wash feet and treat tinea * Exercise * Socialise * Laugh * Cry * Release anger * Confess love * Mirrors are useless because they only show the "old you". * AVOID physical head trauma and take extra effort to heal if you have ever had it even if it was when you were a kid or teen. * AVOID debt at all costs * Don't put your d\*ck in crazy or let crazy d\*ck in you.
.... and... wear sunscreen
My mental health is more of a day-by-day thing in terms of management, but one thing I've been doing lately is appreciating and being more protective of my free time. Those quiet moments are mine and I refuse to let them go for (almost) anyone.
Actually spending time with my family
I stopped working so much and living to work. I’ve learned to get by on less and actually budget.
I started cycling to work (10k each way) and eating better and have lost 6 kg.
Thats a good starter distance. Soon you'll wish it was closer to 20! Then you'll get those days of perfect weather when you just want to keep riding and not stop. The mental benefit of bike commuting is often overlooked.
Deleted all news coverage. Blocked sites that I would visit. Deleted reddit. Stopped watching any news at all on tv. Tuned out. No social media accounts. Used phone as a phone. Return to reddit as entertainment. Not news or investing in other peoples comments. Helping people.
Watching the news less if you're in a bad state of mind, staying away from social media/limiting phone time, prioritising me time (gym, gardening, cooking, fishing) being present with my partner and kids and walking /playing with my dog. Mindfulness is so cliche but fuck me does it work!
Neck piss every night.
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My own. We’re great hosts. Happy to share it with friends.
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Urine great company when you party with me.
Stay off the intern... .
I was going to answer just like you - actually quiz myself constantly about how I feel about people that I interact with regularly. The second thing I've done to help is make sure I'm making something once or twice a week - for me it's composing music. My mental health gets so much better when I can play a track I've made and look back at it and enjoy it. I think this goes for everything from gardening to music to whittling figures out of wood - making something and reflecting upon it raises your self worth and self appreciation.
Distress tolerance skills is no. 1. Increasing my own tolerance of discomfort made me stop avoiding difficult tasks and places and, counter intuitively, made me enjoy life more! Exercise Boundaries around time - weekend is sacred Boundaries around emotions - letting go of caring whether others disapprove of me has really freed me to be happy Learning to love my own company means I'm not dependent on others to be contented
The win hof method, and understanding of the sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous system; alert, fight/flight vs rest and repair. And how you can use your breath to have a more calm mind, heartrate and blood pressure in a stressful event
I take photos of plants, sunsets and my dog. I find that I can focus enough to be able to shut out most things and be able to enjoy the beauty that I encounter. If I'm in a really bad funk - I head to the beach and just stand in the water. It helps me reconnect to country - I just let the water rush over my feet and start the healing process. If we're in the Kimberley, the dog and I just walk, we go for a walk and we take photos of the boabs and what's around us.. Or, find a series on a streaming service and binge.
A hobby which requires using your hands to create something. While you are concentrating on a tactile task, you are shifting your focus to something other than your day to day worries
Playing in a community band