People with mental health disorders often find themselves experiencing negative or uncomfortable emotions. Whether it be just having a bad week, or something more serious and prolonging, like grieving the loss of a loved one or depression. Positive mental health coping strategies can help. Some of these strategies include having a positive perception of life, getting more sleep and making the effort to interact with others in a positive way.
Thinking happy thoughts and having a positive perception of situations is always a good place to start. If you are having a bad day if possible, try to think about positive events coming up in your life or the positive things that have happened that day. If you are grieving the loss of a loved one, reminisce of all the happy or funny memories you had with this person. Thinking positively can often bring you relief when dealing with stressful or depressing life events.
Cheer-leading statements are one way to get you to calm down in situations and evaluate your thoughts. Cheer-leading statements prepare you and or offer you the bravery to act effectively. These acknowledgements help you to not act on impulse. Some examples of these statements would be “I can disagree with someone without getting angry” or “I can be scared and still get through this situation.”
Getting proper amounts of sleep is beneficial to the body. A lack of sleep can make the body function less efficiently and put stress on not just the physical body, but also the mental body. A few ways to help increase the amount of sleep you get each night include, turning off the television early, listening to soothing sounds, and keeping the room temperature cool and comfortable.
Seeking out positive social interactions often has a positive effect on mental health. Some mental illness may make you want to retreat in solitude, but being alone can increase symptoms or worsen them. Surrounding yourself with family and or friends may be a distraction from the worries of the word. Engaging in positive social interactions can have a positive impact on overall mood and attitude.
All in all, these mental health coping strategies are helpful in their own ways. These strategies combined may help to reduce stress and aid those with mental health disorders who are going through a hard time or event in their lives. These strategies may also be beneficial to people who do not necessarily have a mental disorder but whom are going through a prolonged period of upsetting or distressing emotions.
By Joanna Vaggott
