Caring for Your Mental Health (2024)

Overview

Mental health includes emotional, psychological, and social well-being. It is more than the absence of a mental illness—it’s essential to your overall health and quality of life. Self-care can play a role in maintaining your mental health and help support your treatment and recovery if you have a mental illness.

How can I take care of my mental health?

Self-care means taking the time to do things that help you live well and improve both your physical health and mental health. This can help you manage stress, lower your risk of illness, and increase your energy. Even small acts of self-care in your daily life can have a big impact.

Here are some self-care tips:

  • Get regular exercise.Just 30 minutes of walking every day can boost your mood and improve your health. Small amounts of exercise add up, so don’t be discouraged if you can’t do 30 minutes at one time.
  • Eat healthy, regular meals and stay hydrated.A balanced diet and plenty of water can improve your energy and focus throughout the day. Pay attention to your intake of caffeine and alcohol and how they affect your mood and well-being—for some, decreasing caffeine and alcohol consumption can be helpful.
  • Make sleep a priority. Stick to a schedule, and make sure you’re getting enough sleep. Blue light from devices and screens can make it harder to fall asleep, so reduce blue light exposure from your phone or computer before bedtime.
  • Try a relaxing activity.Explore relaxation or wellness programs or apps, which may incorporate meditation, muscle relaxation, or breathing exercises. Schedule regular times for these and other healthy activities you enjoy, such as listening to music, reading, spending time in nature, and engaging in low-stress hobbies.
  • Set goals and priorities.Decide what must get done now and what can wait. Learn to say “no” to new tasks if you start to feel like you’re taking on too much. Try to appreciate what you have accomplished at the end of the day.
  • Practice gratitude.Remind yourself daily of things you are grateful for. Be specific. Write them down or replay them in your mind.
  • Focus on positivity. Identify and challenge your negative and unhelpful thoughts.
  • Stay connected.Reach out to friends or family members who can provide emotional support and practical help.

Self-care looks different for everyone, and it is important to find what you need and enjoy. It may take trial and error to discover what works best for you.

Learn more abouthealthy practices for your mind and body.

When should I seek professional help?

Seek professional help if you are experiencing severe or distressing symptoms that have lasted 2 weeks or more, such as:

  • Difficulty sleeping
  • Changes in appetite or unplanned weight changes
  • Difficulty getting out of bed in the morning because of mood
  • Difficulty concentrating
  • Loss of interest in things you usually find enjoyable
  • Inability to complete usual tasks and activities
  • Feelings of irritability, frustration, or restlessness

How can I find help?

If you have concerns about your mental health, talk to a primary care provider. They can refer you to a qualified mental health professional, such as a psychologist, psychiatrist, or clinical social worker, who can help you figure out the next steps. Findtips for talking with a health care provider about your mental health.

You can learn more about getting help on the NIMH website. You can also learn about finding support and locating mental health services in your area on the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration website.

If you or someone you know is struggling or having thoughts of suicide, call or text the988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline at 988 or chat at 988lifeline.org. This service is confidential, free, and available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. In life-threatening situations, call911.

Suicide is preventable—learn about warning signs of suicide and action steps for helping someone in emotional distress.

Featured videos

GREAT: Helpful Practices to Manage Stress and Anxiety:Learn about helpful practices to manage stress and anxiety. GREAT was developed by Dr. Krystal Lewis, a licensed clinical psychologist at NIMH.

Getting to Know Your Brain: Dealing with Stress:Test your knowledge about stress and the brain. Also learn how to create and use a “stress catcher” to practice strategies to deal with stress.

Guided Visualization: Dealing with Stress:Learn how the brain handles stress and practice a guided visualization activity.

Mental Health Minute: Stress and Anxiety in Adolescents: Got 60 seconds? Take a mental health minute to learn about stress and anxiety in adolescents.

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Last Reviewed:February 2024

Caring for Your Mental Health (2024)

FAQs

Why is caring for your mental health important? ›

A person's mental health affects how they act, feel, and think and helps them determine how to handle stress. When a person experiences good mental health they are able to cope with many daily stressors, allowing them to continue to productively engage in their everyday life.

What is the hardest mental illness to live with? ›

One of the Most Painful Mental Illnesses: Living with BPD Pain. Borderline personality disorder is one of the most painful mental illnesses since individuals struggling with this disorder are constantly trying to cope with volatile and overwhelming emotions.

What does caring mean mental health? ›

If you look after someone with a mental health problem, you might be unsure whether what you do 'counts' as caring, or it's just part of day-to-day life. While some people think of caring as only physical tasks, giving emotional support is a big part of it.

Why do I struggle to take care of myself? ›

Many people want to practice self-care but can't seem to accomplish that goal. Common beliefs that make self-care difficult include that self-care is selfish and that strong people need to make sacrifices. Improved self-care begins with choosing how we respond to difficulty.

How to stay mentally strong? ›

Here, Peloton instructor Logan Aldridge shares his best strategies for learning how to be mentally tough.
  1. Focus on the Positive. ...
  2. Try Something New. ...
  3. Practice Acceptance. ...
  4. Keep Your Perspective. ...
  5. Find a Role Model. ...
  6. Give Back to the Community.
Nov 1, 2023

What is the deadliest mental health? ›

Did you know that anorexia is the most lethal mental health condition? One person dies from an eating disorder every hour in the U.S. Many of these deaths are not from health consequences related to starvation, but from suicide.

What are the 10 most disabling mental illnesses? ›

Mood disorders (major depressive disorder, mania, and dysthymic disorder), anxiety disorders (post-traumatic stress disorder, panic disorder, agoraphobia, social phobia, specific phobia, obsessive-compulsive disorder, and generalized anxiety disorder), alcohol use disorder, illicit drug use disorder, intermittent ...

What is the most painful mental illness to deal with? ›

What is the most painful mental illness? Many experts believe it's borderline personality disorder. In this article, we look at how borderline personality disorder affects people. Keep reading to learn what you can do to help anyone suffering from it.

When caring is too much? ›

Can caring too much hurt your mental health? It's called compassion fatigue, and mental health experts say it's a phenomenon that occurs most commonly in people who work in professions like caretaking or who spend most of their time physically or emotionally taking care of another person.

What do you call someone who cares about mental health? ›

Counselors, Clinicians, Therapists

These masters-level health care professionals are trained to evaluate a person's mental health and use therapeutic techniques based on specific training programs.

How to be mentally healthy and happy? ›

Trying these things could help you feel more positive and able to get the most out of life.
  1. Connect with other people. Good relationships are important for your mental wellbeing. ...
  2. Be physically active. ...
  3. Learn new skills. ...
  4. Give to others. ...
  5. Pay attention to the present moment (mindfulness)

How do you take care of mental health day? ›

What to do on your mental health day
  1. Catch up on some much-needed sleep.
  2. Unplug—take a break from social media, email, and other forms of technology that cause stress.
  3. Indulge in self-care activities, like getting a massage, taking a bath, or reading.
  4. Spend time with friends, family, and loved ones.
Jan 6, 2024

What is the best way to treat mental health? ›

Psychotherapy is the therapeutic treatment of mental illness provided by a trained mental health professional. Psychotherapy explores thoughts, feelings, and behaviors, and seeks to improve an individual's well-being. Psychotherapy paired with medication is the most effective way to promote recovery.

How do you take care of your mental health at work? ›

Schedule breaks and set boundaries.

Set aside time to take a break from your screens and have lunch, for example, and then turn off your phone and computer when you're done for the day. Try to leave time between virtual meetings so they don't feel so overwhelming.

What is a healthy lifestyle for mental health? ›

A healthy lifestyle encompasses healthy eating, regular exercise, getting enough sleep, and avoiding smoking, drug abuse, and alcohol, which will help improve mental health and manage the symptoms of anxiety, stress, and depression.

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