A key focus of my blog is Health/Wellness. Arguably the most important aspect of your personal health is your mental health. Sometimes we do things that hurt our mental health. The following contributed post is entitled, These 8 Habits Could Be Ruining Your Mental Health.
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If you want to protect your health as much as possible then you should know that these 8 habits could be sabotaging your efforts. If you want to start taking better care of yourself today, then this is the guide for you.
Perfectionism
Pursuing excellence is certainly a great habit to have. It’s important to do your best when trying to achieve an important goal. After all, doing something perfectly will increase your chances of success. If you try to be perfect all the time however then this may end up undermining your efforts. Psychologists have said that perfectionism can be positive but at the same time, it can also be negative. Habits of negative perfection involve you setting standards that are far beyond your reach, or being unhappy with anything other than perfection. You may also find that you have a preoccupation with failure and that you feel as though you are unworthy.
Poor Posture
Sitting up straight can easily reduce your symptoms of anxiety. It allows you to sit with confidence and it also helps with self-focus. If you have a poor posture then you could be harming your spine, and causing extra tension in your muscles. Over time, this can lead to stress which is very bad for your mental health. If you want to do something about this then make sure that you sit up straight and that you focus on maintaining a healthy spinal posture. If you can do this then you will soon find that you end up feeling better in no time at all.
Guilt
If you feel guilty about leaving your family because you have to go to work, or if you feel bad about leaving your job because you have family obligations then over time, this will impact your mental health. If you leave this unchecked then you may find that you end up in a constant cycle of guilt. This will stop you from being able to give your full attention to either task. If you want to do something about this then you need to cut yourself some slack. You need to avoid magnifying problems and you also need to stop yourself from claiming responsibility for problems that had nothing to do with you. You are not a bad person if you make a mistake either, and if you can remember things like this, you will soon find that it is easier to benefit your mental health overall.
Not Exercising
A sedentary lifestyle is really bad for your waistline. It’s also very bad for your heart and your mental health. Regularly exercising may ease depression as endorphins are released. This also boosts your immune system while helping you to feel better in yourself. Bad exercise habits however, are all too easy to form. They can impact your mental health more than you realize. Some of the negative impact of exercising is you exercising irregularly or not exercising at all. You may also find that you end up exercising to the point of exhaustion, or that you adopt a bad form. Engaging in only one form of exercise is also a bad idea, so make sure that you avoid this where possible.
Failure Mindset
Everyone has negative thoughts now and again. It’s also possible for you to experience feelings of failure when things go wrong. There is nothing wrong with this, if it is only happening on an occasional basis. If your mental health isn’t great however then you may find that this ends up interfering with your own ability to succeed. Ugly thoughts often tell you that your life is bleak and that you have failed at everything you set out to do. They can stop you from sleeping at night and it can also stop you from being able to move your life forward. If you let your continual thoughts carry on then thinking them may become a habit. Feelings of failure can inflict a lot of damage on your mental health, leading to anxiety and depression. If you want to do something about this then one thing you can do is remind yourself of your success. What have you done well? What has worked in your favor? If you can give some thought to things like this then you are bound to reap the benefits.
Overusing Social Media
Overusing social media can contribute to feelings of anxiety and poor self-esteem. Mental health issues often arise from overusing social media. Using too many social media sites can also be damaging to your health. Studies have been done and they have found that if you use a lot of social media platforms on a daily basis then you may be at a higher risk of both depression and anxiety. Overusing a smartphone is also a bad idea. Using a smartphone can be a rewarding activity, because messaging systems, apps and more can all trigger very positive feelings. Using your smartphone habitually is a good thing, but if you use yours all the time then this can impact your mental health. You may find that you become addicted to compulsively checking for notifications and this is the last thing you need. Compulsively using your smartphone can lead to chronic stress as well as anxiety and depression too.
Regret
Regret is an emotional state. Everyone has some regrets in their life, whether it is not getting married when they could have done, or taking a new job. Regret should not be a daily habit though. A lot of people find that they make a habit of regret and they put it into daily practice. From this, you may end up experiencing depression, anxiety and sleep problems. Don’t spend all of your days ruminating over things that you regret, and instead, take steps to benefit yourself by focusing on the things you do have going for you. If a lot of your regrets stem from alcohol usage, then it could be a good idea for you to go to alcohol rehab. That way you can work through all of the feelings you have, and this can work in your favor.
Poor Sleep
Sleep is often a source of emotional resilience. If you do not give your brain and body the chance to switch off then you will never be able to recover from the hardships of the previous day. Sleep also helps you to prepare yourself for the challenges of tomorrow. If you lose sleep for one or two nights then this can lead to feelings of grogginess and grumpiness. You may also find that you can’t focus and that your mental health suffers as a result. If you want to do something about this then make sure that you take steps to benefit yourself by allowing yourself to sleep well at night. If you find it hard to switch off then build a good sleeping routine by reading a book before you go to bed, or by watching television. If you can do this then you are bound to reap the benefits and you may even find that you can relax more at night too. Consider investing in some aromatherapy candles, or diffusers. Relaxing essential oils are great if you want to unwind and they are also very good if you struggle with stress on a daily basis. Remember, if you do want to make a bigger change, you can invest in a new bed, or some new sheets as this will help to boost your mental health if you have had a very long day at work and need to relax in a comfortable environment.
