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Experiencing mental health issues, such as anxiety and depression, can actually be quite frightening when you first experience them. They may have come as a result of recent family events, or they may have been seemingly unprovoked. Even a short period of anxiety or the odd panic attack can be very disconcerting, and so advice should always be sought after. While life must continue to some extent, don’t try and persist without asking for help.
Talk
When you start experiencing mental health issues, it is important to talk to someone. Not only will you get some much-needed support, but you may be surprised at what you find yourself discussing with friends, family, or a professional therapist. Keeping your intrusive thoughts buttoned up will not help you unpick your internalised logic – in fact, talking through these issues with someone can help you take your thoughts to court. It also helps to manage your family or partner’s expectations during a challenging period.
Get professional guidance
One of the best things you can do for mental health issues to ask for professional help and guidance. Getting professional support isn’t just necessary for resolving some of your unhelpful thought patterns, but also finding strategies for coping. This is also necessary for mental health problems that have begun to affect lifestyle habits, such as problems with addiction. So, if you were living in California finding ‘mental health treatment LA’ will help you to locate centres that have a comprehensive programme.
Keep occupied
Keeping yourself occupied is a good way of disrupting those unhelpful, wandering thoughts during a period of ill mental health. In particular, making time for exercise not only gets you out of the house but will also help those great-feeling hormones kick in after a workout. While it’s certainly not a cure, keeping active and occupied will certainly appease the brain more than simply sitting inside.
Know that it is ok to feel this way
If there’s one key thing to bear in mind while going through recovery, it’s important to remember that it is okay to feel mentally unwell. Never punish yourself or single yourself as ‘not normal.’ Remembering that it is absolutely fine to feel stressed allows you to acknowledge how you’re currently feeling and why, and then seek the advice you need in that instance.
Practice mindfulness
Mindfulness is not always the easiest practice to cultivate, but like all good things, it improves with practice. Doing activities such as yoga are geared to encourage mindfulness, and promote the practice of focussing on your breathing. You might also find that doing something you enjoy helps you to be mindful and focus on the now, rather than catastrophizing or picking at unhelpful thoughts.
Now that mental health issues are increasingly coming to the forefront of public dialogue, more and more people are getting diagnosed. This is important, as it means you are not alone – it can feel hugely isolating to experience mental health problems for the first time, but seeking help and advice is one of the best tactics to improving your condition.
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