Stressed? Grumpy? Tired all the time?
You need a mental fitness regimen.
For months, therapists have reported a significant increase in anxious, worried or depressed clients about current events – the Covid-19 pandemic, economic hardship, civil unrest. And while they can learn coping skills, such as regulating emotions, to help deal with stress, they say it’s also important for people to take proactive steps to be mentally healthy, just like he would do if he wanted to be in physical shape. “Waiting until a major stressor strikes to boost your mental health is like trying to inflate your life raft while already drowning at sea,” says Wendy Troxel, a clinical psychologist and human. of Behavioral and Social Science at Rand Corp.
Many people turn to therapy, exercise, meditation and a healthy diet to do this. Shirlee Hoffman, a 75-year-old marketing consultant from Chicago, limits her news consumption to about five minutes a day. Erin Wiley, 50, a licensed psychotherapist in Toledo, Ohio, uses an app to track things for which she is grateful. Rhonda Steele, 62, a special education teacher in Sellersburg, Ind., Prays and reads devotions. Dwight Oxley, 84, a retired physician in Wichita, Canada, reads and plays the piano. Rachel Glyn, 66, a retired beautician from Philadelphia, tries to do as many things as possible for others. Michael Schauch, 40, an investment portfolio manager in Squamish, British Columbia, climbs the cliff – he says the view gives him perspective. Stedman Stevens, 62, CEO of an aviation technology company in Wilmington, NC, needs 15 minutes each afternoon to be alone without distractions. “I listen to what my mind shows me,” he says. “This gives me back my mental strength.”
What steps should you include in your mental fitness regimen? Here are the expert tips.