In the face of the youth mental health crisis, there’s a shortage of mental health professionals. In addition to therapy, or while you’re waiting for an appointment, there are things you can do to support your mental health.

According to an article in The Washington Post, clinical psychologist Emily Anhalt suggests adding an “emotional workout” to your self-care regimen. “Just like working out prevents high blood pressure and heart disease, emotional fitness can be a proactive stance toward stress management,” she says. By doing exercises she calls “emotional pushups,” “you can “strengthen your mental health muscles so that you’re in a better position to face life’s challenges.”

Here are a few self-care tools to try to improve your mental wellbeing:

Overwhelmed? Schedule a worry date.

Instead of letting your mind spin 24/7 with anxious thoughts, “Set a time on your daily calendar to worry, obsess and ruminate,” Anhalt suggests. At that time, take 10 to 15 minutes to jot down your problems. This strategy keeps them from taking over, putting you back in the driver’s seat.

Feeling down? Befriend tough emotions.

As human beings, we tend to avoid pain, choosing distractions called “defenses,” such as binge watching a favorite show, overeating, or scrolling through social media. The problem with this approach is that we cannot process what we do not recognize.

Instead, when you’re upset, try to befriend your feelings and name your emotions, which psychologists call “affect labeling.” A review of research in 2018 posits that “focusing on our feelings, without trying to change them” can help ease distress. Dialectical-behavior therapist Marsha Linehan calls “in-the-moment” mind-set “radical acceptance,” and it’s one way to stop pain from persisting and usher in transformation.

Anxious? Exercise curiosity.

Psychiatrist and neuroscientist Judson Brewer recommends a technique to get “out of the worry zone” using grounding exercises. Instead of asking “Why is this happening?” tends to ratchet up anxious. Instead, try to become aware of something in the present moment.

For example, look at your feet and ask yourself,  which “foot is warmer than the other?” Research shows that asking a question to spark curiosity “can open the mind to possibilities, allowing us to see our situations in a different light.” Brewer adds, “When anxiety throws us for a loop, replacing ‘Why is this happening?’ with ‘What is happening?’ can pull us out of the anxiety-laden ‘why zone.’”

For more emotional exercises like “self-reflection push-ups,” read the full article here.

Fraga, Juli. “4 emotional workouts to help you feel empowered and promote resilience.” The Washington Post, 28 Sept 2022, https://www.washingtonpost.com/wellness/2022/09/28/emotional-exercises-for-mental-health/.

Photo by Cyril Saulnier on Unsplash