Natural ways to strengthen your mental health

Health is wealth. One of the most popular sayings carved in golden fonts in almost every text book, which actually have a deeper meaning than just being a topic to discuss.

Growing up and getting all worked up to write a prize winning essay on the most popular proverb might be a surface level hype for most of the youth. However, the true meaning is way deeper than just being a mere words to be filled in for a lesson and most of the time it gets succumbed beneath the propagating banners.

Now-a-days one with enough wealth can splurge with well equipped gyms, equipment and high-end yoga centers, or even can build a sauna in their own house. It’s more like, healthy when you are wealthy.

Let’s not digress from the topic on which I am going to throw some light through this article.

Mental and physical health are interconnected. Our brains drained out, as like our body, but the teensy weensy difference is that externally it is easily discernable. Mental exhaustion goes unnoticed, since we don’t talk about it openly and most of the time chooses to be furtive about it. It could deter us physically just like weak physical health debilitate our mental health, vice versa.

It isn’t a cake walk to preserve our health when the chronic diseases like cardiovascular disease, obesity, cancer, diabetes, depression, respiratory condition and many are growing each year in every country. But a small step at a time towards healthy lifestyle could sure be helpful to intercept the unforeseen impairment.

Now, I am not an expert to discuss about the medical conditions or how psychologically it affects on people. But I do have a notion regarding internal instability due to bad health.

Weak body isn’t only the cause of dysfunctional mind. There are several causes and factors that put us in a situation, where we started to feel insecure about ourselves, until it pulled our mettle down no matter how resilient our bodies tried to be. But the question is how to nip the issue in the bud.

Before adopting a better or a new lifestyle or embark yourself on a new lead, let’s see what is the portal of all the uproar in our heads.

Categorizing some of the common signs and its causes, according to age groups:

Preteens/Teenagers – This stage is very critical, when it comes to mental health and the worst is their obvious telltale signs of aloofness and surreptitious behavior.

· Anxiety – the crippling insecurity about physical attributes often leads to clumsy interactions, speeches when around people can make oneself self conscious. A large number of population amongst the youth face this problem. Social discrimination or any sort of discrimination (race, language, color, gender, religion), vigorous bullying, peer pressure, previous negative experience, low self esteem are some of the reasons.

· Insomnia – the difficulty in sleeping or irregular sleeping pattern is pulled by past trauma, quarrelsome/toxic parents, abuse, dire accident, loss, death in the family, ignorant parents, stress, etc.

· Excessive sleeping/slacking – this might look like it’s an opposite to insomnia, so it isn’t supposed to be that bad, but trust me it’s worse than the former. Too much is too bad. When your kid is sleeping throughout the day or literally sleep away their day, then it’s a warning bell. One of the major causes could be depression. Yes, depression. Hormonal changes in teenagers bring mood swings, fatigue, sudden weight gain or loss, rapid heartbeat, angst, body ache and many more. Puberty is either a blessing or a curse for teens because of sudden changes in their body and newfound realizations. The physical development could be too much to endure as it directly effects psychologically. It often leads to suicidal thoughts, alcohol, drugs, partake in illegal activities (vandalism, arson, selling drugs, name any), uneven emotions. Check on your kids if they are oversleeping without being drained by any physical activity.

· Constant self harm – this one is pretty tough to tackle down by most of the parents. The constant self loathing, low self-esteem, negative perspective about everything, rebellious attitude, involvement in risky activities, impulsiveness, anger are some of the few common signs of a suicidal ideation. You never know that someone is constantly berating themselves and disrespecting their lives and bodies, until you see the mound of hateful injuries. People who wanted to subtract the emotional pain by adding physical pain are equal to suicidal.., and also a fool. Some of the causes of self harm are:

Sexual orientation – the fear of being omitted from the heap, as besides heterosexuality everything is unacceptable in our society.

Bad grades/study pressure – repetitive bad academic performance taper the way into University.

Ignorant parents – parents play the major role in their kids wellness. Unhealthy relationship with parents, create chaos and this force the kids to be rebellious.

Bullying – verbal, physical or virtual, bullies are everywhere to break a person’s confidence and make them to take a life-threatening step. Bullying and suicide have a very old relationship. Youth male and female are more likely suffer from depression, anxiety and ultimately harming themselves. If you think bullying is only confined to schools and social media, then you are wrong. Relatives, neighbors, even some parents and teachers are susceptible to dwindle the self-esteem of the victim.

Sexual assault – regardless of the gender, sexual assault has been kept on growing exponentially on the charts of crime every year. According to National crime records bureau (NCRB) the rate of rape cases in India has increased by 44 per cent in the last ten years.

· Overthinking/Pessimism – now this might sound very generic act or an attribute in our day to day lives, but it isn’t a sign to overlook either. For instance, always doubting that someone is dissing behind your back or the sense of insecurity of what people might think about you is unhealthy. You often feel like a burden to everyone and wrongfully accused people for their commiseration due to lack of trust.

It’s good that you’re watching your back, but not everyone will trip you on your way. Have faith.

Adults – the overwhelming responsibility when we all grow up has its downside. What if you are a late bloomer, or you don’t want to grow up soon. Not every person is promptly ready to be weighed down by adulthood. Sure, growing up also means having a job, got to vote, eligible to drive or drink, to be someone you want, getting to know different people, travel different places, building desired body, getting tall, date, marriage, making babies, so on and growing up is the most natural process in every human being’s life. But, the challenging part of being an adult is keeping your life stable and intact, which is almost next to impossible.

· Stress – stress in adults is common due to work pressure, demanding relationships, dead-end jobs, frustration, meagre income to pay the bills, sudden changes in life, or self-doubt about yourself when you get a bigger role to play or proffered with greater responsibility. And if you think that stress only produced from being mobile, then you are wrong. Stress even can be seen in dormancy, because our minds are never at rest.

· Uneven eating habits – either you binge eat all day due to lack of productive time, boredom, emotional exhaustion, unmotivated feelings, loneliness, or not eating at all because of excess workload, loss of appetite, maintaining the image of beauty in social media or movies, physically unwell, heavy medication, social disconnection, guilt, nervousness, feel overwhelming, mood swings, avoided by peers, colleagues or parents etc. People in the age range 12-25 mostly suffer from irregular eating habits, and amongst them mostly are women.

· Feeling neglected – you somehow started to think that everyone around you is belittling you or trying to patronize you for no apparent reason. Your mind will come up with every little excuse to get bothered about every single thing which your friends or family don’t exactly meant to say or do. These unnecessary thoughts are the creation of your inner turmoil, which is making you believe that no one cares about you or loves you. You feel shunned and lonely, even in a crowd and that resulted in your detachment with friends and family. The fear of getting rejected and ignored would be enough to exacerbate your mental health.

· Fatigue – feeling drowsy after spending a productive day at work by brainstorming or after working out in a gym is natural, but getting tired even after a nap is a serious case of mental instability. Constant freight of thoughts can be a reason of your lethargic body and it could be a sign of depression.

· Dependent on alcohol – escaping from the harsh reality by adopting an unhealthy lifestyle is a sign of being reckless with yourself.

· Anger/irritation – most of the time you grow indignant due to not able to turn things how we want, but fear plays a great role in that. Somewhere in your mind you’re too scared to lose people or anything you possessed, so you see pushing away is the best option. Broken relationships, weak bond with family members, lack of loyal friends, bad past could make you sullen frequently.

Middle age/old age – the battle isn’t over, until you ditch the sword and reach out for the peace yourself. Growing old is inevitable and with that poor health condition is inevitable, too. Although, mental illness isn’t common in older age, like how it is for younger adults. But with ageing and not many people left behind to take care of them along with retirement and deteriorating health often make them emotionally weak.

· Over sentimental – once you hit the process of ageing, you couldn’t stop noticing how your skin is sagging or how you’re losing energy to partake in any physical activities. Back pain, neck pain, joint paint, chronic health conditions is a constant reminder that you’re senile. The gradual changes in the body, behavior, lifestyle is not easily adjustable, and that is how this leads you to feel vulnerable and physically and economically dependent. Your emotions constantly feed by your past memories and the fear of being mistreated by people.

· Poor health – you feel physically incompetent and this relentlessly badger your head.

· Fading memories – now this one is very normal when one goes through various medications such as blood pressure pills and so on. Learning a new thing or two is obviously difficult with grown up brain and forgetting stuffs where they kept is also common, but forgetting about their identity or their family members could be a sign of serious mental illness.

Fixing a broken thing is impossible, but saving it from breaking could be done. Although, our mental health isn’t a thing, but the loss is beyond the expense of any pricey material. But, before moving remember that it’s only you who can protect yourself. No, fairy godmother. No, superhero. ONLY YOU.

Have a break from Social Media:

Social media can either make you, or break you. It is a medium to connect with your old pals, comrade, acquaintance, or even make new friends. Many people even get indulged in online or distance love affair through social media and also a few buttoned-up crushes get reveal from school, since it’s the best way to say it without facing the cruel rejection (although some people get lucky). Aww, isn’t it cute. But, there are also many gruesome stories behind it; for now let’s not get into the darker parts of the social media and be in little lighter shade.

The major problem starts when you get influenced by the wrong idea of life and beauty. Not everything that glows can show you the right path, sometimes they blind you. The glittery and glamorous lives of celebrities and influencers make you feel bad about yourself. How your self-esteem gets threatened by social media?

· The pretty faces, the pretty dresses and the expensive food and the exotic vacation. Those things implant in your mind that either you’re not so photogenic, or cannot afford to spend on designer clothes, makeup, vacation, food. Nothing to flaunt. And this is how you started comparing your social lives with them, and it is such a petty thing to do.

· Your friends, virtual or real are glowing up, building body, getting promoted, getting married, moving to a foreign country. You feel they are going ahead in their lives, while you’re not even moving anywhere in your lives.

· You seek constant attention on social media. You wanted to be liked and make as many friends as you can, maybe more than x and y. The unhealthy yearning of pleasing people with your pictures and videos by competing with your adversary will only put you in stress. Don’t make yourself question about your capability, you don’t need a long list of faces and hearts to be the best.

· Either you stalk someone that you don’t even know in real life and neither they have any idea about your existence, or your ex friend or lover who are moving on without you. The stalking culture over the internet is very old and it’s the early stage of being jilted. In spite you tend to take notorious steps that not only hurt others, but also you and your family. It can tear you apart with frustration and ego.

· Negativity is all over the internet these days; from body shaming to slut shaming the predators are always ready for its prey. The rude comments on your pictures and obscene messages can break you mentally.

Social media could be compelling to make you feel good, entertained, at the same time depressed and lonely. It’s an easy way out of unwanted small talks or kill some boring time by skimming through your Facebook feeds.

Social media is a gateway to follow the footsteps of your inspirations and learn new things everyday. However, quitting the virtual world for some time and listen to the anecdotes of the people around you, drift off to sleep while holding a book rather than your phone, hang out with your real friends and pleasure your eyes with what you have rather than what you don’t.

Note: Kill the negativity first before establishing the base of positivity.

Extra note: These days social media has anyways become a circus, better take a break or never come back.

Accept the changes:

Changes are the main reason why you feel left alone and inadequate. Who doesn’t like to be in their little bubble, safe and sound? Well, almost everyone, right? But have you ever realized that changes are also the reason for discoveries. For instance; you sat in a vehicle to reach your destination, but it had to move to reach somewhere and during the movement the view in the way changes. This shows that you will ultimately reach your destination, but throughout the journey your view will change as well.

A completely different city, language, people, colleagues, school, college, friends or office, house could make you agitated to move. But gradually you will experience something new. Sometimes good; sometimes, well unexpected, but it will be a reminder that you came out of an erratic storm safely and going strong.

Once you were hunky dory, until you are ill. A sudden illness precipitates many changes in your life. The concern voices from all around the corners to check on how you are is bothering and make you feel completely dependent and feeble. Although you’re physically weak, but you don’t need to be reminded each and every time; it is understandable. No one wants to be pitied, but denying it for a longer time will eat you inside. It would only work for the exterior, not for the interior. Acknowledging your vulnerability is hard, but sometimes all you need to do is open up. Accept your ongoing condition, open up to new possibilities, be dependent emotionally on someone you trust, let them console you, hold your hand and tell you that you’re brave. What can go wrong? Life is beautiful.

Note: look yourself in the mirror, not because you look weary but see how far you have come. Yes, you have grown up!

Stop competing, and BREATHE!:

Got it you’re smart, intelligent, quirky and yes have no time for bullshit. You got to ace everything. But for what you are endangering your inner peace? To develop your present and future? Fair. To be successful? Fair again. To grow financially strong? Fair enough. Or to making it an agenda in your daily life? Not fair. Or to wake up everyday knowing that you’re not supposed to slip out from your top position? Fair or not, but surely too much for a single soul.

A competitive attitude is good and it hones your skills, until you had it under control. See we all have goals in our lives, covet certain positions in a job, a luxurious car, house, branded clothing. Maintaining your attitude is laudable, but when you overcompensate over your little mistakes, then it’s a matter to be worried about. Pushing yourself to the extreme in the pool of competition is unhealthy and stressful. Take a breath, loosen up yourself and stop clenching your brilliant brain.

Have a respite from the rush. Learn to take it easy and let it go. It’s okay to wake up without a plan for the next step and mind without overlapping thoughts.

Note: in the meantime, plant some trees for the mother-nature, cook food for your loved ones, smile at the kids, feed the poor and stray dogs, love yourself. Voila, enjoy your stress free life!!!

Eat:

Eating without getting worried about calories is something not many people do now-a-days, especially the teen girls. Got it that you have to maintain your body and look extremely petite like your idols or the plastic dolls or an anime character you admire and yes, you don’t want to be called fat, which is a very demeaning word lately and also looking is healthy is fat, in their eyes.

Starving and being skinny is not healthy both for your physical and mental health, but eating the right food at the right time in the right amount is. Although you cannot solve your problems by eating good food, but somehow it consoles your soul when your favorite food hit the senses of the tongue.

An empty stomach can put a lot of stress on your head, makes you irritated. A healthy mind is a construction of a healthy body, so when your body lacks in the proper amount of food because of your vigorous dieting or abandoning food for work, then you’re putting your mental health at risk. Don’t bargain with your mental health for a desired body or to save some extra money. I am not saying to stuff your mouth with junk foods, just balance your body with the right amount of food so the body and mind will be equally satiated and healthy.

Note: You can achieve a perfect body anytime, but you would need peace every time.

Minimum use of technology:

You know what relaxes a human body after a grueling and a tedious day at work or after an intense study session or a sports practice? A time still. Yes, I know that time isn’t enough for a busy hardworking person. Time is meagre when you have lots of tasks at hand to do and finally when you get time what you do? You lay down, that’s good for your body. While your body is resting your head isn’t, right? Because obviously you either have a cell phone or a laptop for playing video game or checking the texts, mails or social media? Why? To decompress yourself? What about instead just do nothing for a moment and close your eyes, giving them a little rest. Of course they need rest, too. I mean technology is great, we get what we want now-a-days instantly with just a click or a tap, which used to take forever two decades ago. But should we completely rely on technology? The answer is a big NO.

Technology can run out of power, but you cannot afford to lose the energy to sustain yourself in this overbearing world. I am not asking you to go back to primitive stage, but stop depending totally on technology and live a little and enjoy the inherent life. Technology tends to exhaust you and make you lazy as it though allures with its fast work and accessibility. Let the phone alert you with its nagging tone, don’t waste the measly time that you get after an intense day on a video game or texting (unless it is very important), as it can convolute your head.

Note: Breathe, eat, spend time with yourself or with your loved ones. Dabble yourself in your dog’s drool and end your night with a power nap.

Early morning activities… power of mother-nature:

Sounds cliché right. We all have grown up with the pep talks of our elders that a person is predisposed to a better life when they start getting up early. I took it with a grain of salt, until I really started my morning ritual. Only early risers will know the aesthetic feeling of hearing the enthralling chirping of larks (when you’re out of the hustle bustle of the city). The energy generates with the sound of morning birds will be unaltered for the entire day in your body and mind, trust me if you’re a night owl. According to some studies, our vision gets better by gazing at the green foliage in the morning.

Out of many, one other benefit of rising early is that, you get time for yourself before you start off your busy day. According to some researchers seeing the sunrise every morning can improve many health conditions along with mental health like anxiety, stress, depression and also improves your mood. Let the morning sunlight fall onto your body to know how fortunate you are to be blessed with a life, also it strengthens our immune system and improves metabolism and skin.

Your first priority after getting yourself up in the morning should be drinking tons of water. Go for a walk or allow your mind to rest with a soul-searching meditation. Filter your negative thoughts with the morning sun rays kissing your face. Contemplate, indulge yourself in the service of mother nature, listen to the birds singing, feel the morning breeze, walk miles, help in household chores, play with kids or pets, take a hot bath, primp yourself and most importantly, deflate your ego before you kick start a day.

Note: Early risers remain stress free throughout the day and sleep like a baby at night without any tension.

Popping pills aren’t always the solution, but to be positive and look for positivity in everything is. Push away the inner commotions and surround yourself with positive people; listen to them, talk to them. Be in a relationship when you are ready, be compassionate, accept your loss, face your fear, trust yourself, laugh at your silliness, smile at your development, stop worrying too much and taking everything seriously, cry your heart out at heartbreaks, eat chocolates, be there for your loved ones, let them be there for you. Life could be challenging, but love yourself and see you have a very beautiful life.

Ps: whatever you do in life, do it for yourself, not for anyone else. Don’t doubt your capabilities.

*Peace*

• mental health
• self-care
• depression
• motivational
• life
• natural
• nature
• love yourself

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WRITTEN BY

Jenny Rahman

Hello, my name is Jenny Rahman and I am a graphic designer and a content writer. My never ceasing habit of reading books predisposed me towards writing. I also think a good reader would better know what the crowd really enjoy reading. I enjoy writing as much as reading. I would like to seize an opportunity to manifest my writing skills here in this platform, since I don’t planned on quelling the urge to explore the world of writing and learn even better with each passing day.

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