Mental Health - Mann Mela - Museum of Mental Health Stories

Relaxation

When we feel down, worried or stressed, our body naturally becomes tense, tight, tired and achy. When our body feels like this - it can feedback into difficulties with our mood.

Taking some time out to relax and soothe the body can be an important way to take care of our mind and our mental health. This could be by practicing deep breathing, doing some simple stretches, listening to music, or following a relaxation exercise or guided meditation online.

Nourishing your relationships

When our mood is poor it can make normal social interactions feel overwhelming or scary and push us toward avoiding people and isolating ourselves. Although this is totally understandable, it can actually be quite unhelpful for our mental health; as human beings we all rely on social contact to help maintain our wellbeing.

Everyday connections

Investing in our relationships doesn’t have to mean huge changes - think about small opportunities you have to feel more connected with the people (and animals!) around you - asking a friend about their day or going for a walk with your dog - can all help to nurture a sense of closeness.

Sharing your struggles

Talking to someone you trust about what you are going through can be one of the most powerful ways to feel better. If you don’t have someone in your life who you feel you can do this with - consider writing in a journal or online places you can share like ItsOkToTalk.in

Looking out for others

Helping others can be a meaningful way for us to feel better in ourselves. Small actions that help us to be a good friend, family member, or contribute to our community can give us a sense of purpose and connection.

Doing things you enjoy

Try to ensure that you give some time each dayto doing things you enjoy - this can be from smallpleasures like sipping a cup of chai to bigger thingslike playing sport, going for a walk or having amovie night with friends.If you are struggling with motivation try planning anactivity for each day in advance, write it down andtick it off when you have done it.

Seeking professional help

An important part of taking care of ourselves is acknowledging when we need more support.

There are no rules for when to seek help, but if the challenges with your mood are impacting your everyday life despite things you have been doing to improve the situation, it may be a good time to consider professional help. There are 2 main types of professionals who deal with mental health difficulties; Psychiatrists and Psychologists.

Psychiatrists are medical doctors who are equipped to prescribe medication as treatment. Psychologists or counsellors focus on talk therapy as treatment.

Both psychiatrists and psychologists can conduct assessments of your mental health and give you their opinion on what sort of treatment might help.