May is Mental Health Awareness Month, a time to prioritize your mental health. The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration estimates that one in five American adults experiences a mental health problem each year. This means that even if your mental health problem isn’t afflicting you, it almost certainly is affecting someone you care about. The important thing is that we can all be a little more aware of mental health.
We often turn to mental health professionals to help us get through these situations, but what are they doing to manage their own mental health? Yahoo Life We spoke to therapists and psychiatrists about the mental health practices they rely on most. Here’s what they shared:
speak kindly to yourself
You’ve probably heard the advice “talk to yourself like you would talk to your best friend.” According to mental health experts, this is advice worth following. “I encourage my clients to be aware of their own internal dialogue,” clinical psychologist Carla Marie Manley tells Yahoo Life. “This practice, which I use in my own life, brings conscious awareness to negative and self-defeating inner monologues. The more aware you are of a negative habit, the more likely you are to change it. You will be able to do that.”
This recognition of self-talk can also be called self-compassion. “Let’s just be how we feel without having to judge ourselves. When you’re feeling anxious, angry, anxious, [notice] It’s about being there without adding to the self-hatred,” says psychiatrist Dr. Marissa Stridiron, vice president and medical director of On-Demand Care at Array Behavioral Care. . “Also, everything changes. Whether what we’re experiencing is pleasant or unpleasant changes. That’s what I always tell myself.”
Talking to yourself in a kind way means not punishing yourself if you don’t accomplish all your goals for your perfect day. “Self-care for me includes two things: a daily ‘phone detox,’ and time for exercise or meditation,” he says. And part of self-care is being kind to yourself, even if it means taking a day off,” clinical psychologist David Guggenheim, national director of psychotherapy at Talkiatry, tells Yahoo Life. “It’s really hard to carve out time every day, so there are a lot of days I go without being kind to myself and doing self-care.”
It also means forgiving yourself for not having all the answers. “I remind myself to practice self-care and self-compassion,” says Dr. Leroy Arenibar, a psychiatrist and vice president and medical director of Alley Behavioral Care. “I tell myself it’s okay to not have all the answers, it’s okay to not be perfect, it’s okay to fumble.”
Respect changing needs
You can plan your ideal day to maintain your mental health, but in reality, each hour requires something different. There’s no one-size-fits-all solution to overcoming a particular challenge, and the mental health professionals Yahoo Life spoke to told us to sit with yourself wherever you are and do what feels right in the moment. I try to be flexible whether I hold back or not. Write in a diary and sweat.
“Self-care for me means listening to my body, tuning into my emotions to find out what I need, and trying to honor that as much as possible,” says the therapist and podcaster. says Erin Spahr, host of “Inclusive Provider Directory” and founder of the Inclusive Provider Directory. “We frequently decide whether we need rest or play, alone time or connection with others, food or transportation.”
“For me, self-care means trying out the coping mechanisms that you actually use, and not criticizing yourself for not being able to do them perfectly,” said John, chief health officer for the University of Tennessee System. says Dr. Jesse Gold, author of a forthcoming book. how do you feel? “Sometimes I journal, sometimes I exercise, sometimes I watch stupid TV, and sometimes I listen to Taylor Swift’s new album.”
Experts say self-care is all about flexibility. “Blending trauma-informed care with mindfulness-based practices is central to my practice with both my clients and myself,” says Stridiron. “What this means is facing who you are and accepting that whatever you can do is enough.”
Talk to loved ones and people you trust
Almost all practitioners say they seek support from those around them. “First and foremost, I rely on my support system,” Arenival said. “Whether it’s venting to a beloved spouse or a trusted friend, it’s always incredibly soothing for me to have someone to talk to.”
Gold also looks to those around her for help when she’s feeling down. “I talk to friends and family who allow me to be who I am, but who I’m with who I don’t think would ever talk about themselves or throw anything at me,” she says. “As a trained listener and friend, it can be difficult to get someone to listen to you, so it’s good to know who your friend is when you need support. ”
“What really makes you feel good is your community: talking to your partner, seeing your friends, spending time with your family,” adds Guggenheim. “Of course, alone time is important, but connecting with others can really help you cope with difficult experiences. Sharing what’s on your mind, even through a simple text message, can be amazing. You may get the desired effect.”
Manley agrees. “There’s nothing more fun than chatting with a friend who knows you well and who you can trust to get you through a difficult situation.”
When in doubt, therapy can help
“I go to therapy every other week because I can’t pour from an empty cup,” says Aaron Muller, a licensed clinical social worker and CEO of Modify Wellness. “Now you can take off both her husband’s hat and her father’s hat.” [and] Wearing the therapist hat allows you to be completely selfish and process your own thoughts and feelings. I forget that I’m a therapist and just be present in the moment. ”
“If I’m going through a difficult time in my personal life, I don’t hesitate to ask for support,” says Manley. “I think this habit is essential because it allows me to be fully available to my clients, rather than unconsciously bringing unresolved issues into their sessions.”
“It’s actually a huge relief to be able to just lean back and let someone else do the session,” Stridiron says of her own therapy. “For my work as a therapist, it’s really important to have time to process my emotions and have space to just be.”
