Taking Care of Yourself Mentally and Physically

Hello everyone! I have some important news to share: recently several days ago, I reached out to my psychiatrist because I was experiencing symptoms of a manic episode, which is common in people with bipolar disorder. She provided me with some treatment options, which really helped. The bottom line is that I realized I was not feeling 100 percent mentally, so I took my time to bring myself to the psychiatrist and take care of my health. Having good health is a priority that should be most important for everyone, and in this blog I will provide some good suggestions to take care of yourself both mentally and physically.

First of all, staying in shape and exercising frequently is great for both physical and mental health. Good physical health and good mental health are interdependent, so staying in good physical shape and exercising often will help one’s mental state. I personally find cardio to be very effective in promoting strong mental health, and I normally walk and use the elliptical machine for cardio, but will soon belong to a gym with a lap pool. In college and high school, swimming helped me maintain a peaceful mind and burn a lot of calories and fat.

My next suggestion is to understand your mental illness or be aware when you are not feeling mentally strong. If you are diagnosed with a mental health condition, please understand the symptoms of your mental health condition and how to treat your mental health condition. That means always taking your medications, seeing therapy sessions when you can, and attending regularly scheduled psychiatric appointments. And when you are experiencing symptoms of your mental illness, despite adhering to all of the treatments (this happened to me recently this summer), contact a psychiatrist as soon as possible.

Getting good sleep on a consistent basis is a prerogative. Without good sleep, one can experience mental illness. In fact, not sleeping well can be a grave sign of mental illness. Please try to adhere to a consistent bedtime and circadian rhythm if possible. Catching up on sleep on the weekends is also essential to one’s good mental health and physical health. Without proper sleep, one’s mind and body cannot function properly, and this assertion is scientifically proven, without dispute.

Another suggestion I have is to maintain a consistent support group, whether that consists of family, friends, co-workers, or a nonprofit like NAMI (National Alliance on Mental Illness, where I volunteer) to reach out to and discuss your mental illness and state. I am so fortunate that I can talk to friends, family, co-workers, and fellow volunteers about my mental illness whenever I may feel like it. I truly appreciate the ability to be so open about my mental illness because I can relate with others as well as raise more awareness.

Thank you so much for reading my blog! This is a really important one, that was inspired by my recent mental health issues this past summer. I hope you all take care of yourselves mentally and physically. Please subscribe to my blog via email at the bottom of my home page and share with family and friends if you’d like to do so.