We all know the basics
Being stuck in a bad relationship or friendship.
Toxic work culture.
Body issues.
Hereditary.
The tell-tale reasons behind mental health issues. But did you know there is a world of reason behind these? Surviving and destroying our mental health right in front of us, and we do not even know.
Well, not anymore. In this excerpt below, we will be discussing a few of these daily habits which are causing devastation to your mental well-being. According to experts, it is high time that you stop these habits.
1. Poor Sleeping Habits
If you are sleeping anything less than six hours, your brain is functioning properly. Especially if your work includes rigorous brain power, you are not giving it enough time to recharge. A lack of sleep causes frustration, irritability, inability to concentrate on a task, and fatigue due to incomplete sleep. Thus, without even knowing, you are doing major damage to your mental health. Next time, no alarm should go off before 7 hours, and in order to do so, you have to get to bed early.
2. Physical Activity
Sensitive people have trouble indulging in heavy physical activity because it drains both their mental & physical energy. This is because you are doing the wrong exercise. Generally, the right physical activity is supposed to be enjoyable and give you enough dopamine release to get through the day. A lack of physical activity, on the other hand, can cause trouble and mood swings. You need the chemical balance of good hormones through physical activities.
3. Bottling Up Emotions
No, you are not helping anyone by bottling up your feelings. It is not going anywhere. If you are not dealing with them when you are in a good headspace, the buried emotions will be coming out in the worst way possible. If you are constantly finding yourself lashing out at your loved ones for something that has happened in your office, or vice versa, then there you are, not in a stable state of mind.
Bottling up your emptiness will only lead to an overflow, and you will no longer be in control of it once it does. There is no harm in compartmentalizing. However, you should always know when you need to address those deep-rooted feelings and solve the issues which have caused them. Especially when you need professional help.
4. Not Having Healthy Meal
Researchers have always tried to form a psychosomatic connection, i.e., how our physiological health affects our mental well-being. Recent studies have discovered that physical health problems can increase the risk of mental health problems. Another statistical analysis has shown a 5% increased chance of depression for people who suffer from disabilities like diabetes, asthma, and asphyxia. Therefore, skipping your meals and not having enough nutrients could be one of the reasons you are always melancholic. Sometimes we need the energy to feel positive, the kind that food provides.
5. Being A Yes Man
Some people have an inability to say “no” in terms of anything. If you are one such being, you have no idea the damage you are doing to your mental health. Definitely, being a “yes man” has its perks; you will always be liked by everyone. However, this also entails a life where you are never sharing your opinion and always have to comply with others even if you disagree. This puts a lot of stress on your psyche when you are always having an internal conflict.
6. Giving Yourself Unrealistic Expectations
A wise man once said, “at the end of the day happiness is a choice.” A choice you are probably not making when you give yourself these unrealistic expectations. This is when you are never satisfied with your efforts. If your goals are higher than your current resource and capability, no achievement will be enough. Without even knowing, you are simply setting yourself up for failure. Motivation leads to hard work, which leads to motivation. You are breaking this cycle by only concentrating on the hard work and never the intrinsic motivation.
7. No Work-Life Balance
If you find yourself calling yourself a workaholic more than once and being proud of it, you are not to be blamed. We are so knee-deep in the hustling culture and working till you physically can’t that it is almost normal to throw mental health out the window. Maybe you are not seeing it now, but this will only cause the worst burnout, which will be difficult to come out of. Having no work-life balance is mental smoking. The adversity won’t be overt to see every day, but it is a slow poison killing you every day.
Make it a habit to give time for self-care. Whether it is a daily affair where you take a 30 min bath every day, or a weekly affair like renewed light therapy, start to view yourself as a separation from your professional one.
8. Constant Comparison
Are you still scrolling through Instagram, trying to establish how your life is better than others? The subconscious indentation that this constant comparison is doing is dangerous in the long term, most importantly, because you are feeding into the negative thoughts. Constantly thinking how your life is not enough and someone else’s life is better than yours. Social media is an affectation designed to impress. No one will show their worst side on screen. So, it is high time to keep the phone aside and concentrate on the positivity in your life.
Give Up The Toxic Pattern!
It’s important to recognize that everyone’s mental health is unique, and different factors can have varying effects on individuals. Seeking support from mental health professionals and maintaining a healthy lifestyle can contribute to overall well-being. If you or someone you know is struggling with mental health, it’s essential to seek help and support.
It is high time that you give up the toxic pattern of living your life only because it has been made normal by many. Know when to separate from a situation because it is time to take care of yourself.