5 Ways To Compromise Your Mental Health

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That title got ya, didn’t it? We typically expect to learn how to feel better, not how to feel worse! But, I thought this “how NOT to” might catch your attention enough to get you to recognize some things you might be doing to sabotage your mental well being.  Or, maybe this post will get you to think about your mental health in a different way.

Without much ado, here’s some sure fire ways to compromise your mental health, and maybe even INCREASE your stress and overwhelm:

  1. Over indulge in alcohol - Who loves a glass of wine or a beer in the evening to unwind?  Alcohol is a Central Nervous System Depressant, which means it slows down your brain activity.  Now, I’m not saying you can never consume alcohol, but if you want to help your mental health, I’d suggest paying attention to how often and how much alcohol you consume on a regular basis.  If you find you are drinking more often than not, and more than you intend to, or if you can’t unwind and fall asleep without it, those are all signs your alcohol use could be compromising your mental health. 

  2. Stay up late trying to get it all done- We’ve all been there….the night is winding down but you haven’t accomplished everything on your to do list for the day.  The temptation to keep going, to stay up to finish everything, is strong.  If you want to prioritize your mental health, don’t do it!  Sleep is much more important than crossing everything off of your list.  When we sleep, our brains make sense of our day, store memories, and our brains do housekeeping - strengthening of memories or circuits, or pruning ones that aren’t being used.  Adults need 7+ hours of sleep to maximize their cognitive abilities for the next day.  Kids and teens need even more! Chronic sleep deprivation has been shown to lead to increase your risk of chronic health conditions, which can lead to premature death.  If you need some tips on how to improve your sleep - check out these blogs here and here.

  3. Skip exercising or limit your physical activity - Exercising might seem like a good thing to cut out when you are stressed or anxious or depressed.  Let’s be real - if you don’t have much energy or motivation, would you really want to get up and go for a walk?  But, cutting out your typical exercise routine can have a negative effect on your well being.  After exercising, your brain releases endorphins, which are the happy chemicals your body makes.  Fresh air and sunlight can also help to boost your mood.  Skipping your exercise regimen might save you some time in the end, but it will not contribute to inproving your mental well being.

  4. Limit self care - If you are stressed or overwhelmed, self care might seem like a luxury.  A pedicure, really?!  Taking time to journal or meditate?  Nah, I’m good.  So what exactly does self care look like?  It’s taking alone time for you to recharge, setting boundaries, or asking for help.  It could be doing a hobby or activity you enjoy that helps you relax.  Self care activities can help you to process your day, or reflect on patterns or trends that are leading to your stress.  Self care might seem too indulgent, but in the end, omitting it isn’t going to help your overall mental health.

  5. Eat fast food meals or skip mealtime completely - Our bodies and brains need fuel to run.  Think about what they use for fuel…..FOOD.  So, missing a meal, or choosing some high fat, empty calorie foods such as fast food meals are not giving your body or brain what they need to optimally perform.  If you can, schedule breakfast, lunch and/or dinner just like you schedule a work meeting or a Dr’s appointment.  Sit down at the kitchen table and don’t allow yourself to be distracted by a TV show.  Actually focus on eating, tasting the food, noticing how your body is feeling as you eat. Check out Britt’s blogs on Intuitive Eating here.

Rather than compromising your mental health, please consider reaching out for therapy to help your mental well being! The mental health therapists at our office offer counseling for a variety of issues including trauma using EMDR, depression, anxiety, grief, and couples counseling. We work with teens, adults, and couples. We also offer online counseling services which can be great for people with busy schedules or for people who live in parts of Pennsylvania with limited counseling options. You can check out our website to see the full list of counseling services that we offer. Or, Request An Appointment here.