How to Maintain Mental Health During the Holidays
Key Takeaways:
1. Mental health & mental illness are not the same
2. Maintaining mental health looks different for everyone
3. Awareness, communication, and grace for yourself go a long way
4. The key to a healthy mind is a healthy gut
5. All the tools a person needs are already in their box
Taking Care of Your Mind: Mental Health vs. Mental Illness
Taking care of one’s mental health looks different for everyone. Some deal with depression and anxiety that manifest in different ways. Although the holidays are an exciting time of the year, they also bring with it higher levels of stress. Stress and the management of it plays a major role in being able to maintain mental health, always. In a survey a whopping 64% of people said that the holidays make their conditions worse. It’s important to note that mental health and mental illness are two different things. A mental illness is something that is diagnosed by a licensed healthcare provider whereas a part of mental health is emotional well-being along with cognitive and behavioral well-being as well.
Maintaining Your Mental Health During Stressful Times
Being able to maintain a good balance at the holidays starts before they even arrive. One of the best ways to do this is awareness of the triggers. This aids in being equipped to pull out the necessary tools to healthily get through any situation. Some triggers at the holidays can include seeing relatives, being asked personal questions, visiting your hometown, introducing someone new to the family, every situation is unique. Some tools can include:
Prioritize what you need:
Doing what makes you feel good and feeds your soul is most important this time of year. It makes it extremely hard to be what other people need you to be if your cup is only half full. Make the time to do the things that make you feel most like you. This can be a manual therapy session, seeing your acupuncture physician, taking a bubble bath, or just relaxing without any interruptions.
Don’t spread yourself too things:
During the holidays it’s easy to pack your schedule with things one after the other. When booking too many things it makes it a little more difficult to truly be in the moment when you fear being late for the next commitment. Saying no for the sake of your mental health is not only ok but brave. Solidifying your plan early on and communicating it to loved ones can give you the control that you need to feel fulfilled and happy with your days.
Go in with no expectations:
It’s common to see movies and commercials with all kinds of happiness over the holidays. The truth is that's not always the case. Go into your holiday festivities with as little expectations as possible. This will help to avoid any feelings of disappointment, or I told you so moments.
Boundaries:
Every family has a different dynamic. They are complex, unique, and no two are the same. Setting boundaries, as uncomfortable as that can potentially be, can put you at ease. This can include boundaries for yourself or for others. Examples are not sitting next to a certain person at the dinner table or excusing yourself when a specific topic comes about.
Eat well:
Food is medicine. Medicine for the mind, body, and soul. By nourishing yourself, not overeating, and choosing the things that make your insides happy it can minimize a mental health flare up. The key to a healthy mind is a healthy gut.
Affirmations & gratitude list:
Affirmations are positive statements to yourself that can help you get over even the most negative of thoughts or situations. Being kind to yourself and acknowledging one’s radiance can completely turn around a scenario. Gratitude lists can be something that’s done before an event or gathering to remind yourself what you're grateful for. This will leave you walking into the next space lighter and with more confidence.
Buddy system:
This can be one of the most effective ways of getting through uncomfortable situations or gatherings. Having someone there with you that’s on the same page can make you feel complete. There’s nothing like looking across the room and exchanging a knowing smile with someone that gets it. Grab a friend, partner, or family member to share your thoughts or concerns with. You can help each other throughout the course of the holiday season in getting through triggers
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Get Movement to Aid Your Mental Health
The things above are all incredible tools to maintain mental health, not only through the holidays, but all year round. The best possible tool is exercise. By keeping your outside self-moving your insides can do their jobs more effectively. In Chinese Medicine it’s said that our heart houses our mind. To break this statement down – when we exercise it moves our blood and energy. Our minds need blood to think and relay what we need to do on the outside to the rest of our body on the inside. Our heart is what pumps the blood therefore the heart houses the mind. The healthier our cardiovascular health is, the healthier our minds are. Getting in 30 minutes of light exercise a day can make all the difference in one’s mental health journey.
How Eastern Acupuncture & Wellness Can Help
Acupuncture and Chinese medicine have proven to make a big difference in the lives of those that suffer with mental health issues. Our practitioners are highly experienced in working with people that suffer from anxiety, depression, PTSD, mania, and beyond. By keeping up with regular appointments during the holiday season it can keep your body balanced and in homeostasis to alleviate the risk of a flare up due to outside triggers. A great tool utilized here at Eacuwell is the use of ear seeds. It’s like taking a treatment home with you which is exactly what the holidays are asking for. Give us a call to make an appointment and ask our practitioners for some tips and tricks that have been tried and proven in maintaining one’s mental health.