5 Tips from my Men’s Health Psychologist

Although not the only tool in my toolbox, my psychologist has been a key one in managing the daily dance between depression and anxiety.

Here are 5 pieces of wisdom they impart regularly that I have found helpful:

 

1) Ease the consumption

Even when it's obvious, my ability to take action for the good of my mental health is often hampered by my tendency to over-consume.

Media, advice, knowledge, often this leads to an endless exhausting quest for more anxiety, when often the answer can be the same and can be simple.

Concentrate on catching yourself to try and halt this cycle and truly disengage to move calmly forward.

 

2) Get off the train

When your internal world is relentlessly overwhelming, it can feel like you are on a never-ending train.

Know that at every stop, you have an opportunity to take a step and get off the train.

The train will continue on its loop and sometimes you have to get back on, but know you can disembark and achieve going about your day with relative calm.

 

3) Know what you want before you ask for it 

This is a recent revelation for me as for a lifetime I allowed myself to become frustrated, resentful and more depressed when I felt I wasn't getting what I wanted or needed.

When I stepped back, I realised I hadn't even worked out what contentment or the "ideal" was for me, let alone voiced it.

Take your time and communicate as clearly as you can.

 

4) Mindfulness can take many forms

Not everyone finds solace and peace in yoga or meditation.

Although life-changing for some, it can be incredibly cliché and not appropriate for all.

Decompressing does not always have to involve the mental masturbation of finding yourself or existentially analysing everything (guilty as charged).

It can take the form of walking, reading, watching your favourite Netflix show, sleeping, painting, cooking, climbing mountains, getting your haircut, singing, dancing, chess, gaming and more.

 

5) Language matters

Those with mental challenges can tell ourselves the most fantastical (sometimes negative) stories, that in just the essence of considering them, can be horribly uncomfortable, no matter how "real" they are.

You won't stop these stories completely but try to catch yourself in these streams and notice the language.

Avoid language of "better" or "worse" and ease off measuring a situation, everything is progress.

Written by Mr Perfect