In today's world, where challenges come in various forms, stress is a common part of life. Building resilience and improving mental health have become crucial skills. For ages, mental health issues have been stigmatized and rarely discussed! However, recent years have seen a positive change, with more awareness and seriousness towards mental illnesses. This shift has also influenced the health insurance industry, leading to health insurance plans that cover mental health treatment.
In this blog, we at Chola MS present practical steps to help you build resilience and enhance your mental well-being in a practical and engaging manner.
What is Mental Health?
Mental health is our overall well-being including physical, emotional, psychological, and social aspects. It impacts the way we think, feel, and behave. It is about feeling good inside out, functioning well, and coping effectively with life's stresses. Good mental health is not just the absence of problems and mental illness, but more about how well we are able to handle and bounce back from the challenges and adversities of life.
It is extremely important to take care of your mental health and keep it healthy and balanced as poor mental health can negatively impact all areas of your life!\
Thankfully, mental health coverage became mandatory in India from October 31, 2022. The Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India (IRDAI) has ordered all health insurance companies to treat mental health the same as physical illnesses.
What is Resilience?
Resilience is the capacity to withstand and recover from difficult experiences. It is not about being immune to challenges, but about developing the skills and strategies to cope with them. By building resilience, we can better handle stress, anxiety, and uncertainty, and bounce back stronger.
The Connection Between Resilience and Mental Health
Resilience and mental health are closely linked and go hand in hand. Good mental health provides a strong foundation for building resilience, and resilience helps protect and enhance mental health. Understanding how these two aspects support each other is important to thrive in an ever-changing world.
Let us explore the practical steps that are needed that you can take to develop resilience and improve your mental well-being.
- Balanced Nutrition: When you feel good and energetic physically, it will automatically make you feel good mentally and emotionally too. Food is a great way to achieve this. A balanced diet rich in fruits, vegetables, lean proteins, and whole grains can improve mood and energy levels. Try to minimize your consumption of caffeine, sugar, and alcohol.
- Get Enough Sleep: Lack of adequate sleep can not only affect our day and mood but also can collapse the way we function. Quality sleep is extremely crucial for mental health. Establish a regular sleep routine, create a restful environment, and minimize screen time, especially before going to sleep.
- Manage Stress: We cannot avoid stress but we can always learn to manage it effectively. Develop healthy coping mechanisms for stress, such as deep breathing exercises, progressive muscle relaxation, or spending time in nature.
- Set Boundaries: Learn to say no and set limits to avoid burnout. Balance work, family, and personal time to ensure you are not overextending yourself.
- Set Realistic Goals: Break your larger goals into smaller, manageable steps. This makes them less overwhelming and challenging and also provides a sense of achievement as you progress.
- Emotional regulation: Emotional regulation is extremely essential for maintaining good mental health and resilience. It means managing your emotions effectively, even and especially in stressful situations. Not everyone can be calm and composed during tough times. When you have the resilience to stay calm and composed even under stress and pressure, you can tackle any challenge more successfully than a majority of people who get stressed. This great ability to control your emotions helps you think clearly, make better decisions, and recover from setbacks more easily.
- Problem-Solving Skills: Effective problem-solving is extremely essential for building both resilience and good mental health. Not everyone is solution-oriented, especially during the toughest phase of your life. When you are capable of finding solutions to your problems, you feel more in control and experience less stress. Strong problem-solving skills help you navigate challenges more effectively, boosting your confidence and well-being.
- Positive Self-Perception: We are all worried about what the world thinks of us. But did you know our true strength lies in what we think about ourselves? Yes, you read that right! Believing in your own worth and abilities enhances both resilience and mental health. A positive self-view and self-image about oneself help you face your challenges with ease and confidence.
- Healthy Lifestyle: Engaging in healthy habits like regular exercise, proper nutrition, and sufficient sleep, etc., is a great way to improve your mental health. These may sound quite basic but these simple yet highly effective habits are proven to boost your physical and emotional well-being. Having a healthy lifestyle is without any doubt, a fundamental element that supports both mental health and resilience, making it easier to cope with difficulties.
- Support Systems: A majority of us tend to isolate and drift away from our loved ones during the time of distress. That is why it is essential to have a strong support system in the form of friends, relatives, families, etc. These are the people who provide emotional support, reduce feelings of isolation, and increase your ability to cope with stress. One need not necessarily have a whole group! Even 1-2 people who are always there for you, whom you can count on can be quite beneficial for both resilience and mental health.
Additionally, you can also seek therapy. There are several health insurance and online health insurance policies that provide coverage for mental health and its treatment.
Coping Strategies to Build Resilience
Coping strategies are a great way to navigate challenging situations and emotions. Some effective coping mechanisms that you can practice daily include:
- Journalling: Writing down thoughts and feelings not only helps process emotions, but also is a great tool that helps you become self-aware, gain perspective, and develop problem-solving skills.
- Meditation: Meditation is a powerful tool that helps improve mental health, reduce stress, increase mindfulness, and promote emotional well-being.
- Physical Movement: Yoga and regular exercise enhance blood flow to your whole body and brain which can reduce stress, improve mood, and increase overall well-being. Find activities that you enjoy, whether it is walking, dancing, or playing a sport.
- Healthy Distractions: Hobbies are a great way to distract yourself from present challenges in a healthy way. Pick ones that you genuinely enjoy. You can also explore and learn new things.
Changing Your Outlook
Changing your outlook is essential for good mental health and resilience, as a positive perspective helps you cope with challenges and bounce back from adversity easily.
- Embrace Change: Accept that change is not scary and is a part of your life. Rather than fighting it, accept, adapt, and adjust your goals and expectations according to it.
- Take Care of Yourself: Prioritize self-care through adequate sleep, balanced nutrition, regular physical activity, deep breathing, and relaxation techniques like meditation or yoga. Regularly doing these calms your body and mind and also reduces stress and anxiety.
- Learn from Experience: Reflect on past experiences and identify what helped you through tough times. Apply these lessons to current challenges.
- Practice Gratitude: It is natural to overlook the good things in life in the middle of life's challenges and crises. Regularly take time to reflect on and appreciate and be grateful for the good things in your life. This can shift your focus away from negative thoughts.
- Stay Optimistic: It is completely okay to feel all the emotions but in the end, instead of being pessimistic and assuming the worst, you should have a positive and hopeful outlook by focusing on what you can control and what you can do. Things always get better with time,
- Practice Mindfulness: Mindfulness is a tool that involves being present in the moment without judgment. It can help reduce stress and increase emotional regulation.
- Seeking support: While self-care, coping strategies, and social support are essential, some of us may also need additional help. Reaching out to mental health professionals who are experts in their field through online health insurance also provides the emotional support and guidance you need.
There are several health insurance companies in India that cover therapy, guidance, support, and evidence-based treatments for mental health concerns. Don't hesitate to seek help if you are struggling. Remember, mental health matters, and seeking help is a sign of strength.
Building resilience and maintaining good mental health requires effort, commitment, and support. By prioritizing self-care, developing coping strategies, and opting for good health insurance that fosters mental healthcare, we can all surely navigate life's challenges with confidence and grace.
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