Stressed out? Grumpy? Always tired?
You need a mental fitness regime.
For months, therapists have reported a significant increase in the number of clients who are anxious, concerned, or depressed about current events – the Covid-19 pandemic, economic woes, civil unrest. And while they can learn coping skills, such as emotion regulation, to help manage the stress, they say it’s also important for people to take proactive steps to be mentally healthy, just as they would if they wanted to be physically fit. “Waiting for a major stressor to strike to bolster your mental health is like trying to inflate your life raft while you’re already drowning at sea,” said Wendy Troxel, clinical psychologist and senior behavioral and social scientist at Rand Corp.
Many people are turning to talk therapy, exercise, meditation, and a healthy diet to do this. Shirlee Hoffman, a 75-year-old retired marketing consultant in Chicago, limits her news consumption to about five minutes a day. Erin Wiley, 50, a licensed psychotherapist in Toledo, Ohio, uses an app to track the things for which she is grateful. Rhonda Steele, 62, a special education teacher in Sellersburg, Ind., Prays and reads devotions. Dwight Oxley, 84, a retired physician in Wichita, Kan., Reads and plays the piano. Rachel Glyn, 66, a retired beautician in Philadelphia, tries to do as many things for others as possible. Michael Schauch, 40, an investment portfolio manager in Squamish, British Columbia, climbs rock climbing – he says the view gives him perspective. Stedman Stevens, 62, the CEO of an aviation technology company in Wilmington, NC, takes 15 minutes every afternoon to sit alone without distraction. “I listen to what my mind shows me,” he says. “This restores my mental strength.”
What steps should you include in your mental fitness regime? Here’s advice from the experts.