For the past year, most people have been adjusting to new lifestyles. Everyone has become accustomed to lockdowns, restricted travel, and extreme boredom. And all that can take a toll on your mental health. Last year, mental health issue prevalence rose and it's no coincidence that it lined up with a pandemic that kept many people indoors. COVID affected the mental health of many, even those who didn't catch it, by forcing them indoors and away from others.
How does COVID affect your mental health?
COVID has affected the mental health of millions of people, even without affecting others. People weren't able to see their families or friends, even when their family members were sick. Many huge life events, vacations, and other programs were canceled due to COVID. This left a lot more people feeling lonelier as they couldn't access the same social networks they're used to. And there's only so much that you can do through Zoom calls. It's shown that loneliness can lead to depression, anxiety, and other adverse effects on one's mental health.
Why mental health is important?
Keep your mental health in check is just as important as your physical health. Mental health can affect every aspect of your daily life and cause performance issues, including issues with physical health. Depression can cause higher risks of other health issues, like stroke and heart disease. More than 50% of Americans will be diagnosed with a mental health illness at one point in their life, so it's important to take care of it when you can. Going without treating your mental health issues can lead to more problems down the road.
How to improve your mental health?
Physical and mental health are also closely aligned. While mental health issues can lead to physical issues, physical exercise can also improve mental health. Physical exercise can help relieve mental stress and treat some signs of depression. Another great way to improve mental health is through mindfulness. Using guided meditation tools, like Headspace, can help you sort your thoughts and clear out your mind. It's a great way to reduce stress and improve mental health.
Another way to deal with mental health issues is through therapy. A therapist is trained to help you work through any problems with mental health. They can help you understand yourself better and work on ways to improve your mental health. Even if you don't think you need it, a therapist can still be useful.
At Defynance, we understand how important mental health is for one's success. That's why we integrated it into our resource marketplace. If you create an account with Defynance, you'll automatically get access to our resource marketplace, where we've created a list of resources to help you succeed in life.
