A Guide to Taking Care of Your Mental Health

Mental health is often overlooked and stigmatized, but it is an incredibly vital part of one’s ability to function every day. According to Mental Health America, nearly five thousand teens aged fifteen to twenty-four commit suicide every year. As someone who struggles with maintaining my mental health, I want to share the self-care tips I’ve learned from over five years of intensive therapy.

1. Don’t be afraid to ask for help. This is the number one thing people (especially teenagers!) struggle with. Many teens often feel like they will disappoint their parents by not being the perfect, happy child. Well, most adults are mature enough to love as adults - unconditionally. If your parents’ love feels conditional (for example, if you feel like they only love you when you’re doing well), then family therapy may be helpful in communicating your feelings. It’s important to develop and stay in touch with a support system, such as a network of close, loyal friends and trustworthy family members.

2. Cut. Off. Toxic. People. It may take the end of a relationship for you to realize someone’s true colors. Better late than never, right? Once you conclude that someone does not genuinely care about you and your feelings, it’s best to cut them off. It took me a while to understand that just because someone appears to be loyal to you, they might not care enough to stay by your side when you need them most. So why should you waste time caring about them? Snip snip. It might hurt temporarily, but it’s also one of the most effective ways to reduce stress and anxiety in your life. Show them you’re better off without them. Don’t give them the satisfaction of having power over your emotions. You are in control.

3. Dress in what makes you confident and most comfortable. Branch out and try different styles. Go to the thrift store, the swap meet, or the flea market. Find your niche, but don’t be afraid to try looks you find attractive or interesting. It’ll bring you so much more confidence and raise your self-esteem. When you look in the mirror, you’ll proudly think “Wow, I’m looking good today!”

4. Work smarter. It’s so easy to procrastinate on schoolwork when you’re trapped inside the house all day. If you’re feeling lonely and unmotivated, work in short intervals. Thirty minutes here, a ten minute walk there, another thirty minutes over there… something my friends and I like to do is be on a voice call over Discord together. That way, even if we’re not talking, we’re still together, hanging out just like we would if the pandemic wasn’t happening. This can ease feelings of loneliness and keep you from isolating yourself.

5. Practice routine. This has got to be one of the hardest parts of staying mentally healthy. Anyone can develop a tendency to just sleep all day, forget to eat, not brush your teeth, etc. but it’s also not good for you at all. To stay both mentally and physically healthy, it’s best to start up a routine. Start small, maybe something like “every morning after I wake up, I will brush my teeth.” Gradually start increasing the number of activities in your daily routine. “Every morning after I wake up, I will change my clothes, brush my hair and teeth, and wash my face.” You’ll feel both physically and mentally healthier when you start treating yourself the way you want to be treated.

6. Make time for activities you enjoy. Hobbies are a great way to reduce stress. Remember, you don’t need to be good at something to have fun and enjoy yourself! Set aside a small portion of time, anywhere from thirty minutes to one hour, to engage in a pleasant activity. If you like learning, you can research one of your favorite topics; I like to read and take notes about fungi in my free time. You can learn another language through applications like Duolingo, or indigenous language learning apps. If you love music, pick up an instrument! Ukulele is simple and easy to learn. Personally, I really like to play my ukulele or guitar and sing. If you enjoy art, clean up your desk and spend some time drawing, sketching, painting, doodling… the possibilities are endless, and there’s always something new you can learn.

I hope these tips help you improve your mental state during this difficult time. Whether you’re feeling lonely or upset, stressed or anxious, sad or angry, always remind yourself that you are worthy, valued, cherished, loved, appreciated… you are a human being, and you are valid.

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National Suicide Prevention Hotline: 1-800-273-8255

The Trevor Project (for LGBTQ+ youth): 1-866-488-7386, https://www.thetrevorproject.org/get-help-now/, or text START to 678-678

The Crisis Text Line: text HOME to 741-741.

The Trans Lifeline (for transgender youth): https://www.translifeline.org/ or 1-877-565-8860