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How can I improve my mental health?
Maintaining good mental health is a lifelong process. The most important thing to remember when you are working to improve your mental health; you aren’t doing it alone.
Every setting and situation you’re in and each person you interact with can impact your well-being.
Your mental health can be improved and maintained with:
- Healthy family, school, work relationships
- Good working or school environments
- Positive eating habits and choices
- Regular physical activity that you enjoy
- Community interactions that meet your needs
- Safe and well-maintained housing
- Access to supports; such as counselling and trusted friends
What is self-care?
Contrary to what you may see in the media, self-care is not shopping trips, expensive vacations and spa weekends. Simply put, it is about taking time for yourself even if it’s only a few moments in a day. It shouldn’t be seen as an indulgence, it doesn’t need to take a lot of energy and it does not have to cost anything.
The Canadian Mental Health Association (CMHA) has put together these tips called Take 15 minutes just for you. The idea behind this tool is to promote a balance in everyday life, as most of our lives have now become more stressful and exhausting. And the idea of taking even a few minutes to practice healthy coping techniques can feel like just another chore.
If you notice yourself becoming stressed it’s important to focus on things within your control and to make time for self-care to ensure you do not burn out. CMHA suggests that it is important to lean on social supports in difficult times, try to get enough sleep, eat healthily, exercise and engage in enjoyable activities.
If you have recurring or ongoing episodes of poor mental health it may be a sign of something more serious and you should speak to your health care provider as soon as possible.
For More Information
- Promoting Positive Mental Health - Learn about positive mental health and how you can help promote it. From Canada.ca.
- Mental Health for Newcomer Youth - You can find youth mental health information and referral from NewYouth.ca, a website for young newcomers to Ontario.
- Children’s Mental Health Ontario (CMHO) - This portal can help you find the nearest treatment centre for children's mental health problems. From Children's Mental Health Ontario.
- Human Rights and Mental Health - Information about your rights, if you have a mental health disability or an addiction. It looks at your rights in the workplace, housing and accessing services. From the Ontario Human Rights Commission.
Last updated:
July 26, 2021
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