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Prevention and Intervention Strategies
To maintain good mental health, you need to nurture it! When you take care of your mental health, you will gain a sense of resiliency and resourcefulness to cope with stressful situations. Fortunately, there are many things you can do to boost your mood, build resilience, and get more enjoyment out of life.
Build Your Resilience
Life presents many life-changing events that can cause you to react with emotional distress and a sense of uncertainty. Usually, we are able to adapt to these situations through resilience — the ability to bounce back from difficult experiences. Consider the following strategies on how to build resilience:
- Make connections
- Avoid seeing crises as insurmountable problems
- Accept that change is a part of living
- Move toward your goals
- Take decisive actions rather than wishing problems would go away
- Look for opportunities for self-discovery
- Nurture a positive view of yourself
- Keep things in perspective
- Maintain a hopeful outlook
- Take care of yourself
Adapted from the American Psychological Association
Build Your Physical Health
The mind and the body are linked; when you take care of your physical health, you are also taking care of your mental health. When you exercise, your body releases endorphins, chemicals that energize and lift your mood. Regular exercise can:
- Boost your self-esteem
- Help you concentrate
- Improve sleep
- Decrease tension, stress, mental fatigue, anger, or frustration
- Provide a natural energy boost
- Improve your social life
Other ways to take care of your physical health are:
- Getting enough rest
- Learning about good nutrition — what you eat can affect your energy and mood
- Getting a dose of sunlight every day — sunlight lifts your mood
- Limiting alcohol and avoiding cigarettes and other drugs
Diet and Your Mental Health
The brain is sensitive to what you eat and drink; to remain healthy, it needs different amounts of complex carbohydrates, essential fatty acids, vitamins and minerals, and water. For example, low intakes of fish may be linked to depression.
Also, a balance is required between the four neurotransmitters that regulate our thoughts and general mood: acetylcholine, serotonin, dopamine/adrenaline/noradrenaline and 4-aminobutyrate (GABA).
Try to avoid foods or drinks that can trick you into feeling better temporarily, like caffeine and chocolate. You may find that caffeine gives a short-term boost to adrenaline levels. Likewise, chocolate contains substances that boost levels of noradrenaline, which will boost your feelings of wellbeing and enthusiasm for life. The result is a perceived immediate psychological benefit, but the results are only short-term and can result in a cycle of cravings. Sugar, deep-fried food, junk foods, processed foods, cigarettes, alcohol, tea and coffee can contribute to a low mood or a lack of drive or motivation, make you anxious and irritable, and affect your memory.
Instead, seek out foods that will nourish your brain! Certain foods may help the brain to release the right balance of neurotransmitters.
| Neurotransmitter |
Effects of Deficiency |
Foods to Consume |
| Acetylcholine |
Forgetfulness, confusion |
Eggs and wild fish |
| Serotonin |
Low mood and feel disconnected |
Fish, fruit, eggs, avocado, wheat germ, low-fat cheese, and lean poultry |
| Dopamine |
Lack of drive, motivation and enthusiasm |
Fruits and vegetables high in vitamin C and wheat germ |
| GABA |
Hard to relax, irritable and anxious |
Dark green vegetables, seeds and nuts, potatoes, bananas and eggs |
Stop Worrying
Worrying serves a purpose when it drives you to take necessary action. But it can sap your energy when you can't stop wondering "what if." Try managing your worry by tackling your need for certainty and immediate answers — focusing on worst-case scenarios won't keep bad things from happening. It will only keep you from enjoying the good things you have in the present. If you are able to designate a certain time of the day when you allow yourself to think about what is worrying you, it may help to break the habit of dwelling on worries throughout the day and give you a greater sense of control.
Manage Your Stress Levels
Don't let stress and negative emotions build up. Managing stress is about achieving a balanced life. You can't eliminate stress from your life, but you can control how much it affects you. Try reducing your stress through relaxation techniques such as yoga, meditation and deep breathing exercise. These techniques can boost your feelings of happiness and calmness. Change stressful situations that are in your control - like your schedule. And make sure you take time for things you enjoy.
Seek Supportive Relationships
Friends and family are very important for good mental health. Meaningful relationships give you someone to share your feelings with and offer support during difficult times. If you don't have close family or friends to confide in on a regular basis, try volunteering. Helping others can give meaning and purpose to your life. Or join a group to meet people with common interests.
Remember, the benefits of being mentally healthy are great. You'll get more enjoyment out of life, be better able to cope with difficult times, and be protecting your physical health. Taking steps to ensure you maintain or improve your mental health will do you a world of good!
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