Healthy Living

March 2020 was the month that marked a complete 180 turn in every American’s lives (along with everyone around the globe). Now one year later, for better or for worse, we have all learned a thing or two about how to better care for ourselves in totally new ways. Some of the most important lessons we learned were how to better care for our mental health through self-care routines. We realized that contrary to what we believed self-care to be, it turns out to be some of the least glamorous things we may have to do in our day.

Do you ever feel like you have to explain yourself or justify why you did something? Understanding what JADE means and the times you may be JADE-ing yourself or others can change how you interact with life for the better. If you aren’t familiar with the term, it originates from Al-Anon and stands for Justify, Argue, Defend and Explain. It becomes particularly problematic when used in communication with abusers, toxic relationships, or with ourselves.

Everywhere you turn, stress is all around, and you don’t have to look any further than the ensuing global pandemic to see how stressful everyday life is. Being mindful of stress is important because it wreaks havoc on our minds and bodies, and since it isn’t going anywhere, we have to learn how to properly manage it, so it won’t have negative impacts on our health.

After fully diving in and understanding the first three steps in a 12-Step Program, a person in recovery may begin working the fourth and very critical step, “Made a searching and fearless moral inventory of ourselves.” Step 4 is one of the key foundational steps in everyone’s recovery journey as this is the step where they make a personal inventory to account for what actions and behaviors of theirs lead them to addiction. This step not just encourages but requires honesty and accountability of a recovering addict to examine their past, so they may finally break the cycle of addiction in their life.

In a world where every time you go shopping you see “Positive Vibes Only” slathered on a t-shirt or coffee mug, toxic positivity is rampant. There is such a thing as too much of a good thing and this is truly the case with toxic positivity. Understanding what toxic positivity means will help you to be aware when you or others are contributing to this mindset that aims to downplay an individual's feelings and experiences.

If you aren’t yet familiar with the term hygge, then listen up because it can make a difference in your recovery journey or improve your mental health. Hygge is a Danish word that doesn’t have an exact English translation but is meant to evoke sentiments of coziness, well-being, and contentment with life. Understanding how you can bring hygge into your life and home can help just about anyone bring more feelings of comfort and well-being into their life. It can do even more for someone in recovery by making their home environment more conducive to healing and similarly, for those who struggle with poor mental health, it is an effective way to boost mood and overall happiness.

To feel a strong sense of health and well-being, you must take good care of both your physical and mental health. For instance, if a person is overwhelmed with stress and anxiety, it could be manifesting in uncomfortable, physical symptoms in the body. This link between mental and physical health goes both ways as one has a profound influence over the other, so if someone’s physical health is poor and they are experiencing chronic pain, then they should carefully examine the state of their mental and emotional health.

Mental health concerns have no age requirements. Over the past ten years, the number of mental health issues has been steadily growing in adolescents and young adults with social media notably being one culprit behind the uptick. Recent studies have discovered an increase in mood disorders amongst these younger age groups, with wealthy, young females one of the main groups afflicted.  Having open communication with your children about mental health is critical in detecting the signs of a mental health concern. Just speaking openly about mental health in general and creating strong and nurturing relationships with your children can make the difference to prevent extreme distress during traumatic times. By knowing how to navigate the delicate conversations surrounding mental health, you can help your children better understand and handle their feelings and emotions.

Choosing if you’re at the right place in life to date and potentially share the intimate details of your inner world with another person in a relationship is a big undertaking, but especially so for someone new to recovery. Depending on where you are on your journey, you may feel unsure if you are ready to put your newly sober self out there. When trying to decide if now is the best time to start dating again and still be successful in recovery, begin by asking yourself a few of these questions.

Marijuana is the most commonly used illicit drug in the United States, with teens and young adults being some of the main user groups. Young people are drawn to smoking pot for many reasons, including easy access, social pressure from peers, anxiety, depression, escaping stress, boredom, and self-medicating for sleep issues. Rarely do young people realize that marijuana use is not completely harmless or its potential for addiction.

Art possesses the ability to inspire people and encourage them to think about things from a different perspective. Art also transcends across many different platforms and has become essential in sustaining recovery in that it promotes inner growth, self-expression, self-confidence, and overall better mental health. Research shows that art provokes thought, inspiration, and creativity because it stimulates and strengthens areas of the brain, helping to increase overall brain function, which promotes better focus, memory, and motor skills. In your recovery and mental health, art is an essential step because it helps people communicate thoughts, ideas, or fears in a way that verbal communication sometimes cannot. Art also cultivates resilience, insight, and advances social skills. Here are five ways in which art can improve your mental health.

Eating disorders are a type of mental illness that includes disordered patterns of eating. They are extremely common with over 30 million people in the United States having an eating disorder. Eating disorders are a serious mental illness with more people dying every year from an eating disorder than any other mental illness. Several types of eating disorders exist, but the most prevalent include: