The behaviour that we choose to engage in is often a product of our environment and society. There are so many things that have the ability to influence you on a daily basis which ranges from the people that you spend time with, the things you hear and see, the experiences that you go through, and your core beliefs and values. In the midst of all of this, you develop different behavioural patterns; some of which are good and others, of which, can be bad. The latter can have a major impact on your mental health over a period of time. It is, therefore, important that you’re able to identify behaviours that are having negative consequences on you and look for ways to stop them. This article aims to give you a few that should, hopefully, help you keep your mental health intact.

Listening to What Other Have to Say

Many people are often influenced by the opinions of others. Although you should be open to constructive criticism and hearing other people’s point of views, it is important still to be confident in who you are. This means that you should be open to what other people have to say, however, be careful not to let it negatively affect you. Doing so could eventually erode your self-esteem and create other issues as a result. Some of them include increased anxiety, becoming more self-conscious, as well as getting depressed. It is, therefore, important that you consider taking everything with a pinch of salt and constantly reassuring yourself of what you’re worth and your good qualities as well as strengths. Some ways to stop letting other people’s opinions control you are to take responsibility, let go of embarrassment, stop comparing yourself to others, and set boundaries. Doing so should help you protect your mental health and enable you to focus on positive thinking.

Substance Abuse

Abusing drugs and alcohol not only has the potential of having a damaging effect on your physical health, but it can also be detrimental to your mental health. If you didn’t know, drug abuse can result in mental health challenges like paranoia, depression, anxiety, hallucinations, aggression, as well as a string of other things. There are a number of reasons that people pick up this behaviour such as curiosity, stress, anxiety, depression, sadness, or peer pressure. It is, however, important to know that substance abuse has more negative than positive effects and can be especially detrimental to your mental health. Outside of the negative effects mentioned above, the impact it could have on your relationships, self-esteem, and career could also trigger other mental health issues. It is best, therefore if you’ve picked up behaviour relating to substance abuse that you try and look for a way to seek professional help as well as emotional support.

Unhealthy Eating

Eating the wrong things can have more of an impact on your mental health than you can imagine. Recent studies actually show that in terms of how your mental health can be affected by what you eat, the risk of depression increases by around 80% in teens who have lower-quality diets in comparison to those who eat higher-quality whole-foods diets. There are many likely reasons why an unhealthy diet could cause depression as well as unwanted weight gain, obesity, a lack of energy, perpetual tiredness, and a lack of mood-balancing supplements amongst other things. It is, therefore, worth considering trying to change any negative eating patterns and replace them with positive eating behaviours. It is likely that you already have an idea of what a balanced diet consists of; it means eating more fruits, vegetables, leafy greens, healthy carbs in moderation, cutting down on unhealthy processed foods, reducing your sugar intake, and moderating your salt consumption just to mention a few. If you’re struggling to eat the right things, consider trying meal planning, healthy eating apps, or getting a friend to motivate you and keep you on track.

Not Talking About How You Feel

Another form of behaviour that could negatively affect your mental health is bottling things inside and not talking about how you’re honestly feeling. There are many reasons that you may not want to discuss your feelings, however, not doing so could lead to serious mental health issues. Sometimes, talking about any emotions you’re experiencing can make you feel embarrassed, afraid of what opinions people will form about you, and scared of being judged. You should know that if you confide in the right person, however, that it could be more helpful than harmful, especially for your mental health. If you happen to be struggling with feelings of depression, anxiety or suicidal thoughts, you should think about getting Cigna mental health insurance as they provide mental health services which aim to help improve your level of functionality and resolve any issues you may be struggling with.

Spending Too Much Time Online

The internet can have more of a negative effect than you think on your mental health. Spending too much time online and taking in too much information can make you less social, more critical of yourself, and also affect your self-esteem. The key is in balancing the amount of time you spend online and filtering the types of information that you take in. As a solution, try and read positive news, watch inspirational videos, and have meaningful engagements often to ensure that you’re feeding your mind with what it needs to stay healthy. The internet, of course, has many positive benefits, however, spending too much time online and too much of the wrong content can have negative effects.

Just like your physical health, mental health is something that should be well looked after. It is important that you pay attention to what goes inside of your mind as well as the things that you spend time meditating on. If you don’t, you put your physical health as well as your mental health at risk, because both often work together. Hopefully, the tips in this article will go a long way in helping you better manage your mental health and change behaviours that have a negative impact on your general health.

Author

Northern girl Laura is the epitome of a true entrepreneur. Laura’s spirit for adventure and passion for people blaze through House of Coco. She founded House of Coco in 2014 and has grown it in to an internationally recognised brand whilst having a lot of fun along the way. Travel is in her DNA and she is a true visionary and a global citizen.

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