Alternative treatments such as Ketamine infusion, and other treatment methods offered by Ketamine Health Centers, are valuable new tools available to mental health providers. May is Mental Health Awareness Month and because of this, we want to highlight the importance of utilizing your own toolkit for mental health hygiene to establish self-care.
You may be already familiar with many of the tools that people put to use, practices necessary for physical and mental health hygiene. Getting enough sleep, eating a balanced diet, exercising, expressing ourselves authentically, developing deeper connections – these daily aspects of healthy living renew energy at our core.
Another set of tools are those activities that most engage us. Our kits will be filled with a variety of tools, tailored to each of us. Dancing, movement meditation, deep-breathing, yoga, body check-ins, bodywork, making music, therapy, gratitude actions, and appreciation of beauty are all enriching activities, rich modes of connecting in the world that provides a source of healing. You will most benefit from an assortment of each of these tools.
To be most effective, your Toolkit must be filled with self-care activities that resonate with you. Some established practices, such as deep-breathing, is central to both physical and mental wellness. Breathing helps us focus on the present moment. It helps us slow down and check-in with our physical, mental, and energetic states. Physiologically, it reduces cortisol, the stress hormone that causes reactive states of fight or flight. Breathing helps reduce our blood pressure and heart rate in moments of stress, bringing us back to equilibrium.
The goal of stocking your Toolkit is for you to utilize an array of practices to manage and guide your response to stress or adversity. Be aware of when you tense up in certain moments, so that you can be prepared for those occasions to minimize the impact. By doing these practices consistently, we are ready to handle the big challenges that life tosses our way. Creating your self-care Toolkit in a manner that is tailored to your needs, strengths, and mode of joy, helps create meaning and happiness in life. You add value to your Toolkit, and to your life, by adding new practices and insights as you grow and change over time.
Your Toolkit can be made up of practices that include a gratitude mantra in the morning, checking-in with your body, noticing, and relieving tension throughout the day. Take 3 minutes before or after you eat lunch to breathe deeply and take note of your present moment. Spend the evening doing at least one thing that brings you joy or connect with someone that energizes you. End your day with a reflective moment and drift to sleep with 3 minutes of deep-belly breathing.
Practicing mindfulness, reframing negative thoughts, leaning on your strengths, and reflecting through gratitude are essential daily practices, that, over time, help create a way of being grounded, and yet flexible in the face of change. They help us generate a flow in life that builds resilience. Using our tools also help us create a strong supportive network in our community.
Managing energy levels is one of the keys to maintaining good physical, cognitive, and mental modes of self-care. Everyone has a different energy signature and mode of replenishing. There are countless practices to help reframe or recharge with the goal of creating healthier lives in the face of change, stress, or trauma. Think about what tools, practices, and activities will fill your toolbox. And use it, mix it up to work on all aspects of yourself, and help those close to you use their own wellness toolkit to build resilience and attain happiness despite adversity.
The various alternative treatment methods provided by Ketamine Health Centers are helpful for individuals at every level of the mental health spectrum. We offer wellness procedures and resources to help you manage stress and create that necessary balance in your life. And we provide the latest techniques available to treat mental health concerns such as depression, anxiety, PTSD, chronic pain and more. Please reach out today for a free consultation to learn how we can help you or your loved one find the best treatment tailored to your needs.
