How To Achieve Mental Wellness Beyond Just Therapy And Meds

Try Meditating

Practicing meditation or a mindfulness technique is a proven way to center the mind and feel uplifted. Meditation takes the mind away from present sadness while reminding the patient that he or she is valuable, thus giving them more confidence. Depression convinces a patient that things will always feel the same, but what psychologists know is that this is not the case. Because the brain moves on a continuum, ebbing and flowing with emotions and moods, it can convince an individual that he or she will not be able to break free from a current state of sadness. By creating a mindfulness technique, one interrupts that thought process.

One helpful method is called the body scan: the patient sits comfortably with their eyes closed and focus on one part of the body at a time, moving from the head to the toes. If the mind wanders to another thought, return to focusing on that body part. By the end of the technique, the body and brain will feel varying levels of calm and peace, and most harmful thoughts will be diminished.

Help Others

Research shows that most patients struggling with mental sadness want to isolate themselves. However, this is the worst thing they can do to create a positive change. Isolation causes an individual to feel increased levels of sadness and loneliness - much like crawling into a deep hole. Instead, there is a positive value for the patient to force himself to do something for others, such as volunteering and giving back to the community. By committing to volunteering once a week and increasing that service over time, the brain's neurotransmitters release endorphins at a higher rate, thus contributing to an overall positive change in mood and better mental well-being.