Care for the mind

Growing up in a continent where mental health issues are not discussed or prioritized, I have always considered myself immune to any form of mental instability. This is in part due to the fact that we as teenagers, do not learn about mental health from our parents.

Introverts like myself are mostly affected by mental health issues. Introverts have the tendency to bottle up their emotions and ask nothing of no one. All the anger, resentment and stress gets to a point where you start to lose appetite and sleep, you become prone to raging tempers and mood swings, all of which keep building up until you get to a breaking point and fall into depression.

It is important, therefore, that we learn how to balance our physical, emotional and mental health- they all complement one another. Starting with your personal development, embark on the journey to become the best version of yourself.

Meditation, which is one of my daily routines, trains your mind for a happier and healthier life by giving you more head space and learning the fundamentals of mindfulness. It is about changing the relationship between your thoughts and feelings and learning to view them objectively. This can help you respond better to difficult situations. You can download applications from your play store such as ‘Headspace’ to take you through meditation.

Simple exercises several days a week for a few minutes, can also give you some relief and sense of happiness. Learn a few exercise routines at home through YouTube or download applications such as ‘7M Women’ on your Playstore.

I recently discovered podcasts as well. Podcasts, inspire and motivate you by listening to the life stories of mentors like Oprah. You can get these too and many others from Playstore and ‘Castbox’.

Take deep breathes to silence irrational thoughts and calm your racing heart. Ensure you fill your mind with things that are true, noble, just, honest and deserve praise.