theconnectionsnj.com HEALTH & WELLNESS PAGE 23 Have you noticed that even as life normalizes, you might not feel like you did prior to March 2020? We are all grateful to be attending events, spending time with friends and family, and seeing people’s smiling faces. And even so, we might not feel good. As I searched for answers to explain this post pandemic phenomenon, I came across a series of articles published by the NY Times. On December 30, 2021, Dani Blum and Farah Miller provided a summary of these articles as a list of advice titled “How to Improve Your Mental Health in 2022.” The following is an excerpt from their article. 1.Give your feeling a name. Adam Grant said, “Languishing might be the dominant emotion of 2021.” People certainly knew they were feeling some kind of way, but it wasn’t burnout or depression or even boredom. “Languishing is the neglected middle child of mental health,” Dr. Grant wrote. “It’s the void between depression and flourishing — the absence of well-being.” 2. Find meaning in everyday activities. There are simple steps you can take to recharge your emotional batteries and spark a sense of fulfillment, purpose and happiness. The psychology community calls this combination of physical, mental and emotional fitness “flourishing.” One easy way to get there is by doing your everyday activities with more purpose. Something as simple as cleaning the kitchen or doing yard work, or even washing your pillowcases, can build toward a sense of accomplishment. 3.Allow yourself to grieve ‘small’ losses. In the hierarchy of human suffering during the pandemic, a canceled prom or vacation or lost time with grandchildren may not sound like much, but mental health experts say that all loss needs to be acknowledged and grieved. We need to give ourselves permission to mourn, Tara Parker-Pope wrote in an article about disenfranchised grief. “Once you accept that your grief is real, there are steps you can take to help you cope,” she said. “Consider planting a tree, for example, or finding an item that represents your loss, like canceled airline tickets or a wedding invitation, and burying it.” 4. If you need one, take a ‘Sad Day.’ When your brain and body need a break, taking a mental health day off from work or school can help you rest and recharge. As one clinical psychologist said: “You wouldn’t feel bad about taking time off when sick. You shouldn’t feel bad about taking some time off when you’re sad.” Try not to spend the day checking your messages or feeling guilty. Make a plan to do something that will help you recharge. 5. If you can, give back. Well before a pandemic tore people away from their loved ones, experts were warning of “an epidemic of loneliness” in the United States. A potential cure? Kindness toward others, Christina Caron wrote in an article about the benefits of volunteering. Research shows that giving back can improve our health, ease feelings of loneliness and broaden our social networks. Set a small goal, like volunteering once a week, or even once a month, and building from there. MentalHealthNJ.org is now accepting applications for the Steven R. Budoff Mental Health Educational Scholarships. Psychiatric and Behavioral Health Solutions MENTALHEALTHNJ.ORG AND PSYCHIATRIC AND BEHAVIORAL HEALTH SOLUTIONS PRESENT TIPS FOR LIVING IN POST-PANDEMIC NJ By Deborah Sacks-Wilner How to Improve Your Mental Health in 2022 1.Give your feeling a name. 2.Find meaning in everyday activities. 3.Allow yourself to grieve ‘small’ losses. 4.If you need one, take a ‘Sad Day’. 5.If you can, give back.
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