Is it Possible to Improve Mental Health without Medication?

As a natural healthcare provider, I get asked this question quite often. And in this blog, we’re going to discuss the steps that you can take to improve your mental health naturally and without using any medication.

But first, we need to identify self-care. Because many people confuse self-care with self-soothing activities.

Self-soothing activities are what we do to feel better at the moment when anxiety or depression is at a high level. But these activities don’t necessarily promote mental health. Self-care on the other hand, is what we do to promote our wellbeing emotionally, physically, mentally, and spiritually— for the long term.

More simply, self-care are the things that we do that actually make our body feel and function better. Self-soothing is what we do that makes us feel better at the moment. So self-soothing would be something like having a piece of cake when I’m upset. While self-care is eating something that’s really healthy like veggies.

Watch this video for the full details of improving your mental health:

Self-care Tips for Mental Health

So we’re going to dive into the six self-care steps to improve your mental health. And none of them involve medication.

1. Reflect on your self-care practice.

   • Are you actually doing things to take good care of yourself? Do you have a healthy diet? Do you exercise regularly? And do you take time to relax and do things for yourself? If the answer is no, it’s okay. Because right now, this is the reflection time to figure that out and come up with steps to help move you in the right direction.

2. Disconnect.

   • Have a screenless day because, as research confirms, engaging with social media, texting, or watching TV will contribute to anxiety and depression. So find a day where you can disconnect from all electronics and enjoy life without the distractions of technology.

3. Prayer and meditation.

   • These are actually a form of self-care because it helps us feel more grounded, calm, peaceful, and less anxious.

4. Practice a hobby.

   • Hobbies can inhibit anxiety and depression. Find something that you enjoy, like painting or playing an instrument. Do these things that give us an outlet to focus our energy and anxiety in a very positive way. Maybe get creative and crafty. Because creativity connects us with our inner child and we all have that creative part inside of us waiting to be expressed. In addition, creativity has been shown to decrease anxiety and depression.

5. Journal.

   • Since you can’t physically see anxiety and depression, it’s hard to know how much do anxiety and depression affect your life. So journaling is a great way to reflect on your emotions and it allows you to visualize what you’re thinking— whether it’s healthy or not. And journaling will allow you to acknowledge the emotions that you have and relabel them.

6. Go see your chiropractor.

   • Because chiropractic care is designed to not only help you to feel better, but it also improves the function of your nervous system. Chiropractic adjustments improve the nervous system by relieving the pressure on the nerve roots. This allows the brain to communicate with the rest of the body and vice versa.

So getting adjusted by your family chiropractor will make a huge difference in your mental health. Click the link for a schedule in our office: tompkinschiropractic.com/schedule

Remember…

Self-care is only, only a small step towards improving mental health. And make sure to never use advise online in place of your healthcare provider. Always check with them as you’re making changes to your mental health routine.

See also: What to do when you’re stuck in the rut?

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