Thursday 25 May 2023

How to Develop a More Positive Mindset

You may be acutely aware that you’re currently wandering around in a cloud of negativity. Alternatively, you could just have a niggling feeling that you’ve been looking on the downside recently but not sure why. A negative mindset rarely comes from nowhere and it’s more than likely that it's been gathering for some time, but how – and why? And how can you develop a more positive mindset?

Numerous studies have shown that positive thinking can help with stress management. If the power of positive thinking has such an impact on your mental health, it’s worth discovering how to harness this. So, what can you do to ensure you’re thinking more positively?

Speak kindly to, and about, yourself.

That voice in your head has more power than you may think. If you are constantly thinking of the negatives, then you will soon believe those thoughts to be the reality. For example, if trying something new, and the voice in your head says, “I can’t do this”, turn this around and think “I may not have done this before, but I’m going to give it a go.” Instead of telling yourself that the results of what you are going to do are going to turn out badly, consider the positives.

Say your positive thoughts out loud

Affirmations are popular for a reason and people find it helpful to start each day with a positive sentence or phrase. Affirmations can help you view yourself in a positive light, increasing your self-confidence and self-worth. You can create your own phrase or sentence that resonates personally for you. Some examples might include:

“I am good enough”

“I am confident”

“I am powerful”

Find your own positive affirmation and say it to yourself each morning, even if you don’t initially feel like it’s true.

Be around positive people

It makes sense that if you are always surrounded by negative people who say negative things then you too will become embroiled in that cycle of negativity. Find people that see the good in others and are happy to share their positive thoughts. It’s difficult to ignore the good energy from positive people. Their positive spin on things can begin to influence the way you see things too, especially yourself.

Adopt a healthy lifestyle

You’ve undoubtedly heard the phrase, “you are what you eat” and there’s more than a grain of truth in this saying. Certain foods and drinks can affect your mood and mental health. Caffeine and alcohol can have a negative effect on your temperament so aim to cut down or eliminate these from your diet. You should also consider:
  • Exercise – be it an exercise class, going for a walk during your lunch hour or investing in an exercise bike, exercise encourages endorphin production which is the body’s 'happy hormone'.
  • Hydration – drink plenty of water throughout the day as dehydration can lead to lack of concentration, decreased energy, and low mood.
  • Food – leafy greens like spinach, watercress, and kale contain folate and magnesium, which have been shown to improve mood and even reduce anxiety.


Learn to appreciate

We often go through life thinking about all the things that go wrong and don't notice all the things that are good in our lives. Write down two things each day that you are grateful for. These can be tiny things or huge things. 

For example, you may be grateful for the postman bringing your post, or the ability to cook lovely food, or for having a comfortable bed, for the moment the sun shone on your face today, for the birdsong, for having a lovely partner, for having a family who love you, for someone's random act of kindness, for the wind in your face, for a strong body that allows you to exercise, the smell of some lovely flowers, etc. The list really is endless. There are so many things you can be thankful for and the more you think about them, the more your mind will focus on what you have rather than what you don't have. 

A final word on positivity

Positivity doesn't mean pretending the bad things aren't there. It's important to recognise that things in life aren't always the way we want them to be and life can be extremely tough at times. However, it's also important to spend more time focusing on the good things rather than dwelling on the bad things. The more we start to appreciate what we have, the more positive we will feel and the easier it will be to think of more things and before we know it, we will have started building a positive mindset.





Thursday 18 May 2023

The Difference Between Anxiety and Depression

Both depression and anxiety are common mental health issues, but they often get confused when the person isn’t aware of the specific symptoms that relate to each. Put simply, depression is a low mood that can make you feel sad and hopeless, and it can last for weeks, months or even years if left untreated. Anxiety, however, can cause you to feel nervous and on edge and make you worry excessively. It is not uncommon to suffer from both conditions at the same time.

What are the symptoms?

Symptoms of anxiety

  • Feeling nervous
  • Feeling agitated
  • Worrying
  • A sense of fear
  • Shakiness
  • Feeling out of control
  • Change in sleep patterns


Symptoms of depression

  • Lack of self-confidence
  • Feeling sad
  • Feeling hopeless
  • Tiredness and lethargy
  • Lack of interest in your usual activities
  • Wanting to harm yourself
  • Change in appetite 
  • Change in sleep patterns
  • Difficulty concentrating

How to relieve symptoms of anxiety and depression

Whether you suffer from anxiety, depression or both, it’s important to seek medical help if your symptoms persist or get worse over time. Make sure you discuss all your symptoms so that a medical professional can diagnose you correctly and choose the right course of action. They might suggest one-to-one counselling, medication or a combination of both.

However, there are various things you can do yourself in the meantime to ease your symptoms.

Exercise

Regular exercise offers many benefits and has been found to improve both physical and mental health. In a study published by the National Library of Medicine, it states that “Aerobic exercise, including jogging, swimming, cycling, walking, gardening, and dancing, have been proved to reduce anxiety and depression. These improvements in mood are proposed to be caused by exercise-induced increase in blood circulation to the brain and by an influence on the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis and, thus, on the physiologic reactivity to stress.” Exercise can also have a positive impact on your self-confidence.

Relaxation

There are several types of relaxation activities that can significantly reduce the symptoms of anxiety and depression including yoga, meditation and breathing exercises. Even if you only manage to spare 5 – 10 minutes a day where you let yourself totally relax, you’ll begin to see a gradual improvement in your mental wellbeing.

Eat a healthy diet

Eating a balanced and nutritious diet can help reduce feelings of depression and anxiety. Foods such as nuts and seeds, fruit and vegetables, white meat and fish not only boost your energy levels, but they can also boost your mood. Try to avoid sugary foods, alcohol, caffeine and processed foods which can destabilise your mood.

Talk to someone

Although you might not necessarily feel like opening up to people when you are feeling anxious or depressed, talking with a close friend or family member can have a huge impact on your wellbeing. It’s important to speak with someone that you trust and who has your best interests at heart. You might be surprised at how supportive they are and even by just offering a listening ear, it can relieve some of your symptoms. Alternatively, reach out to a health professional such as a GP or professional therapist.

Further information

For more about depression and some specific types of anxiety, check out our free booklets:

Thursday 11 May 2023

How to Cope with Losing a Pet

Anyone who owns a pet will tell you how important they are in their lives. Whether it’s a dog, cat, rabbit or horse, pets can provide a great amount of comfort and love to their owners. It’s this kind of unconditional love that has a positive impact on our mental wellbeing as they help us to live happier and more fulfilled lives. 

Studies have shown that interacting with animals increases our levels of oxytocin (OT), which can reduce stress, anxiety and loneliness. In a study published by HABRI, it states that “research has demonstrated participants’ OT levels increased after interacting with or petting a dog, suggesting OT is at least partially responsible for the calm, relaxing feeling that participants experienced during this intervention.” So, it should come as no surprise that losing a pet can be extremely difficult to deal with and in some instances equally as distressing as losing a close friend or family member.

Ways to cope with losing a pet

Unlike losing a person in your life, we don’t usually have formal funerals for animals, and it can be difficult for someone that doesn’t own a pet to understand that you will need time to grieve. But it’s important that you do allow yourself time to deal with the bereavement and there are a few ways that can help you to cope.

1. Allow yourself time

Not everyone will understand that you need to grieve for your pet, but it’s vital that you allow yourself time for the grieving process. Perhaps take some time off work, look through photos of you and your pet and remember the times you had together, or scatter their ashes on your favourite walk. It’s okay to cry and show your emotions but try not to let feelings of sadness linger for too long.

2. Speak with a friend or family member

Anyone who cares for you and your feelings will want to help you through the grieving process by offering love and support or just a shoulder to cry on, even more so if they own or have owned a pet themselves. Simply chatting about your thoughts and feelings with someone close to you can help you to overcome the sadness in time.

3. Take up a new hobby

One of the most difficult things to deal with when you lose a pet is breaking the routine that you’d formed together, whether that’s going for walks, play time or just cuddling up on the sofa together. By investing your time into a hobby or interest, you will create new routines and gradually spend less time mourning your pet.

4. Spend time with another pet

While it’s not always a good idea to replace your pet with another one right away, it can be therapeutic spending time with someone else’s pet. Perhaps you have a friend that has an animal you could spend time with or take for walks to ease any feelings of loneliness.

Further information