6 Coping Strategies for Mental Health & Happiness

It’s no secret life has it’s ups and downs. Everybody experiences stress, challenges and difficulties. When you’re on dialysis, it’s just one more layer you have to live with, and it isn’t always easy.

In fact, everybody has good days and bad days. At some point, most people experience depression, anxiety, and sadness. Been there, done that?

If you wake up feeling sad and depressed, unmotivated to do anything, or even think, “I don’t feel like myself,” you could benefit from coping strategies for mental health. Here are some happiness tips you can try:

1. Practice gratitude

Here’s a good way to change your perspective, even when you’re dealing with something challenging or feel down. Practice gratitude. Take a few minutes to think about things you’re grateful for. Or keep a daily gratitude journal. Even when things aren’t going perfectly, or you’re feeling sad or depressed, you’ll realize you can still be happy and grateful.

2. Reach out to your social network

Everybody needs a social network or group of family, friends or co-workers they can count on. When you’re troubled about something, talking it out with someone you trust who’s willing to listen can boost your mood and give you perspective.

3. Set goals

You’ve heard this before: “If you fail to plan, you plan to fail.” What do you want to accomplish this week, this month, this year? If you don’t have a plan, it’s easy to sink into feeling sad and depressed when every day seems boring and mundane without a purpose. But it doesn’t have to be that way. Set a goal to improve. Create an action plan. Then work on it a little bit every day.

4. Manage stress in healthy ways

If you’re hanging out with Stress, Depression, and Anxiety, it’s all-too-common to gravitate towards less-than-healthy coping strategies to mask those feelings. You know, drinking too much alcohol, overeating, excessive spending. But these are healthy ways to manage stress. There’s a better way. You can manage stress in healthy ways by doing things like:

• Eating more fruits, vegetables and other healthy foods
• Getting at least 20-30 minutes of moderate exercise per day
• Aiming for 7 to 8 hours of sleep per night
• Making time for a hobby you enjoy
• Spending quality time with family and friends
• Practicing meditation, yoga, or deep breathing
• Even journaling can be an effective way to manage stress

5. Work with a professional

If you’re struggling with mental health issues like depression, anxiety, and chronic stress, working with a licensed counselor or therapist can help you. You’ll talk candidly about your problems and concerns. And you’ll learn coping skills and strategies to improve your mood and mental health.

6. Look on the bright side

Is the glass half full or half empty? It all depends on your perspective. You can choose to focus on the negative, or you can choose to focus on the positive and be optimistic. Here’s a little secret: Learning to look on the bright side is a skill you can learn. You can choose to be happy.

Want more more food for thought to improve your mood?

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