Niamh Delmar is a Chartered Registered Counselling Psychologist and provides Psychological Support Workshops to work environments. Here she outlines some ways to achieve better mental health in the new year.
The approach of a new year often instigates desires to change, improve and grow. Internal pacts are made to 'give up' or ‘take up’ as we approach a blank slate.
Surveys found that, for 2023, people cited better mental health ahead of fitness, weight loss and improved finances for their resolutions. Younger people in particular are prioritising mental health, and it is encouraging to see this is high on their lists.
Less stigma, more information and being exposed to others’ experiences all contribute to more emphasis on psychological well-being.
Rigid, unrealistic and traditional resolutions tend to be dropped within a month or two. This is not only linked to willpower. Resolutions are often too vague or based on other peoples’ expectations.
Rather than catapulting yourself into 2024 with unattainable goals followed by disappointment, step into the year focusing on improving your state of mind. Setting a theme of improving your mental health status is specific and achievable. It is a process involving increasing self-awareness and building a healthier relationship with yourself.
Better mental wellness leads to healthier connections and coping abilities. While setting this theme will have specifics tailor-made to each individual, there are commonalities including your relationship with yourself, with others, and adjusting lifestyle factors.
Your relationship with yourself
Rather than goals, set your theme for better mental health. Write out specific aspects you need to change and work on. Reflecting on the year gone by, review what went well and what areas were problematic.
List areas that aggravate or boost your psychological health. Self-awareness is essential for positive change. Pause and desist from always blaming the situation or others, when appropriate. How is your relationship with yourself? How do you treat yourself? Be mindful of the tone and quality of your inner dialogue.
How you relate to yourself is the foundation from which all else evolves. Developing a better relationship with yourself entails healthy self-talk, shrinking your inner critic and harsh task master. Nothing will ever be good enough for them, so let them go. Give yourself permission to enjoy life and to take time out for yourself. Wake up appreciating and setting small intentions for the day ahead. Every night focus on what wet well and what you liked about yourself that day.
Thoughts are powerful so keep them healthy, helpful and accurate. They are susceptible to distortion, so try not to believe them all. Create a gap between you the thinker and your thoughts. Catch repetitive themes and overthinking.
You can feed or defuse thoughts. React to them in a neutral way so you don't get caught up in a mental circus. Research findings assert that optimistic thinking tends to help people feel better, enjoy more positive relationships and cope better with stress.
Optimism has also been linked to better physical health including faster recovery from surgery and better cardiovascular health. However, it is not always apt in extreme circumstances. Cultivate optimism by noticing any good things when they happen, give yourself credit, see challenges as temporary, see potential, be solution oriented and nurture your inner coach. Train yourself not to dwell on the negative.
Emotional states also impact mental health. Monitor how your emotions move and label them. Feelings come and go. Emotional ill health includes anger, hostility, tearfulness and disconnecting. Repression negatively impacts physical and psychological health.
Emotional well-being is about being able to emotionally regulate and navigate adversity. We can learn not to communicate or act from 'big feelings,’ and to respond rather than react.
Your relationships with others
Connections and interactions contribute significantly to better mental health. Studies have found that people experience lower rates of mental health problems in areas with high levels of social cohesion than those with lower rates. Positive and meaningful relationships are vital for psychological well-being.
Social wellness combats loneliness, facilitates support and alleviates mental health conditions such as stress and anxiety. It fosters communication, trust and fun.
Nurture positive social habits with effective communication, empathy and active listening. Offer support and put effort into existing healthy relationships with family, friends and colleagues. Find ways to make new connections by being a ‘joiner’ and engaging with your community.
Take some time to evaluate the quality of your interactions and relationships. If conflictual or unhealthy, this can be most damaging to you mental health. Take steps to address this by creating boundaries, stepping back or accessing support.
Another aspect detrimental to your psychological health is comparing with others. Social media intensifies this, so remind yourself people present their better versions, but everyone has struggles at different times. Refrain from social media gazing, envying others and desiring another person’s looks, life or wealth.
Lifestyle changes
Many people focus on this aspect when making New Year resolutions. Joining a gym, getting fitter, dry January and learning new skills feature. Lifestyle modifications improve mental health. You can draft up your own bitesize intentions from the list.
Research and clinical evidence support seven therapeutic lifestyle changes to enhance mental health:
1. Exercise
Physical activity reduces the risk of, and is therapeutic for, physical and mental disorders. The health benefits of regular exercise include improved sleep and libido, alleviation of stress and other symptoms, increased energy and a healthier mind. Being active releases feel-good chemicals in your brain and boosts self-esteem. If there was a tonic offering all that, we’d rush to take it.
2. Nutrition
What we ingest affects mood. Just take a look at a group of children after eating too many sweets. Dietary factors are linked to better mental health. Fruit, vegetables, fish high in Omega-3 fish oils, reducing excessive calories and supplements are supported by growing evidence. Dietary assessment and interventions are of benefit to the body and brain.
3. Nature
Being away from noise and artificial lighting is soothing and calming. Many people are socialising, playing and working in the digital world. Monitor and limit screen use, and get outdoors daily and absorb light. The natural world is restorative and free.
4. Activities and Play
Involve yourself in enjoyable activities to ameliorate stress levels and foster positive emotions.
5. Strategies to handle stress
Regular meditation and breath work are practised widely, and are effective interventions. Multiple studies have found these to be of benefit among adults and children with a wide range of disorders.
6. Religious and spiritual
Approximately 90% of the people around the world engage in religious and spiritual which augment peoples’ coping abilities. Heathy involvement focusing on themes such as love, being kind to others, compassion and forgiveness have been found to be of most benefit to well-being
7. Helping and giving
Altruism is good for your health. People who volunteer have been found to be happier and physically healthier. Community involvement and contribution, motivated by pleasure in helping others, contributes to positive psychological changes. ‘Helper’s high’ refers to the uplifting feelings experienced when being kind and supportive to others. Giving releases oxytocin, serotonin and dopamine which lifts mood and dampens the stress hormone cortisol.
The new year
For 2024, explore themes about yourself, relationships with others and therapeutic lifestyle changes you want to prioritise. Bring them into your awareness and focus on the rewards you will gain from implementing modifications. Most are free, accessible, enjoyable and achievable.
We can strive to appreciate ourselves, relate well with others and have a healthier lifestyle.
If you have been affected by issues raised in this story, please visit: www.rte.ie/helplines.
The views expressed here are those of the author and do not represent or reflect the views of RTÉ.
