6 Signs You Need a Mental Health Day

6 Signs You Need a Mental Health Day

Sometimes, our daily routines can feel mundane or unfulfilling. If not disrupted, the tedious rhythm of day-to-day life may even become a stressor and pose a threat to your mental health. For this reason, it can be essential to take a day off from your typical schedule and focus on taking care of yourself.

It is important to note that serious mental health issues cannot be solved in one day, and that you should seek ongoing treatment for any consistent issues. Additionally, it’s important to practice rest and self-care daily, as these are basic needs that are required for us to be healthy. As Tricia Hersey says in her book, Rest is Resistance, “Treating each other and ourselves with care isn’t a luxury, but an absolute necessity if we’re going to thrive. Resting isn’t an afterthought, but a basic part of being human.”

Although it is not a substitute for mental health treatment or daily rest, taking a mental health day can provide time to recharge in order to be your best self when you return to your typical routine.

Here are some signs that it may be time to take a mental health day:

  1. You’re feeling overwhelmed and stressed.
  2. You’re having difficulty concentrating or completing tasks.
  3. You’re feeling physically or mentally exhausted.
  4. You’re having difficulty sleeping or experiencing a change in sleep patterns.
  5. You’re having difficulty maintaining healthy relationships.
  6. You’re feeling disconnected from your usual activities and interests.

You can also check out this burnout questionnaire, which may help you understand if you’re in need of a mental health day and/or improved daily self-care practices.

Overall, if you feel like you would benefit from a mental health day, you should take one. It is never a bad idea to dedicate time to taking care of yourself.

You may be wondering, well what should I do during this mental health day? Truthfully, that is up to you. Your mental health day should contain activities that you enjoy, find peaceful, and recharge your energy. This can include taking naps, going to the spa or salon, participating in a hobby, exercising, reading a book, or watching television. What’s most important is that you do not spend your mental health day exerting yourself even more. This is not time to catch up on chores, work on schoolwork, or run errands. It can be understandably difficult to avoid these things during your time off, but it’s important to remember why you decided to take this day off and honor your body’s need for rest.

It is essential to regularly check in with yourself and assess if you are experiencing symptoms of burnout. Recognizing these symptoms and taking time for yourself can be life changing. Taking mental health days and practicing self-care regularly are necessary for your health. We challenge you to prioritize your health and take a mental health day if you feel it will benefit you!

The Best Choices When Eating Out: Chinese Restaurant Edition

The Best Choices When Eating Out: Chinese Restaurant Edition

By Leda Tello, Registered Dietician at LBU

 

According to T. Colin Campbell, PhD, professor of nutritional biochemistry at Cornell University in Ithaca, New York, the traditional Chinese diet is significantly healthier than the typical American diet, which frequently places meat as the main course.

However, if you want to eat well, you don't need to go to China's countryside. Simply incorporate the Chinese method of eating into your diet. You can do this wherever you are, whether you're cooking Chinese food at home or dining out. Chinese cuisine offers a wide variety of dishes that can be healthy options if prepared properly. Some examples of healthy Chinese dishes include:

Steamed dishes

These can include fish, vegetables, and dumplings. Steaming is a method of cooking that preserves the nutritional value of food and does not require the use of oil.

Stir-fry dishes

These can also include a variety of vegetables and meats and are cooked quickly over high heat in a small amount of oil.

Soups

Clear broths or soups made with vegetables and lean meats can make a healthy addition to a meal.

Hot pot

To prepare the components for this recipe, a simmering pot of broth is used. Meats and vegetables can be used as ingredients, and different flavors can be used to make the broth.

Vegetarian Options

Dishes with tofu and vegetables, such as Mapo tofu and Kung Pao tofu, etc.

Remember to watch your portion sizes and ask for foods to be served without additional salt or oil because Chinese cuisine frequently has dishes that are rich in sodium and fat.

Please be aware that restaurant portions are very enormous, particularly during dinner. Before dining out, look over the online menu to select a dish that will satisfy your daily calorie requirements.

For more information, please contact:

Leda Tello

Certified Diabetes Care and Education Specialist

(214) 540-0303

How Can Self-Care Benefit Me

How Can Self-Care Benefit Me

Jenine Lemmons, Director of Behavioral Health

 

"Self-care is not selfish. You cannot serve from an empty vessel." - Eleanor Brown

Self-care is an investment in our own pleasure and wellbeing, whether it be through exercise, mindfulness exercises, or simply taking a nice bath. It might be simple to overlook our personal needs and become overburdened by daily expectations and duties in the fast-paced modern world. But by including self-care practices in our daily routine, we may enhance our general health and happiness and more effectively manage the stress and difficulties of daily life.

Self-care can improve:

Physical Health

The state of your physical body and how well it is operating.

Benefits include:

Improved thinking, reduced anxiety, improved sleep, weight management, and the reduction of health risks.

Psychological Health

Tuning in to how we feel, think, relate and exist in our daily lives.

Benefits include:

The ability to cope with challenging times in our personal and professional lives.

Emotional Heath

Our sense of wellbeing, our ability to cope with life events, and how we acknowledge our own emotions as well as those of others.

Benefits include:

Resilience to stress, deeper relationships, higher self-esteem, and more energy.

Balance

Balanced living means considering all aspects of your life: relations, work, fitness, health, and emotional wellbeing.

Benefits include:

Stress reduction, productivity increase, and being in tune with feelings.

Stress management

Lowering stress to lower your risk of harmful physical and mental effects.

Benefits include:

Improved sleep, less muscle tension, and improved mood

Relationship Health

A healthy relationship which includes mutual respect, trust, honesty, and compromise.

Benefits include:

Reduced stress, sense of purpose, and longer life.

In order to maintain a good balance and avoid burnout, self-care entails setting aside time to give priority to our own physical, emotional, and mental requirements.

To take a self-care assessment, please click here.

If you need to talk to someone, please reach out at (214) 540-0300.

Green flags: Relationship Goals

Green flags

Relationship Goals

Are you and your partner a good fit?

By: Angelina Cantelli

We always here about Red flags in a relationship. Red flags are the things you should stay away from. We hardly hear about the Green Flags that make a relationship work for both partners. Green flags in a relationship are positive indicators that a relationship is healthy and likely to be successful. Some common green flags include:

  1. Honest and open communication: A healthy relationship is characterized by the capacity to discuss feelings, desires, and needs with your spouse in an open and honest manner.
  2. Comparable values and life goals: A relationship can stay on track and give direction if both parties share similar values and life objectives.
  3. Mutuality: A healthy give-and-take dynamic in which both partners feel their needs are being met and their relationship is fulfilling.
  4. Loyalty and trust: In any relationship, romantic or not, trust is crucial. Lack of trust can cause constant argument and be bad for the relationship.
  5. Respect: It's critical to uphold one another's limits, viewpoints, and uniqueness. Your partner shouldn't make you alter who you are in order to live up to their standards.
  6. Flexibility and readiness to compromise: A strong partnership necessitates both of these qualities. Both sides must be willing to make sacrifices for one another while maintaining their own integrity.
  7. Emotional support: An essential component of any healthy relationship is being there for one another during good times and bad.
  8. Effective dispute resolution techniques: It's crucial for every relationship to be able to disagree and argue in a civil manner.
  9. Sense of humor: Laughing and having a good time together helps keep a relationship going strong.

It's worth noting that no relationship is perfect, so it's important to have realistic expectations and to work through issues as they arise. Everyone is different. If you and your partner do not meet all of these green flags, that doesn't mean that your relationship is doomed. What is most important is that you are both willing to put in effort to meet each other’s needs. If you want to see change in one of these areas, try communicating that to your partner in a calm, respectful manner. The first step to change is recognizing the issue.

Know that if your relationship is not making you feel happy, supported, and respected, there is no shame in ending it. Ending a relationship is not a failure, but rather an opportunity for growth and reflection. It is better to value your own comfort than stay in an unhealthy relationship.

 

For more information, or to talk to one of our behavioral health specialists, please call (214) 540-0300

5 Ways You Can Help End the Stigma over Mental Health Care

5 Ways You Can Help End the Stigma over Mental Health Care

Ask about it

In the same way we wouldn’t want our family or friends to suffer from physical pain without any help, we should ensure our loved ones aren’t suffering emotionally. However, we can't help them if we do not understand how they feel. Simply asking, “How have you been feeling emotionally?” or “I know you’ve had a lot going on lately, has something been weighing on you?” You may never know what your loved ones are struggling with if you don’t ask. Let’s take care of our friends and family by not shying away from discussing difficult topics.

Post about it

Social media is an amazing tool that allows us to be connected to people around the world in an instant. Unfortunately, social media is sometimes a “highlight reel” where everyone posts the best part of their lives and tries to hide all the bad. Imagine how powerful it could be to remind your social media followers that they have value, and that it’s okay to not have it together all the time. Sharing an encouraging word or some simple tips could inspire someone to improve their health. Not sure what to post? Check out the graphics below and share them on your pages!

Recognize that mental health struggles are common.

In 2019, nearly 50 million American adults experienced mental illness. Over 10% of youth in the United States have severe major depression. Despite how common these issues are, nearly 25% of adults feel they do not have necessary mental health treatment and over 60% of youth with major depression do not receive any mental health treatment. The first step in filling this treatment gap is recognizing that mental health issues are real, common, and valid.

Source: Mental Health America. (2022). 2022 State of Mental Health in America. Mental Health America National.

Normalize getting care

If someone you know tells you they are receiving mental health treatment, try not to overwhelm them with questions or make them feel shame. Think about it like this: If someone shared with you their struggles with experiencing chronic tooth pain—and how they need to see the dentist every three months—you wouldn't be surprised because it is normal to seek that form of treatment. In the same way, seeking mental health treatment is a normal response to some difficulties. And that’s exactly how we should see mental health care: normal and necessary.

Walk the walk

If you feel that you can benefit from mental health care, seek it out! Even if you are not in crisis, a regular check-in with a counselor or therapist will not hurt, but it can help improve your well-being. Life is difficult, and we all need emotional support from time to time. As with any type of change, the best way to start addressing the stigma around mental health is by looking inward.

At the end of the day, mental health treatment is healthcare and should be viewed as such. We are better as individuals, friends, coworkers, and teammates when we make sure every part of our health is taken care of.

Mental Health Resources

National Alliance on Mental Illness Helpline 800-950-6264

Suicide & Crisis Lifeline 988

Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration 1-800-662-HELP (4357)