Peter Molokwu: Protect Your Mental Health At All Cost

If you’re not working hard to protect your mental health right now, you’re either struggling with it or you’re a superhero. Even before the pandemic threw a wrench in things, there was plenty to stress about.

Concerns about work to the plenty wahala going on in Nigeria can affect your mental health. However, you need to remember that you control your mental state. You may not be able to solve all of life’s challenges, but you can keep them from getting to you.

Safeguarding your mental health isn’t just about keeping your stress levels in check for yourself and others, it’s about living a healthy, productive life.

Protecting your mental health starts with a simple commitment: to separate what’s going on within you from what’s going on around you.

Here’s how to do it:

Talk it Out

The first and most important step to protecting your mental health is to always speak up.
Opening up to friends and family about your mental health challenges isn’t a sign of weakness. In fact, it proves you’re strong enough to show others the not-so-perfect parts of your life.

Need an easy way to start the conversation? You could say:

• I want to share something with you.
• I’ve been thinking about…
• Can we talk about it?
• I’ve been struggling with…

Anyone of these will enable an easy flow into a conversation you need to have.

Reduce Your Screen Time

Tempting as it is right now, spending hours each day on social media isn’t good for your mental health. At best, you’ll distract yourself from what matters. At worst, you’ll internalize all the bad news and anger online.

Exercise

Your physical and mental health are more connected than you might realize, regular exercises can reduce depression and anxiety almost as effectively as medication.

Give Yourself a Break

Although perseverance is admirable, you have to cut yourself some slack when times get tough. Taking breaks is critical if you want to keep going for a long time.

You can do something that rejuvenates you, such as:

• Reading a book
• Calling up a friend
• Taking a bath or shower
• Taking a nap
• Going for a walk
• Catching up on your favorite series on Netflix

Whatever you’re going through, remember that your mental health matters. Whether you’re weathering a pandemic or just trying to organize your day, protecting your mental health is imperative in order to stay productive and happy.

Make time for yourself and do what you have to do because problem no dey finish.

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