What has helped your mental health?

[lovelifenow]

Are there any therapies, practices, meditation styles etc that have helped your mental health? Perhaps you have anxiety, depression and it's helped.

Hypnotherapy! I tried a lot of things iced the years to help with managing anxiety. Since hypnotherapy 3 years ago I have not suffered at all (and it was severely limiting before that/ daily problem).

completely stripping everything back, saying No more. Walking my dogs and not putting lots of plans or appointments into my day. allowing myself to rest more and not make excuses or justifying it to anyone.

Exercise. Particularly learning to run but walking too.

Joining the gym has helped and walking home. Work can be really full on and I find walking home from work rather than getting on a bus/train allows me to let go of the stresses of the day.

I am now in a much better place but honestly the biggest thing was doing counselling and psychotherapy. Healing from the past traumas was the number 1 thing. Otherwise it’s just masking the issue. Once you’ve tackled the issue then it’s about maintaining your mental well being which is for me what the gym and walking does along with talking about things. Acknowledging the feelings, because they are valid but then letting them go.

Walking, as often as possible, with a podcast. Seeing and noticing nature has really helped my grief, and in the early days concentrating on a funny podcast gave me a break from the otherwise relentlessness of my depressive thoughts. There is something freeing about leaving your front door with noting weighing you down physically, and no pressure in having to talk to anyone.

allowing myself to rest more and not make excuses or justifying it to anyone

This.

HRT
Yoga

Gardening, exercise and as a PP said, saying “no” more.

Audible - I stick my earphones in and block the world out.

Exercise and changing my eating and drinking habits has helped me massively. I was feeling suicidal and my friend kept on pushing me to keep moving and join her in exercising. I really didn’t enjoy it at first but it’s gradually crept up on me and now I can tolerate 25 minutes of HIT every other day without it feeling torturous.
I changed my views on food and food that I thought I was treating myself too. It’s not a treat for your body to have lots of carbs and fat and sugar each day. Don’t get me wrong I still have this food occasionally but I feel like my body has more of a treat from a nutritionally balanced meal most days.
And lastly cutting way back on alcohol has made a huge difference.

Swimming, not over committing to things & getting into a good sleeping routine. I fall asleep listening to the shipping forecast - it's wonderful!

Getting a cat.

Yoga. Meditation. Giving myself a break. Walking. Eating well. Realising that it's ok to rest and that resting is as important as everything else

Completely unhelpful but I met a new man. My exh was intolerant of my anxiety it made me 100% worse, now with a kind, sympathetic partner I'm not anywhere near as bad as I was.

I run regularly and also take Citalopram which has also helped.

Exercise and CBD oil.

Running and psychotherapy.

Exercise. No alcohol. I'd get a dog too, but can't with the kids and me on my own most of the time.

More time outside in nature is really effective for bringing me out of a low or very anxious mood. Wild swimming, a simple walk or so called 'forest bathing'are all good, I find swimming in the sea the best mood booster but sadly we live nowhere near the coast.

I also suffer from insomnia and have found Yoga Nidra meditations have been really useful in helping me drift off when I'm struggling.

Having a garden and allotment.

I was sat yesterday processing a load of wood from my trees for my woodburner and just really enjoying watching the birds flit around and the insects buzzing about. It really helps to moderate my mood.

and having fresh organic veg helps!

Mindfulness and learning to breathe properly.

Hiking. Fresh air, the amazing colours of nature in the land and sky, the joy of my watching our dogs run freely, wildlife such as butterflies, birds etc. The opportunity to appreciate these things I’m contented silence or the chance for deep conversations.

Being outdoors. Especially in parks and nature. I go for a walk every day.
Also keeping on top of chores. Living in mess or suddenly having to do laundry at 11pm the night before is not good.

Antidepressants, removing toxic people from my headspace, and going for a run rather than eating all the chocolate when I feel low. Surrounding myself with people who are good for my soul.

I have come so, so far in the past 12 months.

Getting a dog and walking much more in the countryside and woods around my home.

Saying "no" more and stopping being such a people pleaser.

Allowing myself to rest more and not fret about the ironing/shopping/cleaning or whatever other domestic nonsense needs seeing to today.

(Sorry about this but ....) dramatically reducing the amount of time I spend on this forum reading about other people's woes.

100% agree with saying no. I’ve just left 9 years of a job where I did everything (70hrs Pw) it was so detrimental to my mental health & I was mocked for it at work. Since leaving I feel at peace for the first time in years. So cut out the toxic.

Nature is such a mood booster, I joined the National Trust & go to my local one weekly just for s stroll. Gardening helps although I am not particularly good. Walking my dog, she’s my therapy dog & makes me so happy.

Having a partner who understands & supports me.. it’s taken time but he gets it now.

Not blaming yourself, it’s ok to be like this! Take care of you.

Exercise particularly in the great outdoors, preferably somewhere picturesque like woods, beside rivers or the coast. I heard a lot about endorphin rush, never understood it, get it now.