Mental Health Awareness

5 Self Care Tips for Mental Health Awareness Month

All of us struggle with our mental health from time to time. Whether stress from work follows you home or the events of the outside world have you feeling down, it’s normal to deal with mental health challenges. Of course, you should also be taking steps to start addressing those issues. Positive self-care techniques can improve your mental health in a major way. Let’s take a look at a few of the most effective strategies.

Unplug and Recharge

Social media and technology can be great tools to connect with our loved ones and stay in touch with the events of the outside world. However, you can have too much of a good thing. It’s important to take regular breaks from your devices and recharge in the real world. Doing so keeps you grounded and can help reduce stress and anxiety. After all, no one is able to process the amount of information scrolling across our screens at any given moment.

Have a Chat

Talking about our mental health struggles can be both scary and overwhelming. However, it is one of the best ways to help work through them. Try to find a friend, family member, or a professional therapist you trust and have a conversation with them. You might be surprised by how much it helps to get things off your chest. Likewise, getting an outside perspective can help frame your troubles in a new light. From there, you might just find a better way to manage them.

Change Your Scenery

It’s easy to get stagnant in our routines. This might mean going to work day in and day out. It could mean being so busy you forget to check in on your mental health. Either way, changing your environment can do wonders for your mental health. If you’re spending a lot of time inside, consider taking a walk on a nearby trail or nature preserve. If you find yourself at home too much, consider going out to visit a friend or treating yourself to a nice meal at a restaurant. Getting a break from your “norm” can be refreshing and makes it a little easier to deal with your mental health struggles.

Get Moving

Numerous studies have demonstrated the benefits of exercise for those dealing with mental health issues. Even light exercise can greatly improve your mood and energy levels. It can be difficult to come up with the motivation to work out when you’re dealing with the symptoms of depression or anxiety. Even so, many people feel much better after they get moving. Getting started is usually the hardest part, so try convincing yourself to just get five minutes of exercise in. You’ll often find you can go for much longer after starting.

Relax Guilt-Free

One of the most important parts of self care is doing it without guilt. Although it can be difficult, try to avoid thinking about other things that need to be done or feeling “lazy” while enjoying personal time. Taking time to relax and enjoy a fun activity can do wonders for your mental health. In our busy world, it can be difficult to find time. By prioritizing self-care time, though, you’ll set yourself up to be happier and more productive when it’s time to get back to your routine.

Velocity Urgent Care is Here to Help

If you are struggling with your mental health, know you are never alone. Here at Velocity Urgent Care, we have your back. Whether you’re dealing with symptoms of depression or are feeling anxious about the world around you, our providers are standing by. We’ll have a conversation and gather your history to build a picture of what’s troubling you. From there, our providers will work with you to develop the ideal treatment plan. If you need more care, we can also refer you to a mental health specialist within the Sentara Healthcare network.

At Velocity Urgent Care, we offer convenient online registration that helps you limit your contact with others during a visit. You can sign up for an appointment online ahead of time and arrive when it’s time to be seen to skip the waiting room.

We even offer text message updates so you can wait in the car (if you prefer) until it’s time for your appointment.

In light of the COVID-19 pandemic, we are taking serious safety precautions to ensure that our locations are as clean as possible. We’ve put strict sterilization protocols into place and are carefully handling patients who may be contagious to ensure that each one of our clinics is safe for those who need urgent medical care or occupational health services.

Velocity Urgent Care is an in-network provider for most major insurance plans, meaning you can be seen for the cost of your co-pay and deductible.

All of our locations also accept Medicare, Medicaid, and Tricare. Veterans Administration beneficiaries are also welcome.