8 Mental Health Tips for Anyone That is Feeling Anxious or Depressed

I knew too well the effects of having mentally ill family members and I did not want my kids to suffer the same pain that I did growing up.

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In April 2016, a week after my dad committed suicide, I took myself to the doctor because I was struggling.  There were times I couldn’t stop crying, loved ones had told me that I hadn’t been “myself” lately, and I knew I needed help.  I went to the doctor and was diagnosed with postpartum depression. (I had birthed two babies in one year not too long before that, which was a contributing factor to the state of my mental health after my dad died).  I was told that I probably needed to go on medication because my body had been depleted of the healthy chemicals in my brain that I needed to function well.  I was also carrying other traumas that had happened in my past that I still needed healing from.  I wasn’t suicidal during this time, but I knew there were mental health issues that needed to be addressed.  I knew too well the effects of having mentally ill family members and I did not want my kids to suffer the same pain that I did growing up.

The list below contains tips and steps I have taken to heal. I have been on a journey and a process that will continue throughout the course of my life. I did not find healing overnight. It has been quite a process and it still is. I realize that not everyone’s healing process is the same, but I want to share mine with you because I want to give you hope. Healing is available if mental health is something that you struggle with.

 

1. Go to your doctor.

I went to my doctor because I couldn’t diagnose myself and needed help and insight from a professional who knew what to look for. I ended up taking medication for a short time, maybe a little over a year or so.   My brain was physically depleted from the healthy chemicals it needed to function properly.  I believe that going on the medication at that time was necessary for me, considering the situation I was in. Having had two babies in one year, issues from my past that needed to be dealt with, and loved ones in my life that had unexpectedly died had all taken a toll on me.  I believe that everyone functions differently; some people need medication indefinitely, some temporarily, and some may just need to create a healthier lifestyle.

 

2. Get enough sleep.

Sleep is healing.  Many of us don’t get enough of it.

 

3. Exercise regularly.

Exercise improves your overall mood by increasing the serotonin and dopamine levels in your brain. I try to walk/jog a few miles at least 3-4 times a week and add strength training in a few times a week as well.

 

4. Eat well and focus on your nutrition.

I notice that when I am eating well, getting enough water and taking healthy supplements, I am in a much better place mentally than when I don’t. I believe that nutrition has an incredible overall effect on our mental health…much more than we give it credit for. Green smoothies consisting of different kinds of fruits and veggies in them have been my go-to for getting the healthy nutrients I need.

 

5. Get counseling and find supportive friends that you can lean on.

Self is not a cure for our ills—community is.  When I found myself in the predicament I was in after my dad died, I quickly realized I didn’t really have people I needed in my life that I could open up to and talk with about the things that were going on.  During this time, I sought out leaders in my church that could mentor me; and my husband and I went to counseling together.  I have gone to different counselors over the course of many years, for all different kinds of things, and I have found it incredibly helpful in gaining the necessary tools and resources I have needed in order to navigate and overcome difficult situations.

 

6. Find people that will pray with you and for you.

This is probably the biggest thing that has helped me, considering the many steps I have taken to find healing.    Finding and experiencing real, tangible inner healing from encountering the God of the universe who is powerful, alive, who wants to heal me and wants to see me walk in wholeness.  It has taken years of letting go of lies that were blinding me and grabbing hold of God’s truth so I could see clearly.  It has taken years of going through and asking Him to show me His perspective from specific painful events and situations that I have experienced, so He could heal me from the pain that was so deeply rooted in my heart. I have experienced tremendous healing and transformation in my life from intentionally encountering Him through prayer.  Today, I have an inner healing/prayer coach that I can go to when certain situations come up.  I can talk with her, pray with her and she helps me navigate hard things which have helped me tremendously.  Never negate the power of God changing things in your life when you pray.

 

7. Learn how to draw healthy boundaries with people.

This is a big one. The very basic idea is that I had to learn how to apply proper boundaries in my relationships with my friends, family members and other people I interact with on a daily basis, so I could properly care for my well-being.  There’s so much more to it, but that is the basic gist. I highly recommend the Boundaries book by Dr. Henry Cloud & Dr. John Townsend if you’re interested. That book changed my life!

 

8. Turn on some worship and get into the Word. 

On days that I am struggling (or not struggling for that matter), I turn on my worship music.  Worship music has a way of calming me and putting my focus on the Lord.  Reading the Word of God also helps.  His word is alive and it has spoken to me countless times that I have taken the time to open it and read.

 

I don’t know if you’ve lost someone you’ve loved from suicide or if you personally struggle with any kind of mental illness, but I do know that whatever you have gone through, God can take your pain and heal you from whatever you have had to endure.  It will take time and intentionality from your end, but it will be incredibly rewarding if you push through and don’t give up.  Be bold in seeking the Lord.  The Bible says that Jesus sympathizes with us in our human frailty and He understands us because he was human too.  When you seek Him out, He will strengthen you when you are feeling weak and need His healing touch.

Hebrews 4:14-16 TPT

Jesus, our compassionate King-Priest

“So then, we must cling in faith to all we know to be true. For we have a magnificent King-Priest, Jesus Christ, the Son of God, who rose into the heavenly realm for us, and now sympathizes with us in our frailty. He understands humanity, for as a Man, our magnificent King-Priest was tempted in every way just as we are, and conquered sin. So now we come freely and boldly to where love is enthroned, to receive mercy’s kiss and discover the grace we urgently need to strengthen us in our time of weakness.”

 

 

Featured Image by Kilarov Zaneit

The views and opinions expressed by Kingdom Winds Collective Members, authors, and contributors are their own and do not represent the views of Kingdom Winds LLC.

About the Author

Brandie Muncaster is a wife and mother who possesses a passion for God’s Word, praying for people, and seeing God transform people’s lives through inner healing. As someone who has known the powerful transforming work of God in her own life, it is her passion to see others experience the same! Brandie and her husband have been married for over a decade, and they have three young children. Their most favorite past times are playing sports, and spending time outdoors either at the beach or in the mountains. The Muncaster family happily resides in the Charlotte, NC area.