Try these simple mental health tips to keep your spirits bright at year end.
Winter and the holiday season can be stressful time. This year presents unique challenges as the COVID-19 pandemic continues to impact our daily lives and social interactions. Our counselors and staff offer these tips to boost your mental health for the rest of 2020 and the new year.
Make a Daily Routine
“One way to develop a healthy coping mechanism is to incorporate a daily self-care routine. It can be about finding one or two things that brings us joy during the day, like having a cup of coffee or tea, going for a walk/exercise, journaling, yoga, meditation, art, or reaching out to someone we love. Creating a daily mindful practice will help individuals to be in the here and now and focus on the simple things that give us comfort and meaning through difficult times.” —Samantha T, counseling intern
Welcome Your Feelings
“Name the fact that this year is an unusual/strange/scary/upsetting/surreal year and the fact that the holidays won’t be the same, but this doesn’t mean it’s going to be this way forever. Make space for those feelings and welcome them. Sadness, anger, and fear are normal responses to losses, including ‘the way we once used to do things over the holidays.’” —Hanna O, counseling intern
Take a Deep Breath
“Often when I am stressed I forget to breathe deeply. Connecting to breath if even for a few minutes can make a huge difference to my wellbeing. I use the free meditations from the UCLA Mindfulness Awareness Research Center .” —Carrie Hoops, executive director
Divide and Conquer
“Compartmentalization is actually a healthy defense mechanism as it suggests we can’t solve all our problems all at the same time. We need to compartmentalize them as if putting them on a shelf to be addressed later. It may be that we need to be around a certain person or get some sleep before attending to a problem. It may also help reduce some anxiety as you take only part of a problem to solve rather than the whole thing!” —Monica, volunteer counselor
Map the Future
“Map out your goals for each part of your life (career, health, creative, relationship) and the type of life you want this coming year. This could be a collage, a Pinterest board, or a poster as a visual reminder. Think of the steps on how to reach each goal.” —Hanna O, counseling intern
Consider a Dry January
“From Thanksgiving to New Year, a lot of my clients find themselves drinking more frequently. Throughout the pandemic I’ve already seen an increase in use of alcohol and other substances, and I could see that increasing as the days get shorter and colder. That’s why I recommend trying Dry January—maybe skip any alcohol or other substance use for the 30 days after New Year’s Eve.” —Greg R, volunteer counselor
Take a Social Media Break
“Limit your consumption of social media. Social media posts would have us all believe that everyone is having a festive, wonderful time surrounded by family and friends, looking our best and feeling our best. This simply isn’t true. Remember that people tend to share the best of their lives and carefully curate what they share. If scrolling through social media is not sparking joy, and actually making you feel worse, try taking a social media break. Instead, try texting family and friends directly, sharing photos, giving them updates, like you would on social media. This may feel more personal and promote the connection you crave.” —Melissa, counseling intern
Help Others
“There’s a dopamine response when we reach out and help others. Practicing kindness to those less fortunate than us can help us feel better when we’re feeling down ourselves.” —Hanna O, counseling intern
Reach Out
If you’re looking for additional support, you can call the Oregon Health Authority’s Safe + Strong Helpline at 800-923-4357 (800-923-HELP). The line offers free, 24-7 emotional support and resource referral to anyone who needs it—not only those experiencing a mental health crisis. Find more information and community resources at www.safestrongoregon.org/mental-emotional-health.
Photo by Lisa Fotios.