Heather’s Mental Health Tips
If you have been joining us for our online services each Sunday, you may remember that during our Epiphany series, Heather Binmore took time to offer us all some tips for improving our mental health as lockdown continues. As Lent is now in full swing, it seemed appropriate to remind ourselves of her advice.
For those who don’t know Heather, she is a qualified Counsellor/Psychotherapist working with the Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services Team (CAMHS) with the NHS. Heather and her family have been part of Holy Trinity’s family for 22 years.
Lent is a time for giving up certain vices (usually of the dietary kind), but it is also an opportunity to cultivate new habits to take their place. With that in mind, here are Heather’s tips for promoting good mental health.
Tip 1: Get Moving
Find time each day for exercise, preferably outside. It can be as little as ten minutes, but exercise and fresh air are a great way to start feeling more positive. Exercise releases endorphins and dopamine, which are ‘feel-good’ hormones. Whatever works for you, take time each day to flex your muscles.
Tip 2: Stay Connected
Heather reminds us that God created humans to be social beings. We need connections with other people as much as we need food and warmth.
Whether you are connecting through Zoom, a phone call, or some other socially distanced means, remember to PACE yourselves:
Playfulness – Make your time with others enjoyable.
Acceptance – Accept each other as you are, and also feel accepted by those around you.
Curiosity – Ask each other questions and enquire how the other person is coping.
Empathy – Be gentle and kind to each other. Offer support instead of criticism.
Tip 3: Stop Overthinking
This always seems ‘easier said than done’, and it is so easy to feel anxious at this time; but the Bible offers advice on this very subject:
Matthew 6:25-26 – Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they?
Philippians 4:6 – Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God which transcends all understanding will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
Think of a car slipping on an icy road. The more it is revved up, the less traction it has and the more out of control it becomes. This is scary for you as the driver (and also for others around you). By placing something like a piece of carpet under the wheels, by changing the situation, the car finds something to grip onto and can then move safely.
So what can we use as our pieces of carpet?
Pray – exactly as Paul suggests to the Philippians.
Talk to others and gain their wisdom.
Go for a walk – going back to Heather’s first tip, going for a walk and taking some time away from something can help you to find some much needed perspective.
As Jesus said, “Can any of you by worrying add a single hour to your life?” Simply put, no you can’t. So don’t lose any to it either.
Tip 4: Set Goals
This can help your mental wellbeing by giving you focus, giving back a sense of control, and by giving you a sense of achievement. As God created us in his image, we all have the potential to be creative and to find satisfaction in our achievements. After all, when God created the world, he looked at it and saw it was good.
Why not try something creative and new over the coming weeks, or remind yourself of a craft or skill you haven’t picked up for a while. This could be anything from learning a musical instrument; to playing a new sport; to baking a cake; to knitting a scarf. The possibilities are endless.
Tip 5: Just Do It
Stay positive. Statistically, optimists have a track record for living longer than pessimists. That is NOT to say that we should pretend to be happy. Not at all. We should, instead, aim to be as positive as we authentically can be. A few things that can help with positivity are:
Stop aiming for perfection. Doing and trying are the important things here.
Find things to be thankful for every day.
Share your moments of happiness with others (even if this can only be after the fact or on social media).
This Lent, let’s take time to keep each other going. Why not share in the comments below a moment from the last week that has lifted your spirits. Has anyone taken up a new craft project? How is it going?
by Rachael Farrimond