The American Psychiatric Association defines mental illness as “health conditions involving changes in emotion, thinking or behavior (or a combination of these)” and “are associated with distress and/or problems functioning in social, work or family activities.” They note that “mental health is the foundation for emotions, thinking, communication, learning, resilience and self-esteem” and that it is “key to relationships, personal and emotional well-being and contributing to community or society.”
Experts in the behavioral health field show that just 10-minutes a day of self-care and compassion can lead to positive outcomes throughout your day. So why is it so hard for us to find the time to take care of ourselves and our mental health?
When we think about self-care, we often think about what prevents us from practicing it:
- Do we have the time?
- How much is self-care going to cost?
HJAHC social worker, Demetrius Smith, recommends defining what self-care means to you. Is it reading a good book? Going to a good restaurant or a comedy show? Spending time with your friends or family? Or maybe sleeping in late?
Whatever it may be, ensuring that you are taking care of yourself is beneficial to those around you and our society.
If you feel you need to speak to one of out social workers about your mental health needs, we are always here to support your well-being.
