Did you know that around 10.7% of the world’s population today lives with some sort of mental health problem? These is global health trends needs to be addressed properly because poor mental health can take a toll on a person’s emotional, psychological, social, and physical wellness.

Not only that, but it also starts affecting the people around them. You can see it in the way a narcissistic mother verbally abuses her child, a suicidal person worries their loved ones, a neglected teenager bullies other people, and more. Mental health isn’t just a personal problem—it’s a societal one.

As such, we need to be more aware of what goes on in the mental health world. This is so we can recognize signs of trouble within ourselves. We can also help others who are going through the same problems. If you want to learn more but don’t know where to start, then the following five trends are good entryways to mental health for you.

Mental Health is Closely Related to Physical Health

Did you know that a lot of the things we do when it comes to our physical health affect our mental health as well? Mental health issues can make us lose our appetites, sleep more or less, and become sluggish, and the opposite also holds. If we don’t eat properly, sleep adequately, or exercise regularly, then our mental health can suffer too.

Many people who exercise, especially those who only started exercising well into adulthood, report that it’s done a lot of good for their mental health. They become more energized and more confident at taking on life’s problems. They succumb to mental health issues less frequently.

Their strengthened willpower then helps them maintain a healthy lifestyle. Instead of reaching for unhealthy foods like chips or cookies, they instead reach for fruit or veggies. Instead of lounging around all day, they feel motivated to hit the gym or do physical activities outdoors.

In conclusion, one of the best ways to improve your mental health is by working on your physical health too.

Mental Health is Dealt Depending on the Person

There is never one way to deal with mental health problems. So, don’t listen to anybody who thinks they know better than you. You alone are in charge of your body. You should know by now what kinds of things help you deal with health issues. There is no one solution to mental health problems!

For example, one of the things that personally helps me when I’m down in the dumps is wandering around aimlessly. I call it ‘getting lost on purpose’ because I deliberately put myself in unfamiliar situations. Taking in new sights, meeting new people, eating new food, and generally just being somewhere new helps distract me from my problems and allow me to recuperate. And it doesn’t necessarily mean having to travel abroad—it can be a place in your city you haven’t gone to!

In the same way, some people like to dive into their favorite hobbies. Some like to play video games, experiment with makeup, cook tasty foods, and more. Again, as long as these activities are actively making you feel better or aren’t hurting you, then there’s nothing wrong with it.

Mental Health Doesn’t Need to Be Grandiose

People often think that if we try hard enough, all of our problems will go away in a flash. Well, that’s easier said than done. Feeling better in our own skin and mind doesn’t happen overnight—it happens after a lot of trial and error, after a lot of failures, and after some time. So, you shouldn’t feel bad if the things you’re doing to try and make yourself feel better aren’t working as well as you’d hoped.

Remember, the path forward isn’t a race—you don’t have to work hard for first place. All you need are some steps forward, even if the steps forward are very small. As long as you’re making an effort to improve yourself, then that’s enough. A little goes a long way!

So, if you’re having a hard time dealing with things, then do some things that’ll help ease your worries. Treat yourself to a yummy meal, step outside and take a breather, and go shopping for new clothes. They’re band-aid solutions, but you can’t deny they don’t make you feel a little bit better.

Mental Health Has Come a Long Way

The world we live in still has its problems, but it also has come a long way since. The stigma around mental health used to be very prominent back then. Many people refused to talk about or acknowledge it. Nowadays, however, mental health has become one of the most accepted trends.

Additionally, technological advancements have come a long way too! They help us gain more access to quality healthcare, resources about mental health, and many other things that can help us cope.

For example, telemedicine is where technology meets healthcare. Here, we can easily ring up health professionals who can diagnose our conditions through the phone, prescribe medications, answer questions, and more. You also have more choice since you can research doctors and therapists in your area before heading to their offices, leaving less room for error and failure.

Another popular example is ASMR, which is a trendy video format on YouTube these days. These videos help you fall asleep or calm down with sounds that are meant to soothe and relax. If you feel a panic attack coming or just need help falling asleep, you can just look through YouTube.

You Can Be Rooted in Reality While Still Hoping

People with mental health problems need to accept that not everything trends perfectly. Being positive 100% of the time is impossible and will just set you up for inevitable disappointment. The healthiest ways to deal with your mental health problems is to accept that a.) you got issues you need to deal with, b.) there are things in your life that are contributing to your issues, and c.) it’s okay to feel negative about these issues.

In the same realm, however, you also need to get yourself together. Being negative 100% of the time shouldn’t be a thing either. You need to remember that nothing in life is ever permanent, including sadness, anxiety, or despair. You need to remember that there are people in your life who love you and want to see you shake things off. Sometimes you just need to take a step back to see the good in things.