Let’s talk support strategies. You might be familiar with mystery grab bags—especially if you are a collector of one type or another. A mystery grab bag is a collection of things related to a theme but perhaps not completely related to one another.
For example, comic book shops sometimes offer grab bags of back issues. Let’s say you purchase a mystery grab bag labeled “Gotham City Heroes—10 comics for $10.” That, of course, works out to $1 for each comic, and for a fan of Batman and his allies and adversaries, it might be appealing to plunk down the money just to see what’s inside. Maybe there’s a random issue from the period when Stephanie Brown was Batgirl. Maybe there’s an issue from the middle of an extended story about one of the many Robins. Maybe there’s a comic in the bag that features Bat-Mite.
It is unlikely that your new grab bag is going to suddenly complete some portion of your Batman collection. But it can be fun to check out little corners of Gotham City and then decide if you’d like to dig deeper into the stories you discover.
But you probably did not come to this blog looking for our thoughts on the Caped Crusader. So let us offer a grab bag of ways to support your mental health. You might find something new to try. Maybe you just dabble in that new thing—or maybe it becomes a regular part of your mental health regimen.
Switch Up the Snack Routine
Do you have a go-to snack? Maybe something you eat or drink regularly in the afternoon to help you power through the end of the workday? If you are like many people that snack is a bit of an indulgence—something sugary, for example, or something heavily processed, like potato chips.
Our first grab bag tip is to try to replace that snack with something healthier—like fruit, veggies, nuts, hard-boiled eggs—because doing so will support your physical and mental well-being.
Unsure you can make the switch and stick to it? Start small. Replace your usual snack one day a week. Then two days. We suspect you will notice that you feel better both physically and mentally on the days you eat something healthier.
Find an Opportunity to Volunteer
When we do meaningful things for others, we support our own mental health. Volunteering can help inject a real sense of purpose into your life as you work on a cause that is important to you.
The options are nearly endless, so spend some time thinking about what you can bring to the table as a volunteer and then seek out an opportunity that matches. Do you love animals, for example? There are likely opportunities at your local animal shelter. Have a heart for the arts? You could join the board of your local theater, offer to be an usher at school concerts and other events, or even volunteer to help those who might need transportation to and from cultural events.
That’s just scratching the surface of potential options. If a cause is meaningful to you, you can probably find a way to get involved. And once you do, you’ll be helping others and improving your community while supporting your mental health.
Be a Lifelong Learner
What are you curious about? Do you wish you knew more about some aspect of history? Is there a writer or an artist or a musician whose work particularly appeals to you? Would you like to learn another language?
Digging into any topic you find interesting and engaging is a great way to support your mental health. You might decide to dig into a topic that is related to your work, but there might well be significant value in learning more about something that is simply intriguing to you. That way, the learning is not connected to job-related stress or goals.
Either way, though, the important thing is to stay curious and engaged with things that truly interest you—whatever they may be.
There Are Many More Options for Supporting Mental Health
The thing about a grab bag is that it never offers up everything related to its theme. And that is true of this grab bag blog as well. There are many, many ways to support your mental health. We encourage you to find what works best for you.
Better Mental Health Begins With Personalized Treatment
At Peak View Behavioral Health in Colorado Springs, we are committed to helping those we serve improve their mental health—and maintain those improvements—by offering evidence-based, personalized, compassionate therapy. We know that no two individuals have identical needs, and so we do not offer cookie-cutter solutions. If you are struggling with anxiety, depression, or a trauma-based mental health disorder, we can help.
Are you looking for mental health help in Colorado Springs? For more information about Peak View Behavioral Health, or if you have questions, please call us at 719-444-8484 or use our contact form.
