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In light of the events and turmoil the world is witnessing, mental health and psychological fitness are increasingly important as tools to keep us in a state of balance that reduces stress and anxiety. That is why a number of doctors and psychologists monitored the most common mental health complaints, and presented the 8 most important rules for building strong psychological fitness.
1- “Psychological avoidance” is the strongest enemy
No longer Anxiety The main driver of many problems in our lives, there is something more dangerous called “psychological avoidance,” said Luana Marquez, assistant professor of psychiatry at Harvard University, explaining that our avoidance of certain situations and decisions, for fear that they will cause us discomfort, “can lead to increased anxiety.” And then more problems.”
Psychological avoidance is the strongest enemy, but Marquez suggested 3 scientific skills to fight it:
- Check your ideas carefully, and accept the challenge.
- Find a step you can take to confront fears and anxiety and defeat avoidance.
- Let your values - not your emotions – guide your actions.
2- Discover mental manipulation and stop it firmly
Mental manipulation symbolized by the term “Gaslighting” (Gaslighting) “is a form of psychological abuse. It occurs when someone manipulates you, and does everything in their power to make you doubt your reality, and believe that you are always wrong,” says American psychologist, Dr. Shevona Childs.
Childs warns that delaying the detection and stopping of this type of abuse “may cause severe harm to a person’s self-worth, self-esteem, and mental capabilities.”
She adds, “At first glance, mental manipulation may seem like just a difference of opinion between two parties, but in fact, it is a disturbing behavior and a tool used to make the victim think the way the attacker wants.”
Psychoanalyst at Yale University, Dr. Robin Stern, also stresses “the importance of learning how to recognize the signs of this malicious form of manipulation,” including:
- Constant denial.
- Fabricating reality.
- Defamation.
- Contradiction.
- Outright lying.
And confront it firmly, and withdraw from the relationship with its source “in conjunction with always checking our feelings and respecting our emotions, to protect ourselves from it.”
3- Do not leave yourself alone
“I noticed we were getting more isolation“It is as if we are waiting until we become thinner, more prosperous, happier, and less stressed before we think about meeting new people, communicating with acquaintances, and reviving old friendships,” says Jelena Kekmanovic, a cognitive behavioral therapy expert who holds a doctorate, based on her experience in psychiatry over the years. 25 years.
Kekmanovic stresses the importance of social communication, “even by starting to talk to other parents at the children’s schools, cashiers in stores, receptionists in medical clinics, or even a cafe waiter.”
4- Skills that may change your brain
Christopher Miller, Ph.D., psychiatrist and assistant professor at the University of Maryland, stresses the importance of the psychological support we provide or receive in our daily lives, through skills:
- Self-esteem and optimism.
- Appreciating and understanding a special person.
- Strengthening relationships based on give and take.
- Offering leniency to hostility.
- Listen instead of rushing to judgment.
It can also be a form of psychotherapy, which reduces inflammation and symptoms of stress, and helps improve dealing with others, according to Miller.
5- Learn how to worry properly
“Preventing or suppressing anxiety is exactly what needs to be done,” says New York University psychology professor Tracy Denise Tiwari, “but suppressing thoughts and feelings never works.”
She adds, “Paradoxically, anxiety increases with the increase in pressing fears, and prevents us from discovering other ways to deal with fears and reach solutions to them.” Which makes us need to know how we can worry properly, through these steps in order:
- Locate the anxiety in your body.
- Make anxiety tangible.
- Solve the problem causing it.
- Leave worries behind.
6- “You can succeed despite imposter syndrome.”
Based on her experiences, American psychologist Jill Stoddard says, “I meet many brilliant individuals who doubt their success, despite evidence to the contrary.” This is explained by the fact that these people fall under the burden of the condition known as “Impostor Syndrome”.
According to the British Medical Association, impostor syndrome is described as “a chronic sense of self-doubt that may isolate a person due to a feeling of inferiority, despite evidence of success.”
Therefore, Stoddard warns against this condition causing “undermining ambition, and overworking to the point of exhaustion, in an attempt to prove competence,” and advises overcoming fear and doubt, and being psychologically flexible.
7- Do not chase after happiness
After thousands of conversations with his dreaming patients With happinessDr. Gregory Scott Brown, who holds a doctorate in psychiatry, says, “I learned that chasing after happiness may distract us from what is necessary for a better life, which is “satisfaction” and a feeling of satisfaction. He advises starting to develop life in a way that achieves achievement, not dreams, by:
- Do not overreact to gain or loss.
- Learn to cope and adapt.
- Create and develop meaningful relationships.
- Stop regretting.
8- Do not tolerate the problem of waking up at night
“No one can wake up during the night, and waking up about every 90 minutes to two hours is normal,” says Lisa Strauss, MD, a sleep disorders specialist.
But waking up becomes a problem when it occurs so frequently that we do not get the deep sleep we need, “which affects our physical and mental performance, and causes inflammation and stress,” according to research.
To reduce nighttime awakenings and get deeper sleep, Strauss suggests:
- Exposure to sunlight in the morning.
- Avoid long or late naps.
- Finish annoying and worrying problems long before bedtime.
- Avoid eating and exercising late at night.
- Avoid anything that may increase the number of times you go to the bathroom.
