A person who is struggling with their mental health won’t be able to heal themselves completely in an hour, but there are numerous things a person can do in an hour or less that can support their mental health. At Cottonwood, in Tucson, Arizona, we think it’s important for people to realize that the investments that they make in themselves, even in small increments, can have big payoffs for their well-being.
A Recurring Hour
If you are always free at the same time, on the same day, the easiest and likely most effective way to use this time is for therapy. Granted, if you need time to drive to/from your session, this could be more than a one-hour commitment, but even if you literally only have one hour, you could utilize telehealth to complete therapy from wherever you already find yourself at that time.
Therapy:
- Allows you to build a trusting relationship with another person
- Helps you to add to your coping skills
- Can facilitate learning about yourself and the world around you
- Provides a different perspective on challenges you experience
Directing an Hour Toward Addressing Mental Health
Sometimes, your mental health requires immediate attention, so it takes up your time whether or not you set aside an hour for that purpose. When that happens, some resources can be used to try to improve your mental health within an hour. These include:
- Engage in grounding techniques. If anxiety, stress, panic attacks, or other forms of distress are causing a problem, you can try using breathwork or other grounding strategies to manage the situation.
- Create a sensory kit. Gather up things that you find comforting to each of your senses and keep them in one place to pull out when you’re struggling. Some examples of things you could put into your sensory kit include:
- Touch – stress ball, polished rock, soft blanket
- Smell – favorite candle or essential oil, the perfume or cologne of someone you love
- Taste – a small piece of high-quality chocolate, a stick of gum, a few pieces of sour candy
- Sound – a music playlist, meditation or nature sounds
- Sight – a photo of your favorite person or place, a reminder of a happy memory
- Call a crisis line. If you are struggling with suicidal thoughts, grief, loss, big life changes, temptation to self-harm, or other serious distress, you can call or text 988 from anywhere in the United States to reach a trained crisis counselor, and Arizona has additional crisis lines. The crisis counselor may also be able to connect you to mobile crisis support or long-term treatment options.
Random Opportunities for Self-Care
While self-care isn’t necessarily meant to target your mental health, it can have an indirect impact when you:
- Improve your sleeping conditions. You can do this by installing blackout curtains, getting sunshine early in the day, being more mindful of what you are eating to ensure your diet is rich in fiber, vitamins, and nutrients, but low in sugar, fat, and caffeine, lowering the light level in your home during the evening, and upgrading your mattress or pillows.
- Fit in a workout. Moving your body helps your brain to release more of the natural chemicals that make you feel good and less of the ones that make you feel stressed. Consult your doctor if you are just starting a fitness routine and try not to work out within 2-3 hours of when you want to be asleep.
- Go outdoors. Parks, gardens, forests, ponds, lakes, rivers, or the ocean can be very healing for your emotional well-being. Getting a bit of sunlight can also help your body produce Vitamin D, which can improve mood.
- Spend time with an animal. Whether you have pets, you spend time with a loved one who lets you cuddle theirs, or you volunteer with animals, there are benefits to engaging with furry friends.
- Tidy up. If your space is cluttered, your mind will feel more cluttered. If you’re struggling to get motivated, try setting a timer for 15 or 20 minutes and just pick up one area until the alarm goes off. You can also implement the rule that you never leave a room empty-handed, so that you’re returning things to where they belong any time you move through your home.
- Reach out for human contact. Call, text, or FaceTime a family member or friend, or better yet, schedule a time to catch up face-to-face.
At Cottonwood in Tucson, AZ, caring for the whole person is part of our core values. That’s why our treatment program focuses on healing the mind, body, and spirit of each client we serve through evidence-based care.
