Table of Contents Show
Delving into the significance of self-care for mental well-being, we’ve gathered insights from nine professionals, including psychologists and clinical directors. Their perspectives range from how self-care reduces anxiety to its role in improving relationships and health. Explore these expert opinions to understand the multifaceted benefits of self-care on your mental health.
- Reduces Anxiety
- Affirms Personal Worth
- Allows Body and Mind Relaxation
- Builds Resilience
- Acts as a Protective Layer
- Fills Your Cup
- Is Personally Defined
- Prevents Loss of Self
- Improves Relationships and Health
Reduce Anxiety for Self-Care
Vladimira Ivanova, Psychologist, The Diamond Rehab
When you don’t prioritize yourself, you worry about a lot of things. This negligence leads to stress and anxiety, and suddenly, you face more problems than your current one. Self-care is actually the first step toward your “I don’t care” phase for every XYZ problem. And self-care all starts with eating the right diet and making yourself happy.
I have seen so much change in clients who practiced self-care. You eat well, read well, talk well, think well, become clean, and are less prone to diseases. This helps in reducing stress, and you immediately feel a sense of contentment within yourself.
Affirms Personal Worth
Ben Schwencke, Business Psychologist, Test Partnership
Aside from the direct benefits of self-care, the process itself reaffirms your importance. Taking time to look after yourself signifies that you are worthy of care, that your well-being matters, and that you are deserving of happiness.
When we make excuses to avoid self-care, we are affirming to ourselves the opposite—that everyone else is more important than we are. This mindset is inherently and substantially damaging, causing us to de-prioritize ourselves. Self-perception is a challenging issue, and it’s something that people can spend a lifetime in therapy to resolve. Therefore, I strongly recommend taking regular, meaningful actions to prioritize yourself and your well-being, just to reinforce the fact that you are worthy of it.
Allows Body and Mind Relaxation
Nilou Esmaeilpour, Clinical Director and Registered Clinical Counsellor, Lotus Therapy
One specific reason why self-care is important for mental well-being is that it helps reduce stress. Engaging in self-care activities like exercise, meditation, or hobbies allows your mind and body to relax and recuperate.
This relaxation response counteracts the stress response, helping to prevent chronic stress, which is known to have negative impacts on mental health. By regularly practicing self-care, you give your mind a break from daily stressors, which can improve your overall mood, reduce anxiety, and enhance your ability to handle stress in a healthier way.
Builds Resilience
Bayu Prihandito, Certified Psychology Consultant, Life Coach, Founder, Life Architekture
Self-care is essential for our mental well-being because it helps in managing our stress effectively. Regular self-care activities, whether it’s exercise, meditation, or simply taking time to relax, can act as a buffer against the negative effects of stress.
With this approach, we’re giving our mind and body the opportunity to reset and recharge. This isn’t just about feeling good in the moment; it’s about building resilience to handle future stressful situations. By making self-care a priority, we get to maintain a healthy balance by reducing the risk of burnout and enhancing our overall mental health.
Acts as a Protective Layer
Marketa Kropacova, Holistic Therapist, Alpha Therapies
In my two decades as a health practitioner, I’ve learned that self-care is vital for mental well-being because it’s very good at building up resilience against common ailments like stress. Incorporating self-care practices such as meditation, homeopathy, and reflexology helps to enhance a body’s natural healing processes and provides a deep form of mental relaxation.
This not only soothes physically but also stabilizes and strengthens your mental state and acts as a protective layer, shielding my mental health from stress and other daily challenges. Creating a resilient mental framework through self-care certainly helps to maintain a balanced outlook and ensure long-term psychological well-being.
Improves Relationships and Health
William Schroeder, Co-Owner, Just Mind
There are multiple reasons that self-care is important, and as a business owner and a mental health clinician, I think about this a lot in my own life and with clients.
Engaging in self-care activities allows individuals to recharge and rejuvenate, leading to a more balanced and content state of mind. When individuals are mentally and emotionally healthy, they can interact more positively with others, leading to healthier and happier relationships. Self-care fosters self-awareness and emotional intelligence, which are key components in understanding and empathizing with others, thus improving interpersonal dynamics.
Regular self-care practices can significantly reduce the levels of stress and mitigate the symptoms of depression. Chronic stress and untreated depression can lead to a host of physical health issues, including heart disease, a weakened immune system, and exacerbation of existing health conditions. By prioritizing self-care, individuals can manage stress more effectively and reduce the likelihood of depression, thereby lowering the risk of these associated health complications.
Last Updated on by Mehar Jolly
Author
