12 Essential Ways to Maintain Mental Wellbeing and Combat Depression

September 6th, 2010 by Steve Scott

We all have mental health just as we all have physical health. We all know about how to keep ourselves in good physical shape, some people do this well and others not so well. But do we all know how to keep ourselves in good mental shape?

Mental health is about how we think and feel and how resilient we are in coping with lifes inevitable ups and downs. Being mentally healthy does not just mean that you are avoiding mental ill health, it means that you are able to make the most of your potential, are able to handle the stress and strains of everyday life and make a contribution to your family, your workplace and your community.

Even if you are unfortunate enough to be challenged with a mental illness, such as depression, good mental wellbeing can be achieved with discipline, practice, new ways of thinking and new, more helpful habits. With 1 in 4 people experiencing mental ill health at some point in their life, either you, or someone around you, will be affected. We all have times when we are unhappy, stressed or just in a low mood and in most cases these pass relatively quickly. But if left unaddressed these feelings could develop into something more serious, such as depression, general anxiety disorder or panic attacks. Everyone is different in how they recover from these setbacks, some recover quicker than others, some take a long time to recover.

There is, unfortunately, a stigma attached to mental health problems that stops many people talking about their negative feelings, which actually only serves to keep them in a low mood. Talking to others about how you feel can be difficult but it is actually okay and liberating to say how you feel and to get the support you need.

This guide will suggest 12 practical ways of looking after your mental health.

1. Keep Physically Active

Scientists believe that exercise releases chemicals in your brain that make you feel good. Frequent exercising can help raise your levels of self-confidence and self-esteem as well as keeping your brain and other vital body organs in good shape. Exercise doesnt just mean taking part in sports, it can mean walking in the park or countryside, taking care of the garden, or even doing the housework. All it takes is just 30 minutes of exercise a day for a minimum of 5 days a week. Now thats not a lot to ask of yourself.

Find a physical activity that you enjoy doing and make it an essential part of your day. Even better, find someone else to exercise with and have fun at the same time. Regular exercising helps you become fitter and lose weight, increasing your sense of worth and confidence. If you look good you feel good.

2. Eat Well.

There is much evidence to prove that what we eat affects how we feel, just think about how that cup of coffee and a spoonful of sugar affects you almost instantly. But food can have a long lasting affect on your mental health and your brain needs a good mixture of essential nutrients to stay in shape and to function effectively, just as your body does.

A well-balanced diet that is good for your body is also good for your brain and, ultimately, your mental health. A healthy diet could include:

Lots of water
Oily fish
A wide variety of vegetables and fruit
Wholegrain cereals and bread
Raw nuts and seeds
Dairy products (in moderation)



Your diet need not look like the picture above. There are many books available on what food is good for you and the wide variety of ways they can be cooked or served. Eat at least three good meals a day and drink plenty of water. Restrict the amount of alcohol, caffeine and sugary drinks as these can have a detrimental effect on you.

3. Only Drink in Moderation.

Alcohol is often drunk to help change our mood or to help relaxation. For some, it helps reduce fear and a feeling of loneliness but whatever the reason for consuming it, the effect is short-lived. After drinking you will feel worse due to the manner in which alcohol withdrawal symptoms affect the brain and the rest of the body. Alcohol is not an effective way to help deal with difficult feelings and emotions.

Like any addiction, the more frequently you drink alcohol the more you need to produce the same short-term effect and the more your body and brain is damaged.



However, occasional light drinking in moderation is perfectly healthy and enjoyable for the majority. The recommended daily limits are as follows and you would be wise to stick within these guidelines:

Two to three units a day for women.
Three to four units a day for men.

In addition to alcohol, many people use nicotine and/or drugs to alter their mood but as with alcohol, the effect is very short lived and creates a craving for yet more. Neither of these solve the problems you need help with but rather create new ones to deal with.

4. Value Yourself and Others.

When you look around you, you will notice that some people are good at one thing, such as making people laugh, or several things, such as cookery, gardening, sport, and so on. We are all unique and just because we might not have the same skills as others does not mean that we can undervalue ourselves. Everyone has something they are good at but not everyone recognizes the abilities within themselves. It is much healthier to accept you are unique than be jealous of what someone has got.

By valuing yourself for who you are and for who others are, will boost your sense of self-worth and self-confidence, allow you to grow and develop new skills, go to new places, meet new friends and fulfill your potential. These feelings will help you when circumstances change and you are challenges with lifes stresses and strains.



Concentrate on what you are good at but also accept and recognize what you are not so good at, be proud and value yourself for what you are and what you can do. For those things that you might want to change, be realistic about what you are able to achieve and take small but regular steps towards your goal.

5. Talk About Your Feelings.

Contrary to what you may believe, talking about your feelings is very mentally healthy and will help you deal with difficult times. Talking to others about what you are going through means you are taking control of your wellbeing and doing what you can to stay healthy. It is not a sign of weakness, it is rather a sign of strength.

The old saying two heads are better than one is so true, talking to others about how you are feeling can help you cope with your situation and, in addition, it releases the thoughts whirling around in your brain going nowhere. Just to have someone listen to you can fill you with a sense of support and care and make you feel less lonely. Communication is a two-way process and by opening up yourself you will also likely encourage others to do the same.

Describing your thoughts and feelings to others can be difficult initially so its worth using lots of different words rather than trying to select just one. Drawing pictures is another way of expressing how you might be feeling and will help the other person understand better.



It will help you to talk about how you are feeling if you develop the conversation naturally rather than plan it, in situations where you are doing something together, say over a cup of tea or out walking. For the first time it may make you feel awkward but give it time, choose your moment and it will get easier once you start. You will feel very relieved once you have done and it will be much easier next time.

6. Keep in Touch With Family and Friends.

The stresses of life can feel much easier with the love and support of close family and good friends. Being among family and friends will give you a sense of inclusion and of being cared for, they can provide different perspectives on what you may be going through, offer advice or personal experience that may be relevant for you. They can also help you follow the steps in this guide and even hold you accountable for what you are doing and the progress you are making.

With all the different ways of staying in touch these days, there is no excuse for being isolated. Having family and friends around will give you pleasure and fun and help ward of those negative feelings. Its good to talk!



Concentrate your efforts on those relationships with people that make you feel good or loved or valued. If someone is adversely affecting your mental health it may be better if you can avoid them or make contact as infrequent as possible. If necessary break the relationship in a way that is okay for both of you.

At times during life, you may lose someone close to you and it is natural to grieve and mourn their passing. However, it is unnatural for these feelings to last a long time so it is important that you talk about how you are feeling to either, your family, close friends or even a counsellor.


7. Care for Others.

There will be times when people around you need help and support and someone to listen to their troubles. Helping others in their time of need can be very rewarding and uplifting for you and help you forget about your difficulties at the same time. Caring for others is part of developing and maintaining a close relationship you have with them, it can draw you closer together.

You can even extend the concept of caring for others by volunteering to work with charities or organizations helping those less fortunate. You will feel needed and valued for the work you do and will enhance your levels of self-worth and self-confidence. In addition, it will help you see that you are not the only one with needs and will add a new dimension to your world, one that will put everything into perspective.



Caring for others can include pets. Many people believe that looking after pets can improve your own mental wellbeing, can be fun and enjoyable. Most pet owners describe how they develop a strong bond between themselves and their pets, a bond that can cut the feeling of isolation and loneliness. Walking a dog, for example, will help you meet many new people with a similar interest and get you out of the house and provide that daily exercise.


8. Get Involved, Make a Contribution

As well as voluntary work, as mentioned above, taking an active part in family life, with your friends, the community and in the workplace can really enhance your sense of belonging and give you purpose in your life. Rather than shrinking away from these activities, throw yourself into them with real enthusiasm, be the instigator or organizer and watch how you self-esteem and self-confidence grows.

For example, hold dinner parties or arrange a barbeque and invite everyone along. You will be surprised how your value grows within you and how you are valued by others. Overcome the fear of failure and do it anyway, the perception is always greater than the reality.

In the workplace, build your enthusiasm for projects and events by taking a lead part, grow your reputation amongst your peers and colleagues and revel in the involvement.



Doing something positive will develop positive thoughts and help you to be mentally healthy. This will in turn, build your resilience to difficult times and stand you in good stead for maintaining a healthy balanced mind and body.

9. Learn a New Skill

Learning a new skill can be like learning to walk again. It exposes you to new concepts, new ideas, new experiences and can be great fun along the way. Many of us have things we have always wanted to do but never got around to it. What is yours and consider what it is that has stopped us pursuing our dream. Usually, the obstacle or barrier that has got in the way is in our head rather than anything else. Change your mindset, believe you can actually do what you want, that you can learn that new skill, such as learning a new language, or fly fishing, or a musical instrument.

Learning a new skill can also bring you into contact with other like-minded people and expand the number of friends you have. The learning process will help you focus on other things than just your own wellbeing, it broadens your knowledge and experiences and helps you become rounded and grounded.



When you are in the process of learning, you will experience a sense of achievement and ultimately success when you have mastered the new skill and this will further feed your feelings of self-worth, self-confidence and personal value.

10. Do Something Creative.

In addition to learning a new skill, many of us have existing pastimes that we love doing but sometimes dont get chance to practice. Lots of people like being creative, developing things from scratch and enjoying the process of completing the task. Enjoying yourself while you do this beats stress and boosts your self-esteem. It gives you a focus and purpose that helps you forget the worries on your mind or the difficult times at work. Being creative is consuming and leaves little room in your mind for anything else.



Doing something creative also means that for a while you are not an employee. A manager, a father or a partner, you are just you doing something you enjoy. At the same time, being creative allows you to express yourself in different ways, such as drawing, painting, building or planting for example. You may meet different people while you are doing and again expanding your band of friends and colleagues with similar interests.

11. Take a Break

Sometimes we can be so involved in our work and busy life that we forget to take a break. Sometimes we kid ourselves we take a break when we eat lunch at the desk or have hot drinks on the go, but this is an illusion and is detrimental to good mental health. What it really needs is a change of scenery, a short walk, a sit down during housekeeping, or even a long weekend away. This is the time you can de-stress and have some much needed me time.

Taking a break may mean taking part in some activity or it could mean just sitting on a perk bench and watching the world go by. Either way, you are taking a break from your normal activities and will help you experience a change and a chance to think about something new or not very much at all.



Many people find yoga or meditation helpful for relaxation but just putting your feet up for 10 minutes or so can be as equally helpful. If you feel tired, have a power nap, tiredness can really lower our mood and resilience. Make sure you get enough sleep and wake up naturally wherever possible. Dont skimp on rest and relaxation at the expense of getting everything done on your to-do list. Even when you are on deaths bed, there will still be things you will not have ticked off that never ending list. Sometimes the world can wait until you come back from your break.


And Lastly:

12. Ask for Help.

We all have mental health and we are all humans. Everyone can get overwhelmed at times by what is going on around them or within their head. Not everything goes according to plan, or always goes right or we always feel well. From time to time things will go awry and we feel like we are not in control and cannot cope and it is during these times we need to ask for help.

Your family and friends may be the right people to talk to but there are many other options as well, such as:

Support groups for weight, alcohol or drugs
Coaches, counselors, or therapists
Citizen advice bureau
Mental health charities, such as MIND, the Depression Alliance, the Mental Health Foundation and Stand to Reason
The Samaritans
Local authorities



Speak to your GP if you think your mental health is being affected and is affecting your relationships with others, your work and your overall health. Over a third of all visits to the GPs are about mental health so there is no need to feel embarrassed or alone.

I hope you have found this guide useful and informative.