Tips to look after your mental health during the cost of living crisis

We’re all used to hearing about the cost-of-living crisis, and many of us are already suffering the effects. And it doesn’t look like things are going to improve for a while yet.

Talk about the choice between “heating and eating” and worrying about all the household bills and all the other things we have to pay for are a constant worry. And it’s starting to have severe effects on our mental health.

A recent article on the Mental  Health Foundation website offers useful tip on how to look after your mental health when all the news seems to be bad.

Scary world news can affect our mental health. After learning about global events that cause uncertainty, you may feel fear, anxiety or a loss of control over your own life and plans. You may worry for the safety of strangers, loved ones or yourself. And if you have lived through similar events in the past, it may bring up traumatic memories.

Know that whatever you feel is valid. Know that we care about you and your mental health. And know that you are not alone in this. Read the full article.

Look after your mental health

Try to keep allocating time to things, activities and actions that are good for your mental health.

What works will be different for each person, so tune into what is right for you. Here are a few things to get your started. Try to:

• have a healthy sleep routine
• bring movement into your day
• nourish your body and mind with healthy foods
• spend quality time with friends, family and loved ones
• connect with nature to help reduce stress and improve your mood

All of these can help you to feel better and to take your mind off the stress of the news cycle.

If you feel you need further support with anxiety or stress, I can help.

How I Treat Anxiety

At Behavioural Freedom, I use a skills-based model for treating anxiety. During our sessions, I will teach you relaxation techniques and helpful ways in which you can fundamentally and positively change the way you behave, think and act. It’s also important to note here that you can’t be stressed or suffer from anxiety when you are in a relaxed state. The skills you’ll learn during your time with me will be vital to both your on-going treatment and perhaps more so as you leave my care.

A combination of Applied Relaxation and Cognitive Behavioural Therapy is considered by the British Medical Journal to be one of the most effective therapies to alleviate anxiety and put you on a path to having a positive mind-set and being able to live life to the fullest, free of worries. By combining both and adding in the element of hypnosis, I believe this is the most effective, pragmatic and relevant approach to the treatment of anxiety.

Please contact me today to start the journey back to behavioural freedom.