When you see the word mental health, what comes to mind?
Do you feel it’s something only a certain kind of people have to worry about? Or do you think it’s an aspect of your life you don’t have to pay much attention to because it will take care of itself?
If you answered yes to either of the above, this post is for you. Your mental health, even as a Christian, is as important as your spiritual, physical, and emotional health and should never be neglected.
Beloved, I wish above all things that you prosper and be in health, even as your soul prospers. 3 John 1:2. Your mental health is part of your soul.
And no, mental health talks aren’t for a select number of people – it is for everybody because troubles with your mental health can shut down other areas of your life. So, here are practical things you can do to look after your mental health as a Christian.
Address Past Trauma
Unfortunately, unaddressed trauma is among the leading causes of mental health troubles people face today. And statistics have shown that 70% of adults have experienced trauma from a childhood (or past) experience.
You may think you are not being affected by any traumatic event. But let me explain what trauma really entails.
Trauma happens when you have an experience that overwhelms your brain because of the not-so-good emotions and feelings that experience makes you have. Your brain does not process the whole thing properly before storing the memory. Now, because that memory isn’t well-processed, whenever you encounter another event that is similar (even in the slightest way) to that first event, your brain brings up those harmful emotions you felt that first time, and you feel them afresh.
So, let’s say the first time your hard-earned phone was stolen, a guy in a red shirt did it at a bus stop, and you were devastated. Now, whenever you are at a bus stop and you see a guy in a red shirt, you may begin to panic, or your situational awareness gets overly heightened. That is a trauma response, even though on a smaller scale. However, in the long run, any trauma you haven’t dealt with will determine how you respond to the things and people around you, and sometimes, these responses can put severe strain on your mental health. Now imagine when there are several traumatic experiences you haven’t dealt with.
An appropriate way to deal with trauma is to talk to a therapist, counselor, or someone you trust about that negative experience. You can also take it to God in prayer. But other times, you may need a certified clinician to help you process those unprocessed memories – which you may not even remember – so you can get rid of trauma.
Don’t worry; seeking clinical help does not contradict your faith. It shows that you honor God’s work on your mind enough to go the extra mile to keep it in good condition.
Set Boundaries and Respect Other People’s Boundaries
You may not believe this, but failing to set boundaries and not respecting other people’s boundaries can cause both mental and emotional stress.
Boundaries simply indicate where you stop and where others begin in your day-to-day interactions. Healthy boundaries create an environment of mutual respect in your relationships, leading to a stress-free situation for everyone – since you’d have less conflict to deal with.
Setting boundaries and respecting other people’s boundaries will also save you from the resentment (and negativity) that results when you feel others are asking too much of you or are not meeting your expectations of them.
So, how do you set and respect other people’s boundaries?
- Clearly communicate what you prefer or do not prefer to have in your relationships so you don’t have people always crossing the line.
- Be bold enough to turn down requests you find unfavorable so you do not become resentful of people or overwhelm yourself trying to meet people’s expectations.
- Regulate your expectations of people. When you expect so much from people, and they fail to meet that expectation, you set yourself up for disappointment, worry, and possibly depression.
- Be ready to comply with other people’s boundaries.
- Create an emotional or physical space between yourself and people who consistently violate your boundaries.
Talk to God
Have you noticed that whenever you pray to God about a particular thing, you find relief, and those heavy burdens get lifted – even before those prayers are answered? Yes, that’s what 1 Peter 5:7 meant when it said cast ALL your cares upon Him, for He cares for you. When you cast those burdens on God in the place of prayer, you lighten the load on your mind and give your mental health enough room to breathe.
But that’s not all. Through prayer, God can provide you with solutions or scriptures to help you battle the roots of those burdens so they no longer place any strain on your mental well-being. So, are you feeling depressed, anxious, or helpless? Knowing that you have a Father who is more than willing to come through for you can be the most significant relief you can get from that stress.
Whenever you feel something putting that strain on your mental well-being, especially something beyond your control, talk to your Father about it.
Lean More on the Holy Spirit
Sounds like I’m beginning to get preachy, right? But what do you think God gave you the Holy Spirit for? To simply brag about Him or merely stop at praying in other tongues? Absolutely not!
God gave you the Holy Spirit to help you live according to His will. And would you say it is God’s will for you to suffer mental health troubles?
Definitely not!
So, if having sound mental health is God’s desire for you, shouldn’t it be assured that His Spirit is willing to help you enjoy that? And come to think of it, most of the things that cause us mental stress are usually things we do without the Spirit of God or things we do outside His will. So, cultivate a habit of being led by the Spirit of God – He will help you avoid all kinds of trouble – to be spiritually minded is life and peace (Rom 8:6)!
Spend More Time Doing the Things You Love with the People You Love
Chronic mental stress and other conditions like depression and suicide thrive in isolation and solitude. And they are more likely to happen when our brains release an excess of certain chemicals – irrespective of your religious inclination. But doing the things you love and spending time with those you love will make your life unconducive for those mental health troubles.
When you do the things that give you satisfaction and happiness (not outside God’s will, though), your brain releases joy chemicals like serotonin, dopamine, and endorphins, which can increase your happiness and satisfaction, elevate your mood, energize you, and make you less susceptible to mental stress.
Examples of things you can do include spending time outdoors (in nature), listening to good music, watching a relaxing movie, achieving your goals or dreams, taking a deep sleep, or traveling outside your vicinity. You can also join a church community and be active in a church group.
In the same way, spending time with the people you love helps your brain release a chemical called oxytocin. Oxytocin may not give you that feeling of happiness like the first three, but it will help improve your mood and give you that sense of belonging.
Study, Declare, and Meditate on the Word
Mental health issues are real, but so are the Word of God and the things God has made available for you in Christ. You just have to agree with who God says you are over what society or your feelings try to make of you.
When 2 Timothy 1:7 says that God has not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind, it’s true! Your mind is sound! Your mental health is sound! Your brain is functioning correctly! Do not join the band of youngsters who go about confessing hostile mental health conditions over themselves just to feel special. Even if you’ve been clinically diagnosed with any mental condition, do not stop declaring the Word! Or do you not believe there is healing in God? Always choose to stand with God’s Word over mental health crises.
Tidy and Beautify Your Space
Research has shown that living in a cluttered, unbeautified space can also affect your mental health in a not-so-good way. On one hand, clutter and disorganization can introduce ambience, physical, and mental overwhelm which can increase your anxiety and stress levels and also affect your ability to focus. On the other hand, a space that isn’t beautiful enough can consistently leave you moody, depressed, and unmotivated.
You do not have to break the bank to get a tidy and beautiful space. Simply try painting your walls with a bright color or getting brightly-colored furniture. If you can afford aesthetically-appealing decors, awesome! Cleaning every now and then, and ensuring that your space is well lit and ventilated can equally go a long way to improve your mental well-being.
Exercise, Eat Healthily, and Get Enough Sleep
Sometimes, all you need when experiencing mental strain are good exercises, a balanced diet, and uninterrupted sleep.
Forget what motivational speakers tell you. Your body needs plenty of sleep – if you can do 6 to 8 hours daily, perfect! You know why?
When you sleep, your body works to help your cells undergo a kind of regeneration to keep you functioning properly. Your brain’s neural network (or communication system) also needs you to be in a state of deep sleep to be able to adequately process and store your memories and other activities in your brain. So, when you consistently fail to get enough sleep, you become more susceptible to trauma, mood swings, poor concentration, memory loss, depression, and even low energy levels because you weaken your brain’s functions.
The same thing applies to diet and exercise. Eating a balanced diet helps supply your body with the nutrients it needs for your brain to be in tiptop condition. Adequate exercise can help reduce the release of stress-inducing chemicals like cortisol and adrenaline to facilitate the release of those feel-good hormones. Don’t forget to get enough sunlight. Your mental health needs that natural supply of vitamin D.
Conclusion
As a Christian, your mental health is as important to God as other areas of your life. You also have to see it as an important aspect of your life. So, always do these to look after your mental health:
- Address past trauma
- Set boundaries and respect other people’s boundaries
- Talk to God
- Lean more on the Holy Spirit
- Spend more time doing the things you love with the people you love
- Study, declare, and meditate on the Word
- Tidy and beautify your space
Exercise, eat healthily, and get enough sleep.
