Make time for your mental health

When it comes to taking care of yourself, be sure to go beyond your physical health. Mental health determines how you think, feel, and act, and can impact your overall well-being. Extra support can make a big difference when facing issues such as stress, depression, anxiety, eating disorders, or substance use.

Stress: Long-term stress can damage your health, so watch for warning signs and manage your response to stressful situations before you feel overwhelmed. Learn about effective ways to lower stress and have positive thoughts and feelings.

Managing emotions: Holding in emotions can harm your mind, body, and relationships with others. Learn how to talk about your feelings with someone you trust so you can work through them and focus on your positive emotions.

Sleep: When you sleep, your mind and body are hard at work on your overall health. Sleep builds your immune system and strengthens your mind. Take time to learn about health habits to help you sleep better, and set aside enough time for quality rest.

Anxiety: Experiencing anxiety once in a while is normal, and people have different ways of managing it. Uncontrolled anxiety, though, can affect your work and relationships. Severe and constant anxiety may cause health issues or make them worse, but there are ways to control your anxiety so you stay heathier.

Suicide: Intervention and support are key to suicide prevention. If you know someone who is thinking of harming themselves, take the threat of suicide seriously. Call a doctor or suicide line, or take the person to an ER. Call 988 to reach the 24/7 confidential 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline or go to 988lifeline.org. You can also text HOME to 741741.