Practice Self-Care

“Practice Self-Care”

What does that mean?

It is Mental Health Awareness Month, and this week we are talking about stress and burnout. 

Stress is an unfortunately common mental health struggle that most human beings have to deal with nearly every day. 

We all experience different levels of stress, and we all have different limits as to how much stress we can take before we become overwhelmed and burnt out.

Stress can be good in the sense that it may motivate you to get more done, but it can also cause you to feel as if the burdens you are carrying are too much and you can’t take it any longer.

“Burn-out” is a popular term that has been used a lot lately to describe a feeling where you become so overwhelmed with the day-to-day, never-ending stresses of life that you cannot take any more. 

While stress may feel unavoidable, practing self-care is a great way to cut back on it and give yourself some breathing room.  

Practicing self-care regularly can help reduce the impact of stress and make burn-out much less common. 

Self-care, much like stress, can look very different for everyone; however, the key is to make sure your self-care is healthy and positive.

Many people use alcohol and illicit substances as a form of “self-care” or “self-medication” to deal with stress and burn-out, but that is not a healthy way to cope with life’s struggles.

Healthy, positive self-care activities may include knitting, reading, playing games, watching your favorite movies/TV shows, playing with your kids, taking a nap, yoga, etc. 

Self-care is vitally important in the fight against stress and burn-out. Try to find some time this week to practice some self-care.

If you or someone you know needs help receiving substance abuse treatment, please call (270) 900-0373 any time, any day, 24/7 for a screening with one of our employees.