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As we grow, we incorporate habits to enhance our mental health and well-being. However, along with habits that enhance it, we also incorporate those that can damage our mental and even brain health. While it can be easy to pick habits, it can be difficult to let go of them.
Habits are very likely to harm the brain in some way. That's crucial,as diseases like dementia and Alzheimer's Disease, which are caused by cognitive loss, can worsen if the brain tissue is injured. Consequently, becoming aware of some of these behaviors may help lower your risk of developing brain deterioration at a young age and enhance mental health.
Habits to Unlearn for Better Mental Health
“Bad habits are our enemies because they hinder us from being the person we want to be.” — Joyce Meyer.
One of the most important abilities that can make or break mental health is unlearning. We're bombarded with so much information that it becomes challenging to comprehend it all. Learning how to unlearn habits can also aid in relearning them.
Unlearning doesn't mean forgetting something entirely; rather, it means learning to select from a variety of information sources. Here are five habits that may prevent you from learning new things and could harm your mental health:
1) Isolating Yourself
In times of distress, we often escape our loved ones and try to isolate ourselves. It can be easy to distance yourself from other people and reality when you're feeling unhappy or in a negative frame of mind.
However, doing so typically has a negative effect, making us feel even more isolated and depressed. However, social isolation can result from factors other than being unhappy. Other factors include physical limitations, emotional suffering, social anxiety, and depression.
While periodically spending some time by yourself is beneficial as a type of self-care that enables you to recharge, spending too much time by yourself can be harmful to your mental health. It has been discovered that loneliness frequently causes issues like an increase in substance addiction, cognitive deterioration, poor sleep, and early death.
2) Procrastination
When necessary, you're entirely permitted to postpone your activities. However, you don't want to be a serial procrastinator. Delaying what must happen can impact mental health. It clogs up your schedule and breeds uncertainty. You can't achieve success in life if you put off doing things.
Try to finish the chores as they come up, as nobody will carry it out on your behalf. Getting rid of procrastination is never simple, though. Do your utmost to reduce it, and stop postponing what cannot be helped. You need to stop putting off taking actions to stop your procrastination. You can easily overcome that if you put forth a little effort.
3) Fear of Mistakes
Fearing mistakes is a habit that can damage mental health. They stem from a core belief that one must be 'perfect'.
You must acknowledge mistakes when they happen. Try not to criticize yourself for things you cannot change. Be less preoccupied with achievement, as failures inevitably happen. What makes a difference is how you respond.
For instance, even though you were careful while choosing your investing options, you may still lose money. You could make a choice that impacts your business, but whatever happens, take something positive out of it. You will be able to make wiser decisions in the future by learning from your failures.
4) Setting Unclear Boundaries
Letting others step within our boundaries can be harmful to mental health. Most people need to develop stronger, healthier boundaries. Developing the ability to say no in a polite and clean manner is a crucial leadership core skill. Learning to say no also means saying yes to yourself, which is an 'aha!' moment for many.
Setting boundaries is also essential for the mental health of a company. Organizations that are dysfunctional often have hazy, loose boundaries. Clarity, safety, security, and order are all produced by learning to establish healthy boundaries and communicating them in a kind and compassionate manner. A strong leader lays forth a concrete plan for everyone to follow to position the entire team for success.
5) Neglecting Physical Health
Your physical and mental health are intimately connected with each other. Having trouble with one can eventually have an impact on the other.
Neglecting physical health is not a good idea because of that reason. For instance, there's a connection between mental health issues like acute stress, depression, and physical illnesses like psoriasis.
Additionally, not exercising, eating a large number of unhealthy foods, and gaining weight can contribute to symptoms including fatigue, insomnia, and weight gain.
Takeaway
Be kind to yourself if it takes longer than expected to unlearn a habit, as it can be just as difficult as learning one. There will be ups and downs, but in the end, if you're able to recignize these, you're already on the path to improving your mental health.
Janvi Kapur is a counselor with a Master's degree in applied psychology with a specialization in clinical psychology.
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