It may only be mid-February but I’m sure it feels like the past month & half has passed in the blink of an eye and yet, in that brief period which seemingly passed in a flash, we have come a long way.
We have been using Maslow’s hierarchy of needs (below) as a model for building a foundation upon which we can work at improving our mental health.
It is often the case that in our suffering we lose sight of the importance of addressing our basic needs. When this happens we inhibit our ability to function well both physically & mentally; And as we have seen over the past few weeks, our physical health & mental health do not exist independently of each other. They are mutually influential, symbiotic, and co-dependent. A deficit in one will eventually impact on the other.
At this stage, then, I suggest it’s a good time to take a look back before proceed any further to reflect on our learning so far, summarise and refresh our memories to make sure we have got as much as we can out of efforts.
The first four episodes of this series focused on the most basic of our needs which appear in tier 1 of the pyramid pictured above:
- Sleep: In this episode we looked at the human body & mind’s need for adequate rest & recovery. We often think about rest as something we do after a period of effort & activity. We talk about catching up on sleep. But this is actually only half the story: Rest should also be a preparation for effort & activity. Without it, we cannot function optimally. We therefore looked at fairly simple measures that you can take to improve the quantity & quality of your sleep. These include measures like doing small things throughout the day that prepare your body for sleep that night, creating a bed-time or sleep ritual, the do’s & don’ts of diet & nutrition for helping you sleep, use of exercise, avoiding sleeping during the day, considering your sleep environment and being mindful of your stress levels. For more help on each of those points see episode one of this series: https://broadmindstherapy.org/2022/01/04/5-minute-therapy-1-sleep/
- Diet & Nutrition: Episode 2 recognised the influence of diet & nutrition on, not just our physical health, but our mental health, too; And by enhancing one, it can enhance the other. Here we advised keeping a food diary to record details about your eating habits which can then be used to identify What you are eating and what common themes or patterns can be noted in your eating habits; Where you eat & drink, considering how the environment you are in effects your eating habits; When you eat, thinking about the times you eat but also the events & circumstances you are in when you eat; Why the identified patterns exist; And How you eat – are you wolfing down your food as quickly as possible or eating slowly & mindfully? We then proposed a goal based model for change that can be reviewed here: https://broadmindstherapy.org/2022/01/11/5-minute-therapies-2-diet-nutrition/
- Shelter & Clothing: This episode considered the impact on our mental health when we don’t have adequate shelter & clothing but also recognised the impact of poor mental health on being able to provide for our basic needs.
- Sex & Relationships: Humans are born to connect with others. Unlike many other animals humans take years to fully mature and gain the knowledge and ability to provide for themselves. Connection with others is an existential need and it never leaves us. Even after we are fully grown we still have needs for love and relationships which nourish and enrich our lives. Episode 4 considers the role of sex & relationships in our mental health and the myriad ways that these can be enhancing and limiting factors in our growth. You can review that episode here: https://broadmindstherapy.org/2022/01/27/5-minute-therapies-4-sex-reproduction/
- Security: Episode 5 was our first foray into tier 2 of the pyramid and looked at how our perception of security in our lives influences our mental health. We paused to consider more obvious threats to our safety such as domestic violence & abuse impact on our mental health, as well as more insidious threats that may go largely unnoticed until the consequences manifest in our physical health, including exposure to radiation & toxic waste, exposure to chemical and environmental hazards, and infection. For more information see episode: https://broadmindstherapy.org/2022/02/02/5-minute-therapies-5-security/
- Health: Episode 6 recognises the delicate balance of our over all health. The old saying healthy body, healthy mind is considered on merit but also notes that this also works both ways: The health of our minds also affects our physical health. This can have advantages & disadvantages. For example, If we suffer illness or injury, our mental health may suffer, but the same relationship between our physical & mental health can be used to improve one by working on the other: We can improve our mental health by taking steps to improve our physical health. See more at: https://broadmindstherapy.org/2022/02/12/5-minute-therapies-health/
- Finance: The final episode covering the bottom 2 tiers of the pyramid concerns finances and recognises how our perception of our financial situation in life can influence our mental health but also that our health can have a great impact on our ability to finance our basic needs. An inhibited ability to meet these needs hampers our ability to maintain good mental health. For more information see: https://broadmindstherapy.org/2022/02/16/5-minute-therapies-finances/
If I can offer one tip that applies to all of these factors across both tiers, and generally applies to wider life in general, it all starts with Self-Care. Having a good idea of what you need to do to look after yourself well, better still having a well-developed self care plan, and having the motivation to put it into daily practice has the potential to pay huge dividends for your over all health. Not only does looking yourself improve your chances of better health but it conveys the implicit message to yourself that you are worth taking care of. It reinforces a sense of greater self-worth.
If you want to start with a focus on one thing, start with self care. A simple plan might include:
If you would like to talk about mental health issues, whether it be for yourself or someone you know feel free to contact BroadMinds Therapy for help & advice. Call (+353) 0899420568, email help@broadmindstherapy.org , message us via this website, or visit our facebook page http://www.facebook,com/jpbroad for more information.
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Thanks for taking the time to read this article.
Integrative Counselling And Psychotherapy 