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Mental Health: Strategies to Strengthen the Psyche

By Megan Lee

Mental hygiene encompasses the habits and strategies that foster harmony between our internal state, external environment, and personal relationships. It’s about aligning our actions and words with the life we want to experience, intimately linked with high self-esteem, a healthy self-concept, and avoiding emotional stagnation.

Mental Hygiene and the Importance of Context

Often, psychological well-being is mistakenly viewed as solely an individual, internal phenomenon. However, the concept of mental hygiene adopts a more holistic view, acknowledging humans as bio-psycho-social beings. This means our mental state is a dynamic interplay: we shape our environment, and our environment, in turn, shapes us. Therefore, mental well-being is a two-way street—influenced by what we choose to do and what our context reflects back to us. Ultimately, mental hygiene represents an emotional and cognitive equilibrium between our expectations and our present reality, crucial for a holistic quality of life.

Keys to Practicing Mental Hygiene

Here are practical strategies to cultivate mental hygiene and reap its benefits. Remember that individual experiences vary, so adapt these to your unique life.


  1. Question Your Expectations


    Much emotional distress stems from unrealistic expectations. Reflect on their origins: are they influenced by marketing, or are you comparing yourself to others’ curated best versions? Re-evaluate these expectations for a more grounded perspective.



  2. Release the Impossible


    Identify objectives that are inherently unattainable. Acknowledging and letting go of these impossible goals frees mental energy. This allows you to redirect focus toward stimulating, realistic objectives that can genuinely contribute to personal development.



  3. Nurture Your Relationships


    Assess the symmetry of your relationships. Are you investing heavily in connections that aren’t reciprocal? Are you missing opportunities to deepen bonds with those who value you? While affection isn’t a commodity, cultivating mutually supportive relationships is vital for well-being.



  4. Prioritize Basic Needs


    Psychological well-being is difficult to achieve if basic needs are unmet. Ensuring adequate nutrition, a secure home, and sufficient sleep hours are fundamental. Sleep, often overlooked, is crucial for bodily and brain repair, impacting mental clarity and emotional regulation.



  5. Practice Resilience


    Resilience is the capacity to navigate and recover from crises, such as loss or job termination. It involves learning to distance yourself from pessimistic interpretations of challenging realities and developing a broader perspective on your present and future. This strategy profoundly enhances mental hygiene.



  6. Set Concrete Goals


    Meaningful objectives energize our minds. Setting clearly defined goals keeps us active, engages our ingenuity, and hones emotional management. Furthermore, establishing deadlines helps combat procrastination and promotes consistent progress.



  7. Practice Mindfulness


    Managing periods of rest and relaxation is essential for mental hygiene; constant activity or repetitive thought loops are detrimental. Taking breaks from work and responsibilities allows the mind to decompress and break free from circular thinking. Techniques like meditation or Mindfulness are effective, especially when practiced in calm, natural environments free from reminders of obligations.