by Recently, redditor u/sexy_maier asked, “What made a huge improvement in your mental health?” People have revealed the lifestyle changes and advice that made a big difference in their mental health, and their answers are eye-opening. Here’s some of what they had to say:
Note: This article is not intended to replace seeing a medical professional. Mental health problems are specific to each individual.
1.“Sleep. It’s the basis for many things. Almost everything.”
—u/ClosetCentrist
“1) Sleep. 2) No alcohol, which allowed for better sleep, among other things. 3) Cut down on Caffeine, which again allowed for better sleep, among other things.”
—u/florida-karma
2.“Learn not to say, let go, and stop sweating the small stuff. Also, knowing that if someone has a problem with me, it’s a problem.”
—u/Prestigious_Target86
3.“I quit teaching high school. Got a divorce. So, much less stress, I finally quit smoking.”
—u/James PSimpson
4.“Know that it’s okay to leave some people behind.”
—u/cutiegro
“And knowing that it’s okay to be left behind.”
—u/LeanCompiler
5.“I hate how well exercise works. I hated my mom telling me it would ease my depression, but she was absolutely right. The thing is when you’re depressed, the last thing you you feel like doing. But nothing else has as much of a positive impact on my mental state as regular exercise.”
—u/alien constable
6.“Cardio at least 30 minutes, preferably in the sunlight or at least outside, five or more times a week.”
—u/ClosetCentrist
7.” Having a non-toxic job. I’ve been bullied for as long as I can remember at school, at home, and at work. My current job is the best paying and least stressful I’ve ever experienced. I managed to de-stress. for the first time; I don’t worry about work on my days off, and I’m even becoming able to stand up for myself instead of being locked up.”
“No amount of self-care worked until I experienced this.”
—u/Zephyr_Dragon49
8.“Getting out of an abusive relationship.”
—u/Salt_Cranberry_115
9.“Intentionally practicing gratitude. I started thinking about three specific things I was grateful for every night before I fell asleep. I didn’t even write them down – I just took five seconds to think about three things (but no generic friends, family, food. ,’ etc., repeated responses).
“I suffer from mental illness; along with treatment, practicing gratitude is scientifically well-founded as a mood booster, and I was surprised by the huge difference it made.”
—u/MrPBsErica
10.“Getting mad at my old friends who didn’t take me seriously after a tragedy. I won’t try to be sociable and kind anymore. If you treat me terribly, my life is gone.”
—u/CitrusLovingCats
11.“I want to say that going for regular walks has improved the tone of my mental health.”
—u/Yoshaay
12.“Realize that it’s perfectly NORMAL to have bad days. You’re no different than anyone else. We all have bad days every week. Don’t let social media or other people around you fool you. No one is live the best day of their lives every day, and you have to have bad days to really enjoy the great ones.”
—u/eggsaladrightnow
13.“Having pets. My pets have helped me more times than I can count! I have been blessed to have pets with me through the most joys and sorrows! ❤️”
—u/SophiesChoice_55
“I got a cat. He sits with me. I’ll rant and say all kinds of things to him, and he just sits there – like, ‘Go ahead and get off your chest, man.’ Life gets lonely, especially if you don’t have a family, a partner or kids. It makes life a little easier.”
—u/hotbrunettegirll
14.“Exchanging social media and instant streaming music for a vinyl record. It slows me down mentally and gives me the peace of mind to listen and forget about the outside world for a bit. It’s strangely therapeutic.”
—u/Out Awkward
15.“I removed myself from all social media and stopped caring what other people thought of me.”
—u/GreenArrow40
16.“I gave up alcohol, I quit destructive relationships (friends, family, partner), got help, took medication regularly, exercised every day, and journaled every day. Life changed significantly!”
—u/Spottedrhyno
And finally…
17.“Finding something to look forward to. It helped me get out of depression.”
—u/PaigeLParker
What are some other things that have really helped improve your mental health? Let us know in the comments below.
Note: Some answers have been edited for length and/or clarity.
The National Alliance on Mental Illness’ helpline is 1-888-950-6264 (NAMI) and offers information and referral services; GoodTherapy.org is an association of mental health professionals from more than 25 countries that supports efforts to reduce harm in therapy.
