Mental health is one of the most important facets of everyone’s life. It affects their ability to perform at home, work, or school. It can even affect your physical well-being if you’re struggling enough. The pandemic was a stark reminder for all people worldwide to prioritize their mental health, and there’s arguably a bigger spotlight than ever on issues surrounding the topic.
Modern solutions sprouted from pandemic-induced isolation, including innovations like acoustic felt panels to line your walls, certain mental health apps like Calm, and online therapy options so people didn’t have to miss their appointments. But it’s important to know how to calm yourself down at home without professional help or assistance nearby.
In this blog, we’re going to break down some specific ways you can bring your anxiety levels down in the event of a mental breakdown. We’ve all had a mental breakdown at some point or another. It’s nerve-wracking, frustrating, and often terrifying if you feel so overwhelmed with the world that you begin to shut down.
The important thing is to find some productive, healthy solutions that work for you. This may look different from person to person, but here are some simple methods that could work on many.
1. Learn how to control your breathing
The first step to attempting to calm down is to get your breathing under control. If you can’t breathe, your heart is sure to beat faster and cause you to panic even more. While this is easier said than done, there are several breathing exercises that are proven to lower your heart rate and help you relax faster.
An easy and common way to get your breath under control is to breathe in through your nose and out through your mouth. This may help you calm down, but experts actually believe breathing through your nose is more optimal. But if it helps you get your anxiety in order, by all means. There’s really no risk to it. Take slow, deep breaths instead of rapid, quick breaths.
2. Have a response plan ready
If this is something that occurs more often for you than others, be sure to have a response plan in place for battling your anxiety during a mental breakdown. This could be as simple as having your favorite sweatshirt nearby that comforts you to put on. It could be a series of yoga exercises or running on the treadmill to get the bad energy out of your system.
The important thing to remember is to get in the habit of positive coping methods for when you feel anxiety creeping up on you. Don’t turn to substances as a crutch, or redirect your frustration on someone else. If you need to be alone, take some time for yourself. But have a plan ready when you begin to feel a mental breakdown coming on, and stick to a routine that is healthy and works for you.
3. Know your breakdown warning signs
Through therapy, medication, and other positive means of coping with mental illness, we learn a lot about ourselves. This education is paramount to identifying potential warning signs and responding to them before you spiral out of control. Instead of feeding into your anxiety, try taking a step back to gather your thoughts and take some breaths before it gets worse.
Of course, this is easier said than done. But understanding important behaviors about yourself is the first step to improving them and coping with your thoughts and feelings in a positive way. Self-awareness is everything.
4. Phone a friend
We all need someone to have our back at our worst moments. Establish a friend, loved one, partner, or professional you can call when you’re having a bad day or starting to break down. Sometimes even just hearing their voice and talking about how you’re feeling can help you ground yourself and move forward.
The reality is mental illness is tough to tackle on your own, and everyone needs help once in a while. If you’re lucky enough to have a friend who has your back when you’re at your worst, lean on them when you need to.
5. Change your environment
Change your setting. This could be as simple as walking around the block or moving into another room. Getting outside is one of the easiest ways to boost your mental health, especially if you’re active while you’re out there. But you don’t need to leave your home to make it more suitable for positive mental health.
For example, companies offer niches like acoustic wall panels that dampen the sound in your room. This is great for sensory inclusivity and overload and could help bring your anxiety levels down on a particularly stressful day. Modern apps walk you through breathing exercises and other natural ways of coping with depression and anxiety.
If necessary, there’s no shame in taking your mental health with the utmost sincerity, and checking into a professional facility. Residential treatment centers for youth or adults provide a slew of services that help you develop lifeline methods for coping with and improving your mental health. Even a six-week could have immeasurable health benefits and teach you ways to prevent mental breakdowns in the future. If you can’t afford a residential treatment center, consider conventional therapy or telehealth services.
Conclusion
A mental breakdown can be scary. It can lead to deeper negative thoughts, and you can spiral into a pit of despair that’s difficult to climb out of. Luckily, you aren’t alone in this battle. Millions suffer from mental illness issues on a daily basis and have to figure out ways to cope or feel better.
Consider the possible solutions above. They may not solve your issue, but if they help even a little bit, they can potentially save lives. The world is difficult, especially in recent years.
The most important thing is to find positive ways to deal with your issues and to definitely ask for help if you’re feeling overwhelmed or despairing. There’s no shame in it whatsoever, and it’s all about taking care of yourself for you and those close to you.
