Mental health issues affect a large proportion of the population. The majority of people suffering from them will likely keep it a secret from everyone else. As a result, this further compounds the mental health issues they’re suffering from, making things worse.
Consequently, it’s very important that you find ways of dealing with your mental health problems. As it happens, you can turn to spirituality as a way of coping with any mental issues. You see, there’s a strong relationship between spirituality and mental health problems – it’s proven that it can play an integral role in supporting someone and helping to rid them of their issues for good.
The obvious question is; how can you do this? Spirituality takes on many forms, and this means there are plenty of ways you can use it to deal with mental health problems.
Practice Mindfulness & Meditation
The mind is a very powerful thing, and this can be both a blessing and a curse. When we learn how to train our mind and control our thinking, then there’s no limit to what we can achieve in life. Most of the time, you find the biggest thing holding you back is your mind and the thoughts in your head.
Mental health problems obviously stem from your mind, and they’re often made worse by negative thoughts. This causes a spiral where you fall into a pit of anxiety and depression. Thankfully, by practicing mindfulness, yoga and meditation, you will go a long way to calming any negative thoughts. I’ve included yoga in there as this is often the best way to be mindful and meditate at the same time. Plus, it helps you get into more of a routine as there are plenty of yoga routines out there that focus on deep breathing, meditation and mindfulness. Essentially, this helps to regulate your heart rate and has a calming influence on you. It’s proven that yoga and meditation will lead to a reduction in feelings of depression or anxiety. After one session, you’ll instantly feel better. Now, do this every day and you will find it much easier to deal with any mental health issues and keep them well away for good.
Be Part Of A Spiritual Community
One of the main reasons people develop mental health problems is that they feel alone or in a bubble away from everyone else. The worst thing is, when you start developing these feelings, they make you feel even more cut off from everyone, so things get more troublesome for you.
Bearing that in mind, joining a spiritual community is an excellent way of coping with any internal struggles you might have. I’m not suggesting you leave home and join a cult, that’s not what a spiritual community is! There are loads of examples of a spiritual community – some are religious, others are entirely different. I mentioned yoga earlier, and joining a yoga class is an example of immersing yourself in a spiritual community. You surround yourself with like-minded people who practice spirituality, and it can really help level out your thinking and bring you back down to earth. With people around you, there’s a support group waiting to lend a helping hand as well. This is a great way to talk about your problems out loud and get emotions off your chest. As a result, you don’t feel as alone, which helps your mental health immeasurably.
Set Up A Nightly Ritual
It’s a common misconception that rituals have to be some crazy ceremony with loads of people sitting around a fire all chanting the same thing. In reality, a ritual is anything that you do repetitively to connect with your inner spirit. As such, having a nightly ritual is a brilliant way to cope with mental health issues.
There are loads of different options here; some people like to lie on their back on a mat outside and gaze up at the night’s sky, others enjoy burning incense sticks and just lying on their bed working on deep breathing exercises. By doing either of these things, you’re letting go of yourself and leaving the earth. You’re focusing on being at one with spirituality, and it’s a fantastic way to relax at the end of a long day. As a result, it can calm any anxious feelings you may have, leading to a better sleep, which ultimately means you start the next day in a more positive mindset.
These three ideas showcase how spirituality can be used to cope with mental health issues. It’s hard to cure a mental health problem, but you can definitely find ways of fighting it and making it less prevalent in your life. Use these ideas, and you should see a significant difference in your mental wellbeing.