2023-04-19 07:01:50
According to the last European Health Survey in Spain (EESE)chronic anxiety (5.8%) and depression (5.3%) are among the most common chronic diseases among the population, and yet caring for emotional well-being continues to be taboo for many people.
So much so, that 20% of the participants in the “2022 Emotional Well-Being Survey” prepared by sanitas they believe that, despite not having sought professional help to deal with emotional health issues, they should have.
How do you explain María Arrizabalaga, psychologist of Sanitas BluaU.
-
“Emotional health is an essential part of people’s overall health and therefore we must pay the same attention to it.”
And it is that not knowing how to manage our emotions can take its toll on our physical health. And as the psychologist warns:
“Managing emotions not only helps to face situations of daily life, but also to prevent the development of serious mental and even physical illnesses such as:
-
Digestive and intestinal problems
-
changes in the functioning of the organism.
Tips to improve emotional health
In addition to resorting to professional help if needed, taking care of our health depends to a large extent on our individual habits. For this reason, Sanitas experts offer some advice to improve and maintain emotional well-being:
Set priorities:
One of the main reasons for anxiety and stress comes from an excess of responsibility assumed, be it at work, personal, family, or a combination of all of them. Wanting to take charge of everything can be exhausting, physically and mentally.
This is especially common in women, who on many occasions are forced to live under unrealistic social expectations. For this reason it is important to establish priorities, know what is important at all times, delegate tasks to optimize time and avoid physical and emotional exhaustion.
The hectic day to day can lead many people to carry out routines automatically, without thinking about whether the life they lead is really what they want.
And it is that, as María Arrizabalaga explains, “human beings tend to conform, to stay in familiar environments, even though these may be harmful.”
Changing all this depends on us:
“It is necessary to rethink from time to time where we are, what our objectives are and, above all, our purposes at all levels.”
“By identifying and taking stock of our situation, we will be able to know if we need to change course to increase happiness and, consequently, well-being,” explains the specialist.
-
Cultivate social relationships.
Humans are social beings and, as such, we need to live in community. For this reason, the environment in which one lives has a direct impact on the well-being of any person, and taking care of close relationships is key to maintaining and improving it.
“Family and friends are fundamental to maintaining a good quality of life. It is to them that we turn in good and bad situations and it is their mutual affection that makes us feel safe and protected”.
Of course, not always those who surround us and with whom we interact do us good. For this reason, it is as important to cultivate good social relationships as it is to stay away from bad ones, something that is not always easy to identify.
“Maintaining toxic relationships, whether on a personal or work level, also harms mental well-being in the long term. It is key to eliminate any negative relationship that is a source of stress or anxiety”, says the psychologist.
-
Take time for yourself.
As a consequence of the accumulation of responsibilities and the inertia with which we live day to day, we tend to forget ourselves. Personal dedication is not always among people’s priorities and, nevertheless, it is the basis of well-being.
So the advice of psychology experts is to invest at least one hour a day in activities for personal enjoyment. Reading, doing sports or practicing our hobbies. This not only benefits us, but is completely necessary to improve self-esteem and relationships with others.
1681889315
#tips #psychologists #improve #mental #health