Recently, a patient remarked to me that they didn’t know where the physical part of their health stopped, and the mental part of their health began.

My response:  Why are we trying to separate them out?

It’s #WorldMentalHealthMonth and the social media feeds are full of promotions about “superfoods” or fasting for depression or “you’ll never believe this one trick cured my anxiety” reels. Like everything else in health, there are no quck fixes — and you don’t need to do this on your own.

Here are 10 evidence-based ways to help look after your mental health.

1. Just Move (and maybe get rid of that FitBit) When it comes to mental health, moving isn’t about the steps or distance or “more pain, more gain”.  This is about the actual physical activity. Whatever you can do, it should be something you enjoy. If you feel that talking to someone would help, go together. If you want that quiet time, go solo.  Leave the phone at home – disconnect from the apps.

2. And for best results, move outdoors – getting outside, especially to something peaceful or scenic (such as beach, hillside, or woods) is great for stress levels.

3. Sleep – Your brain needs sleep. We’ve talked about sleep a lot.  You can look back to our conversation on sleep on the Blog Sleep

4. Eat your veggies. A healthy diet has been clinically shown to help with mild depression. There are no bad foods or superfoods.  What helped in studies were diets with lots of vegetables, fruits, whole grains and lean protein, and limited fried, sugary, or heavily processed foods.

5. Attitude of Gratitude: Gratitude practice meditation (I like free app Insight Timer for my patients) can be helpful in our secular society.  If you are religious, studies show that prayer/religious meditation/attending services can be helpful.

6. Connection: Our social connections are so important. As we get older, we find it harder to make friends.  We feel awkward starting a conversation, think that we won’t be liked, and fear rejection.  Studies show that there are more opportunities around us that we realise to connect, we are liked more than we think! – and rejection isn’t that common. (Which is the basis for this month Talk To Me Challenge  Making the effort –even just a text! – to friends or family to check in or touch base can help.

7. Help out: Joining in a cause or helping out with serving others our the community has been shown to help.

8. Alcohol – Heavy alcohol use or alcohol misuse can worsen low mood or anxiety. If you are working on your mental health, ideally. stop drinking or at least cut back to low-risk drinking limits.

9. Make the time to do something relaxing and enjoyable. Schedule it in and make it a priority.

10. You don’t need to do this on your own. You wouldn’t feel that you needed to diagnose and treat your broken leg or diabetes without professional help or supports – so why would you treat your depression or anxiety any differently?   You can always start with your GP.  Some patients are reluctant because “I don’t want pills.”  And that’s fine!  Doctors do more than pills.  A doc can help link you in with counselling  as well as help you with expert and personalised advice to help with things like the list above (and evidence shows us it does make a difference”)

There are great resources out there in the community if you don’t want to talk to your GP. Here is the list I keep on my desk to share with patients:

• Everyone: turn2me.ie and https://mymind.org/ and https://www.mentalhealthireland.ie

• Parents: Parentline and @barnadosireland

• Men: Men’s Aid Ireland

• Depression help: Aware.ie

• Suicide/self-harm: Pieta House, Preventing Suicide and Self Harm or Samaritans

• Domestic Abuse: Women’s Aid

• LGBT: LGBT Ireland

• For children up to age 18: ISPCC Childline

• For teens/young adults (12-25): Jigsaw

• Mental Health Difficulty Support/Recovery: Shine – Supporting People Affected by Mental Ill Health or GROW Mental Health

• Eating Disorders: Bodywhys

• Alcohol: https://www.alcoholicsanonymous.ie/ or friends/family of those who struggle with alcohol: Al-Anon

• Substance Misuse/Addiction: http://www.services.drugs.ie/

• SpunOut.ie Text Crisis Support Service: Just text SPUNOUT to 50808 to begin. https://spunout.ie/category/mental-health

• Older people: ALONE Ireland

• Travellers: Exchangehouse services or text PAVEE to 50808. Other resources include www.travellercounselling.ie

• Bereaved/grieving from the loss of a loved one: Irish Hospice Foundation

• Farmers: https://www.mentalhealthireland.ie/…/farming-resilience/

Your GP, public health nurse, or midwife is always a good place to start as well. Private therapists and counsellors are also still available; almost all offer virtual sessions and support options.