I Don’t Think About My Mental Health

Most people I know who either avoid thinking about mental health or just do not spend time reflecting on emotional well-being are experiencing similar challenges as those who are actively working towards taking good care of their mental health.

If you are someone who does not think about your mental health, here are some questions to ask yourself:

Do you have a consistent and healthy routine for sleep, nutrition, and exercise?

  • These are considered the pillars of mental health and are also essential for physical health. Sleep, nutrition, and exercise are interconnected. Improving one area can make a difference and improving all three can have a significant impact on mental health and the ability to live longer, more fulfilling lives.

Sleep Recommendations: The National Sleep Foundation: https://www.thensf.org/

Nutrition & Physical Activity Recommendations: Office for Disease Prevention and Health Promotions https://health.gov/our-work/nutrition-physical-activity/dietary-guidelines

Do you tend to cope with stress by escaping from your thoughts and feelings?

  • While there are enjoyable activities that help numb and distract the mind (e.g., having a drink, eating, shopping, having sex, watching TV, scrolling social media, and playing video games) they may become time-consuming, lead to negative consequences, and begin to control your life. There are support group options for areas that have become problematic including the following:

Gaming Addicts Anonymous: https://www.gamingaddictsanonymous.org/

Substance Use Recovery: https://www.recoveryanswers.org/resource/peer-based-recovery-support

Eating Disorders: https://www.nationaleatingdisorders.org/help-support/contact-helpline

Sex Addicts Anonymous: https://saa-recovery.org/

Substance Use and Mental Health Services Administration: https://www.samhsa.gov/find-help/national-helpline

Have others in your life expressed concern about your mental health or suggested giving therapy a try?

  • Your friends and loved ones may be the first to notice changes in your behavior such as irritability and anger in response to stressors. They may be the first to know that you are withdrawing from relationships or struggling to function in other important areas in life.

When was the last time you had a mental health screening? Approximately 75% of lifelong mental health conditions begin by age 24; the average delay of onset of symptoms and interventions is 11 years. Improving health begins with mental health screening.

Getting routine mental health screening is important to assess emerging concerns and actively address concerns that are impacting your relationships, work/ school, or other important areas. More than half of all Americans will experience a mental health disorder at some point. Just like medical conditions, the symptoms will vary from mild to severe and the appropriate diagnosis and recommendations will be important for effective treatment. Problems will not go away with avoidance, although it may serve as a temporary relief for anxiety-provoking situations.

It can be easier to avoid thinking about mental health because then there is no need to make any changes. Addressing the root causes of mental health can also be scary but can also be potentially life-saving. Therapy is hard work, but the benefits are worth it.

Written By: Charlotte Johnson, MA, LPCC

SCHEDULE
MEET CLINICIANS
NEW TO THERAPY?
RESOURCES

Customized Meditations for You

What comes to mind when you hear the word meditation? Stereotypes hold some people back from mindfulness practice. That is unfortunate. It is important to dispel the myths and understand the things people get wrong about mindfulness.

Going from Good to Great When You Are Not OK

How often do you get asked, “How are you?” and the polite go-to response is “I’m fine” or “good” thank you. How are you? These phrases are common greetings in the United States but seem to lack much depth.

The Client-Therapist Relationship: Transactional or Relational?

There is a transactional element that is present in receiving therapeutic services; however, a strong therapeutic relationship is vital to the success of therapy.
Summer health tips- blue sky with hands in yoga pose

6 Summer Health Tips to Feel Amazing This Summer

Making lifestyle changes has a significant impact on mental health and well-being. When you take care of your body and engage in safe and enjoyable activities, it has a direct impact on how you think and feel about yourself.

Mindfulness-Based Therapies

Meditation helps one become more present, utilizing the practice of being mindful. Perhaps you already have a basic understanding of meditation

Emotional Intelligence for Families

Self-awareness is a key skill of emotional intelligence. One way to build self-awareness early within a child’s life is to build their feelings vocabulary.

CARE COUNSELING IS A 2024 TOP WORKPLACE

CARE Counseling has been recognized in the Star Tribune's Top Workplaces for the third year in a row!  In 2024, CARE was named on the National Standard Setters list.

Juneteenth

Juneteenth commemorates June 19, 1865, when Major General Gordon Granger arrived in Galveston, Texas, and announced the enforcement of the Emancipation Proclamation.

The Intersectionality of PRIDE and Juneteenth

In honor of Juneteenth in the middle of PRIDE month, intersectionality is a reminder that we hold multiple identities such as our race/ ethnicity, gender identity, sexual orientation, class, religion, disability, and age that create unique lived experiences for each person, resulting in different advantages and disadvantages.

Relationship Violence

Partner abuse, domestic abuse, and intimate partner violence can happen to anyone. Unfortunately, abuse and violence in relationships are all too common.

Three Reasons Why It Can Be Difficult For Men to Seek Out Therapy

Men, it is OK to reach out for help. Asking for help is not easy, especially when topics are sensitive, and you may feel vulnerable.

Support for Emergency Responders and Professionals at Risk

Did you know that approximately 70% of the world’s population has been exposed to a traumatic life event?

Learn More About Acute Stress Disorder

The National Center for PTSD describes acute stress disorder as a mental health problem that can occur in the first month after a traumatic event.

Build Resilience: Re-evaluating Your Mental Health Toolkit

Now that school is over, it is the perfect time to look at what is in your mental health toolkit.

Recharging Your Self-Care Battery: Support for Caregivers

Each person has their limits as a caregiver. The work can be emotionally and physically exhausting, especially as you expend energy. If you do not have opportunities to “recharge”, you will become depleted.

Summer De-Stressing with a Therapist

Teachers, professors, school administrators, student support… those who directly interact with children in an educational setting know the joys and challenges that are present at the end of the school year.

7 Reasons Summer

School is out and summer is right around the corner. The responsibilities and pressures of many young people look very different this time of year. Students may seem happier and more relaxed, as stress lessens, and emotions appear regulated. However, adolescents and young adults may struggle to adjust and engage in maladaptive coping strategies.
broken plate

Broken, Yet Whole

If your life can be best described as “a mess” and you feel like your sense of self is shattered, there is hope.

The Power of Explanatory Styles

Often the everyday moments in the present do not get much attention, while regrets of the past and worries of the future take center stage. You may miss out on a big chunk of life when it is hard to move forward.

10th Anniversary: Announcing our 10th Location

2024 is an extra special year. CARE Counseling is celebrating our 10th anniversary as a clinic and we are opening our 10th location in the Woodbury area!
Mental Health Factors Impacting Celebrations

Mental Health Factors Impacting Celebrations

Celebrations often come up in therapy due to having a mixed range of emotional experiences on celebratory dates depending on the person.
Understanding CARE Coordination

Understanding CARE Coordination

Care coordination is an important aspect of your treatment; understanding this service can help ensure you receive the best care possible.
gaining independence

Gaining Independence and Finding Yourself After Being in an Unhealthy Relationship

It can be hard to adjust to a new norm after relationships end. It can also be tough to cope with the thoughts and feelings that come up after no longer being in a relationship you didn’t think would ever end.
Death Anxiety (Thanatophobia)

Death Anxiety (Thanatophobia)

While fear of death is a common existential fear, some people have intense fears of themselves or a loved one dying. An extreme fear of death or the dying process, known as thanatophobia is considered as a specific fear, or phobia that is under the broader category of anxiety disorders.