Ihsaan Magazine May 2020 Issue - Living your best Life | Seite 29

person, crying, venting,
praying or engaging in a
calming, mood-uplifting
exercise.
It is important however
to differentiate when
difficult thoughts and
feelings persist for
longer periods without
relief, become more
severe and extreme, and
impair a person’s ability
to function normally in
social, occupational and
other important spheres
of life. In such situations,
persons may develop
psychological disorders;
for example, depressive,
anxiety, eating, trauma
and stressor-related
disorders, substancerelated
and addictive
disorders etc. These
may be characterised by
a range of symptoms,
including but not limited
to low mood, changes
in eating and sleeping
patterns, concentration
problems, restlessness,
feelings of hopelessness,
suicidal thoughts, loss
of interest in usual
activities, persistent
fatigue and worry,
recurrent alcohol or
drug use, hypervigilance,
reliving traumatic
mwemories etc. The
extent to which we
develop these symptoms
are influenced by various
situational, biological,
and psychological factors
– that is, the nature of
stressors faced, our
predispositions and
personal vulnerabilities,
our personalities,
resilience, thought
patterns and coping
strategies. These can
either enhance or
mitigate the risk of
developing mental health
challenges.
Given this dynamic
interaction of factors
influencing our mental
well-being, it is to be
noted that while we
cannot control our
biological make-up
and sometimes, the
circumstances faced, we
can definitely manage
our thoughts, feelings
and behaviours. Where
symptoms are not
extremely severe, there
are some simple coping
strategies we can all
employ to improve our
well-being, especially
during periods of
emotional difficulty:
Self-Nurturing involves
simple acts that make
our bodies and minds feel
good and can be greatly
restorative. These can
include taking a long,
warm shower, accessing
spa services formally or
at home on your own,
indulging in a favourite
meal, beverage or snack,
taking deep breaths,
playing with a pet,
taking a nap, listening
to uplifting music, or
watching funny videos or
a good movie. Practising
positive self-talk whereby
we give ourselves
assurances (eg. I can do this),
or affirm our abilities (eg. I am
competent for this job) is also
tremendously beneficial.
Engaging your brain redirects
your cognitive resources
away from the source of
distress to more productive
and enjoyable alternatives.
Activities may include
reading a book, organizing
or decluttering something,
visualizing a favourite place,
engaging with puzzles, sleuths,
mazes, lego, disassembling and
reassembling a mechanical
item etc. Journaling has also
been noted as an effective
coping strategy for reducing
stress and negative emotions
by helping writers to
express their thoughts, fears,
concerns, emotions, track
daily symptoms to recognize
triggers and solutions and
provide an opportunity for
positive self-talk.
Getting creative focuses
the mind and has calming
effects on the brain and body.
There is some evidence that
creative acts aid in the release
of dopamine, a natural antidepressant.
Activities may
include sewing, gardening,
drawing, colouring, painting,
playing an instrument,