Addiction, Mental Health Treatment, San Diego

According to the National Institute of Mental Illness (NIMH), in 2019, 1 in 5 U.S. adults were living with a mental illness. That’s a staggering 51.5 million people! But out of those half a billion individuals living with mental health concerns including depression, anxiety, PTSD, and addiction (just to name a few), only 23 million sought mental health treatment. 

But why on earth would people suffering from overwhelming sadness, destructive thought patterns and behaviors, an inability to stop drinking or using drugs or crippling anxiety attacks not get help? 

That’s the million-dollar question. 

In reality, the reasons you may not get help for addiction or seek the mental health treatment that could make your life a thousand times better vary from person to person. The most common reasons are:

• No access to mental health care
• Lack of knowledge of where to get the help needed
• Unaffordability
• Fear of change
• Lack of confidence that mental health or addiction treatment could help
• Negative stigma – Not wanting people to know and feeling ashamed for needing help

Unfortunately, many people don’t think they should spend the time, energy, and money getting the mental health and addiction treatment they need. 

Is that you? 

Your mental health is just as crucial to living a happy, fulfilling, healthy life as your physical health. 

That’s why it’s time to make your mental health a priority this new year. 

We Can Help

Some Ideas for Your Mental Health New Year’s Resolutions

Yeah, we know. New year’s resolutions can be stressful, especially if you don’t stick to them. But we’ve put together a practical list of tips to help you stick to making your mental health a priority in the new year and why they are essential to helping you live a more enjoyable, fulfilling life. 

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You’ve likely heard these before. And perhaps you’ve rolled your eyes at such suggestions in the past. But there’s a reason such practical tips are listed time and time again. So just hear us out. Implementing these five things into your daily life can significantly improve your mental health and quality of life. 

Get the addiction or mental health treatment you need. (NOW.)

Stop putting it off. You deserve to feel better. You deserve to free yourself from addiction. Try reminding yourself of that every single day. If you don’t believe it now, you’ll believe it when you emerge from mental health or addiction treatment triumphantly. 

So where do you look? 

Well, if you’re looking for addiction or mental health treatment in San Diego, give us a call or fill out our contact form. Here at BOLD Health, we treat a wide range of mental health concerns at our warm, inviting, judgment-free facility using only evidence-based mental health treatment approaches. 

At BOLD, whether you are seeking addiction treatment or mental health support, rest assured your primary diagnosis with us is always human. We don’t see you as your mental health issue or addiction. Our holistic approach means we consider your whole self when determining what your treatment plan should include.

If you aren’t in the San Diego area, make sure you seek a mental health and addiction treatment provider who specializes in helping you overcome whatever area of concern you have. Don’t settle for any provider who treats you like a number. Instead, get help for addiction or mental health concerns from a provider like BOLD, who puts your physical and mental health at the top of their priority list.

After all, you should be rehearsing saying this to yourself: you’re worth quality mental health treatment. 

Eat well

Yes, we know. Lots of people make the new year’s resolution to eat better. But have you ever thought about eating well as a mental health New Years’ resolution? 

Well, it’s time to start looking at maintaining a healthy diet as a positive mental health practice along with a positive physical health practice.

Not only does eating well help your body feel healthy and energized, but a proper diet has also been shown to have positive impacts on mental health. 

Exercise regularly

Yup. We said it. Here’s another good ‘ol reliable new years resolution lots of people make every year. 

But don’t just look at exercise as a way of helping you physically. Committing to exercise regularly is an excellent mental health new year’s resolution too. 

Did you know the endorphins released into your brain during and after exercise imitate the effects of antidepressants and can also help calm anxiety? And we’re not talking about working out for hours. Just 5 minutes of exercise can instantaneously relieve stress, increase energy, and elevate your mood. 

Get adequate sleep

Approximately 10 to 18 percent of the adult population suffers from sleep problems. However, 50 to 80 percent of those with mental health illnesses like depression, bipolar disorder, ADHD, and anxiety deal with sleep problems. 

So if you have sleep concerns, getting mental health treatment can help you sleep better. And if you make changes in your sleep habits, your mental health will benefit. Some of these simple changes you can implement to get better sleep include:

• Not drinking caffeine or alcohol before bed
• Practicing meditation and breathing techniques for relaxation
• Getting enough physical activity (see above)
• Keeping a regular sleep schedule

Reduce stress

Stress impacts everything in your body. Your physical health and your mental health. Studies reveal that 6 out of 10 Americans say stress affects their mental health. Whether we’re talking about the everyday stressors of life or sudden trauma, stress throws off your mental health, causing:

• Overwhelm
• Fatigue
• Changes in sleeping habits (see above)
• Poor food choices or overeating
• Irritability and anger

And we understand. Reducing stress sounds a whole lot easier than it is. But, just like making small changes in your habits to improve your mental health, if you can reduce stress in your life one small step at a time, it can have a significant impact. 

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Consider trying the following:

• Meditate
• Spend at least 15-minutes a day doing something that serves you
• Go for a walk
• Cuddle with a pet
• Take a bubble bath
• Practice deep breathing
• Say no to things that don’t serve you

Tackling Mental Health New Years Resolutions Takes Time – But it’s Possible

Keep in mind, we’re in no way saying that eating a healthy diet and getting better sleep is going to “cure” your mental illness or addiction. Depression, anxiety, PTSD, addictions, and other mental illnesses require help from a mental health treatment professional like our team here at BOLD Health. 

But if you implement these tips into your life and stay committed to your mental health or addiction treatment plan, you may be able to achieve your mental health new years resolution before the new year is over! 

Or, if your mental health journey or addiction recovery takes longer, that’s okay too.