35 People Share What Big And Small Changes Drastically Improved Their Mental Health

I love talking to my dog like he's people.

Pets love us, unconditionally. They see us in a way we don't see ourselves.

Pets are awesome. I have a parrot. The little dude helped go through burnout and depression. Sometimes I feel I don't deserve him IMG_1634-1...3-jpeg.jpg

I want a cat - two, actually - because I live alone and haven't had cats since moving out of my parents' house a decade ago. However, I'm torn about it because I work full-time - i'd love to have them, but I'd be gone for most of five days a week. Like, is that fair? (On the flip side, I hardly ever travel and don't have any hobbies that involve me being away on evenings...) Worst of all is the fact I could only grant them access to my (spacious) balcony. I mean, try finding an indoor cat where I live. Virtually impossible! But I do yearn for that unconditional love cats can bestow onto you... T___T

I don't do that to my cats. I pet them and say sweet things, and the purring helps. But it never occurred to me to share my woes. I will try that!

This is extremely underrated. Vitamin and mineral deficiencies can ruin your life. It should be a routine to be able to have them tested.

As a fellow Crohnie, please get a new GI doc. I get my blood tested every 3 months and always get comments back on levels that may not be where they should. It's so important after so many resections!

I had been diagnosed with depression and prescribed antidepressants until a new doctor tested my bloods for methylated disorder - where your body doesn't metabolize some very important vitamins and minerals. I now take activated chemicals and teh difference is from night to day.

I need vitamin B shots too... Now that the level is ok, for maintenence I take one shot per 3 months, also take vitamin D weekly...

Oh I feel you OP! I am left for 12 years with magnesium shortage and not a single doctor came up with testing that until I read about it in a magazine and asked to be tested. I'm still angry and it's been 2 months now

Never had Facebook but I've always got my face in a book!

Was THIS not posted on a Social Media account!!!???

I read that quickly and saw sex books. :) I'm a bookworm so no worries about me not reading. Even though I do spend a bit of time on social media.

I'm on book number 4 since January

Keep it up! Social media needs to be eradicated from this world.

This. This is hard bit so much better for you long term.

And it is still okay if those people are blood related.

Set boundaries. Give people chances. But do NOT let people cross your boundaries.

You can and sometimes need to do this with family, friends, and partners. Make sure you understand that estrangement from people who matter will always change you. It is a very expensive choice. But some people hurt you and others in your life enough that the cost is worth it. Also, you can raise children who turn out to be the kind of people you are better off without. People may be inclined to blame your parenting. That is part of that cost, and probably fair to some extent, but the shame of having a mean, destructive child may be too much punishment already. Get therapy early and learn to honor your best try, because you don't get to do it over.

100%. TRIM THE FAT! It is hard but feels so good after a bit

This also helped me a LOT! I still know whats going on in the world, because you can't snuff every influence so easily, but it helps me not to get constantly bombarded with negative things. If I get too much negativity I tend to get depressed and thinking about what sense there is, if everything is s**t and death... media is good at giving you the feeling of everything is bad.

Many years ago I moved to Europe for a job assignment. Three years on info and entertainment light. And it was glorious and mind freeing. Fast forward many years and my family switched to streaming our TV. Again, no commercials, no big doses of current events, and again - mind freeing. I recommend eliminating advertising from your life, commercials whenever you can, and go info light on the news. Anything important you will hear about. We don't need to know every word some politician says - we know which party we are voting for b/c we live in red state and we're not voting conservative ever again.

After my country’s latest election results, I am flat out refusing to doomscroll about something I straight up warned people about. I get emails from certain nonprofits and I help where I can, but I don’t need the blow by blow from journos.

The news is so depressing. This is why I don't pay much attention to it. I like my little happy bubble

Internet news can be just as bad. You need to vet your sources. I suffered mentally when I "doom-scrolled" throughout the Tr*mp presidency. I don't miss it, or TV news, at all. Most of it is just fear and outrage.

My dog is the best. When I'm feeling a bit down he will try and sit in my lap but he's too big (30kg) and always seems surprised by it which makes me laugh

This. I'm getting old and have allowed myself to physically decline. We got Cecil, the wonder dog, two weeks ago and I'm feeling spryer. More laughs, more walks, more fresh air, more love. Pets are the fountain of youth.

Pets tune into us, and learn all our “markers” for different behaviors. They know when we’re ill, when we’re unhappy, when we could just use a little snuggle, and they know how to use that knowledge perfectly. I talk to my cats, and often bounce ideas off them. They pay attention and look at me the whole time. They’re gauging my mood, I assume. When I’m sick, they stick by me. When I was laid up for a month after tearing a tendon in my left leg and having surgery, I always had at least one cat keeping me company on the bed at all times, 24/7, the entire time. We had three cats at that time. They may have taken different shifts, so they could eat, play, stretch, and do their business in their off time, but there was always at least one, if not two or all three, keeping me company. It’s nice having them stick by you. Fills up the time when your loved ones are at work or school and you’re stuck at home recuperating.

I don't know what I would do without my two dogs, love them more than I like most people. They make me so happy

Please don't get a pet until you realize how much work they are. You can't keep dogs caged for hours on end especially working dogs. You need to take time with them , be with them, train them. I have 2; one adopted and 1 inherited. But I wouldn't change anything. My adopted Zoe is everything to me. Biggz, the inherited one is a bit of a pain but I will stick to my promise.

Needs to be top of this list.

Anything that is trusted (even abuse) is very hard to get rid off. We know what we have, leaving that is plunging yourself to the deep waters, even if you want to leave a lousy situation. It can be scary. The other reason which makes it hard to leave is that you have invested in a relation, and somehow found out that your investment was wrong. So, you keep looking for the good things that never come before you can admit to yourself that you were wrong.