35 People Share What Big And Small Changes Drastically Improved Their Mental Health
Drinking plenty of water, getting enough sleep, exercising—these are just a few great habits to have in order to feel great. But, according to these redditors, it’s not only physical health they can improve, as the netizens’ mental health seemingly took a turn for the better because of them, too.
Redditors discussed such habits after a member of the ‘Ask Reddit’ community asked them about things that have significantly improved their mental well-being. They covered everything from learning to say no to reading, among many other things, so if you’re interested to see what might make you feel better, too, wait no longer and scroll down to find more of their answers on the list below.
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I got a cat. He sits with me. I'll rant and say all kinds of stuff to him and he just sits there like go ahead and get that off your chest man. Life gets lonely especially if you don't have family, a partner, kids. It makes life a little easier.
Got a good psychiatrist who tested me for everything and found out I needed prescription strength vitamin d capsules that I take weekly and I need to give myself vitamin b shots biweekly. I cried so hard for days because I suddenly had energy and could think straight. I had been deficient for two decades because my gastro doc never tested me for deficiencies after multiple bowel resections due to crohns. But my psych caught it and changed my life.
Putting a stop to my social media use and substituting reading for my time spent there with books. I have completed six books since the beginning of January. It makes me feel really good about myself.
Stopped watching mainstream news.
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.
Pets.
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
Getting out of an abusive relationship.
It sucks at how well it works. I used to hate my mom telling me that exercise would reduce my depression but she was absolutely right. The issue is that when you’re really depressed it’s the last thing you feel like doing. But nothing else has as much of a positive effect on my mental state as regular exercise.
OK so when I say it’s only moderately helpful for some people, illustrated by the fact that I hit rock bottom when I was the fittest I’ve ever been, I don’t mean “some people shouldn’t bother exercising” and I certainly don’t mean “no one should”. I mean “if someone says they need more than just exercise, believe them and don’t assume that you know better than them about what they’re dealing with.”
Taking magnesium glycinate at night before bed has a significant affect on my daily anxiety levels.
Be careful, though, because magnesium is an NSAID, and you shouldn't take other NSAIDs with it, such as Aleve/Naproxen, Advil/Motrin/Ibuprofen, Aspirin, Celebrex/Celecoxib, Meloxicam, Diclofenac...
Not drinking, going to therapy, lots of self-honesty.
I would say going for regular walks has improved my mental health a ton.
Walking my dog every morning has done wonders for me, physically and mentally
Prozac.
It's okay to use meds.
Sertraline just makes me into me, but normal. which is great. I didn't get on with Prozac, found it made me feel really cut off, like I was watching my life from the outside. so I didn't want to go on that one again. when you find the right meds for you to feel as normal and balanced as possible, it's great.
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I wasn't diagnosed with ADHD until I was 27. I nearly cried the first time I tried medication; it was like for the first time in my life, my brain was plugged in and I could actually be a functional adult. I spent the majority of my life believing that I was stupid, and it was agony.
meds also changed my life :) i take vyvanse and it’s genuinely life changing like i still struggle with some things but for the most part i feel like i can take care of myself and do the things i need to do without fighting my brain
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Chlorpromazine & venlafaxine for me. Haven't self harmed since April 1st 2020
Yes! But, if you don't feel better after starting them don't lose hope! There are so many alternative modalities that work. Please look into Ketamine treatment, it SAVED my brother. He was ready to end his life 4 years ago. He was completely transformed by Ketamine when nothing else worked
I have bipolar 1 and general anxiety disorder. It took me 8 years to find the right combination and dosage that made me feel like a stable version of myself. It was a nightmare journey, not even going to lie. But I feel like a real person and don't cycle anymore and it was worth it!
But, be really cognizant of the side effects, and let your doctor know if you are having trouble. You don't want to fix one problem and cause another. Been there.
I was prescribed Prozac 5 years ago, just the name scared me, but it has given me some semblance of living purposefully.
Fluoxetine (Prozac) made me totally numb. Sertraline did f**k all, as did escitalopram. Amitryptiline at a very high dose helped a bit but made me groggy. Venlafaxine at max dose was good, but I think its what triggered my mania and I now have bipolar instead of just depression. I also got significant side-effects. I now take vortioxetine- have done for several years - with no side-effects, mood stability, but I still feel emotions. I really like it. This isn't so much an endorsement of vortioxetine though so much as my saying, if what you're on isn't working (and youve given it sufficient time), don't give up!
Amitriptyline and mirtazapine for me. They not only work for anxiety, but help my insomnia and chronic pain.
Effexor XR for me! Works AMAZING if it's the right one for you, but that withdrawal is you miss a dose of no joke!
The taboo that surrounds medications for mental health issues is absurd. The brain is the most complex structure in the known universe and to think it can’t malfunction is naive. Yet people who take medications for mental health issues are labeled as nuts or crazy. Could you imagine mocking something for taking a drug to battle cancer? Completely unacceptable. Yet mock someone for taking a drug to battle depression and you’ll get laughs. Sad.
Get correctly diagnosed and a psychiatrist who will work with you on a treatment plan. My bipolar disorder is now in remission!
some mental illness are due to lack of some substances on the brain... and sometimes the only way of replacing them is taking the proper medication
I call them my anti madness medication...stops my brain spinning out of control, helps with the panic attacks and the depression that ties me down on the couch
Prozac definitely saved my life but I had to stop when literally nothing could make me upset. I went to a funeral and was still in a good mood. I was exactly what I needed to get out of the really dark place I was in but eventually I decided it was time to start feeling feelings again. And when I was off of it, I was able to deal with those feelings again. Also the severe erectile dysfunction was a good motivator to get off the meds
I wouldn't say it left me in a good mood, but it did make me very flat emotionally. I felt very detached from everything, and I didn't like it. Sertraline suits me a lot better.
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They help about one out of five people. And the side effects (mood blunting, sexual dysfunction - sometimes permanent) can be debilitating. So yes, but with caveats.
This is why I stopped taking antidepressants. Never found one that actually worked and I could tolerate the side effects. The closest was effexor. Not being able to climax, zero libido, feeling mildly nauseated all the time plus feeling like my face was crawling with vibrating insects if I was late taking my dose by even an hour. That and it did nothing for my depression that more natural methods didn't also do.
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I take effexor and lamotrigine for bipolar 1 disorder. They aren't masking anything. They're stabilizing my brain chemistry, so that I can live without constant crises and stints in psych wards. I'm perfectly happy to take them for the rest of my life.
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Sleep is the foundation for a lot of things. Almost everything.
Therapy. I planned my suicide and decided it was time to go. The first visit was like an elephant off my shoulders. I was sad it had taken me wanting to kill my self to seek help. But I was going in the right direction. I feel like being Hispanic, I was programmed to keep it in. Not share my feelings. It’s not like that anymore. Although my father sees my going to a therapist as a weakness, it’s truly such a strength.
With a good therapist. Some therapists are hopelessly awful. Shop around.
Getting diagnosed with cancer. Seriously. The stressors of life become almost laughable when faced with oblivion.
Edit:
Thanks for the kind words, y'all! I start chemo for the first time today at noon, thus beginning the war of attrition over my body.
Ditching my old friends who didn't take me seriously after a tragedy. I am no longer going to try be relatable and kind. If you treat me like s**t you're out of my life and are dead to me.
After my BFF of 52 years suddenly died, I went over to visit a “friend”. She knew it had happened. Ya, I’m feeling pretty bad. I get there and the question is “What’s wrong with you?” Seriously. I said I was stressed because of the loss of my BFF. What does she say? “Stress?! That’s not stress. This is stress!” She proceeds to point out how upside down her house is because they’re putting in new floors. I am not a violent person. However, this? I walked right out before she got a slap in the face. Not in my life anymore.
Removed myself from all social media (except Reddit which I consider social media lite) and quit caring about other peoples opinions of me.
Having a non toxic job. I got bullied for as long as I can remember at school home and work. My current job is the best paying and least stressful thing I've ever experienced. I've been able to destress for the first time, I don't worry about work on my days off, and I'm even becoming able to stand up for myself instead of locking up. No amount of self-care worked until I actually got to experience it.
Learning to say no, let go and stop sweating the small stuff. Also knowing that if somebody has a problem with me, it's THEIR problem.
Don't sweat the small stuff coz at the end of the day it probably didn't matter anyway
Stopped giving a f**k. About what people think, say, or do. Just do you.
Practicing gratitude deliberately. I began thinking of 3 distinct things I was thankful for, every night before falling asleep. I didn't even write them down- just took 5 seconds to reflect, 3 things (but no generic "friendsfamilyfood" repeated answers). Simply doing this every night for several months completely changed my mood.
I suffer from mental illness so I really hate r/ thanksimcured-type stuff but in combination with real treatment, practicing gratitude is scientifically well-established as a mood-booster, and I was shocked by what a huge difference it made.
Sounds bad but letting people deal with their own problems.
It's not bad. You can't solve everyone else's s**t. Sometimes you need to take a step back and let them figure it out.
Bedtime routine even on weekends when applicable.
No phone 2 hours before bed.
Drink all the water although nothing after 7:30pm.
Sober from alcohol almost 8 months.
Workout every day. Weights 4 days a week. Cardio after weights 2 days a week. Body mobility yoga every day 30 mins every morning and 30 mins before bed.
5-5:30am wake up.
Always have a library card. Reading is so important and fun. Passing that along to my almost 3 year old.
Remove myself from situations that do not bring me happiness or make my anxiety worse.
Getting a dog. Great companionship, forced to go out walking every day plus she's fun to hang out with.
Working from home and not commuting daily.
Yoga/meditation.
Daily walks around the neighborhood even if for 10 minutes.
Realizing a better work/life balance. Not everything can get done that is requested by the deadline.
I'm trying so hard to get out of my toxic job and work from home to be with my sick daughter. It sounds so great but is so hard to find.
Stopped lying to myself and others, accepted myself for who I was.
Yup, I'm done trying to be an extrovert because people don't understand introverts.
Quit alcohol, quit destructive relationships (friends, family, partner), got help, took medication regularly, exercises everyday, journaled everyday. Life changed significantly!
Cardio for at least 30 minutes, preferably in sunlight or at least outdoors, 5 or more times a week.
Hybrid work. I didn't really realize how much commuting and constant office nonsense was messing with my mental health until the pandemic. Unfortunately, my employer went back to full-time RTO, and my mental health has been spiraling sense. Hopefully, I will find a new job soon.
Cutting out commuting is a huge one. If you can manage it.
Quit drinking alcohol. Quit drinking coffee. Drinking more water. Eating full, proper meals and minimizing snacking. Going for long walks as often as possible. Going to bed earlier, and waking up earlier.
I should quit coffee too... I´ve reached Lorelai Gilmore levels ://
Full transparency? Psychedelics.
Brains are like a snowy hill. Every thought is like a sled ride down that hill, leaving tracks. As you think the same sort of thoughts, certain grooves become deeper and deeper, your brain developing thought habits that are very difficult to break. Taking psychedelics can blanket that hill with fresh snow. The result is a lot of introspection and new perspectives on your life.
In this way, it can be a very effective treatment for depression, anxiety, and other mental health problems. The most known psychedelics are nontoxic and non-addictive. Even more, they can be *anti-addictive,* helping addicts of other substances overcome their vice.
Now, psychs are not a magic cure-all for everyone's mental health, and there are some risks in taking them if you have a family history of psychosis, or if you have certain heart problems. But after doing a lot of research, I wanted to give it a try, and by golly has it been a game changer.
Note: this post originally had 38 images. It’s been shortened to the top 35 images based on user votes.
My biggest mental health recovery came from accepting that I can in fact be myself. I stopped pretending I'm a guy (even if the upper set of ghoulies might have suggested as much) and fully embraced that I'm a woman. Spironolactone to stop testosterone production helped a lot too, that stuff was wrecking me physically, mentally and emotionally!
I am a woman both biologically and spiritually. I have tried to imagine what it would be like to be me, but in a man's body. It's awful to think about...disorienting, frustrating, misaligned. I'm so glad you're not living that way anymore! Welcome to the girl's club, sis :)
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Reducing sugar and realising that I’m an egotistical person and that I have to work on it
That is a very big step you have taken. All the best to you.
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Letting me be me and not a silent people pleaser. So some people might not like that I’m a geek, so what? I stopped caring about that and bang, mental health got way better. Also, make good friends. They also helped a ton with that.
I want to stop people pleasing as well, but so far no luck
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I would add to just learn to let things go. Keanu Reeves once said that once he hit 40, he just stopped wanting to argue anymore and it's totally true. 1+1 is 5? Sure...no problem. Good luck with that. The old me would have wanted to argue every point until I 'won' and maybe just wisdom and age have made me grow out of it, but I see so many people stressing out over the stupidest stuff. Fight for something important but let everything else drift by. I promise your life will be better for it.
I read it but god knows I won't do anything. I'ma just lie on my back somewhere and stare at the ceiling.
Reading up on executive dysfunction helped me. I wasn't depressed, but rather demotivated.
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Acceptance & Commitment Therapy + Venlafaxine & Mirtazapine (high dosage) got me through and out of a long period of suicidal and depressed feelings, took attempts on my life, discovered I’m bad at taking my own life, my very dark sense of humour returned, I survived and I recommend A.C.T., it rejigs your view of a huge chunk of your life. Be more kind to yourself, you are valuable.
Somewhere along the way, a switch flipped and I've realized that no one honestly cares all that much about my mistakes, and that that 90% of getting away with things is confidence. And I dress and act in ways that make me happy, and I've found a lot of great people who like me for who I am. While I have struggled with self harm, it's been months now since I've done that, and I'm feeling grest.
Regular exercise literally saved my life. Oh, and remember that if you're happy being you then other people's opinions about it don't mattter.
For me, it was leaving work at work. I used to let it stress me out all the time. When I wasn't working, I was thinking about it. My wife was constantly worried about me, to the point where she wouldn't tell me about her problems (unless they were really serious), because she didn't want to add to the load on my shoulders. In the last couple of years, however, I've realised that a job is just a job, and when I'm home, I'm *home*. My wife told me recently that I seem a lot happier and less stress. In short, I learned to compartmentalize.
My biggest mental health recovery came from accepting that I can in fact be myself. I stopped pretending I'm a guy (even if the upper set of ghoulies might have suggested as much) and fully embraced that I'm a woman. Spironolactone to stop testosterone production helped a lot too, that stuff was wrecking me physically, mentally and emotionally!
I am a woman both biologically and spiritually. I have tried to imagine what it would be like to be me, but in a man's body. It's awful to think about...disorienting, frustrating, misaligned. I'm so glad you're not living that way anymore! Welcome to the girl's club, sis :)
Load More Replies... Reducing sugar and realising that I’m an egotistical person and that I have to work on it
That is a very big step you have taken. All the best to you.
Load More Replies... Letting me be me and not a silent people pleaser. So some people might not like that I’m a geek, so what? I stopped caring about that and bang, mental health got way better. Also, make good friends. They also helped a ton with that.
I want to stop people pleasing as well, but so far no luck
Load More Replies... I would add to just learn to let things go. Keanu Reeves once said that once he hit 40, he just stopped wanting to argue anymore and it's totally true. 1+1 is 5? Sure...no problem. Good luck with that. The old me would have wanted to argue every point until I 'won' and maybe just wisdom and age have made me grow out of it, but I see so many people stressing out over the stupidest stuff. Fight for something important but let everything else drift by. I promise your life will be better for it.
I read it but god knows I won't do anything. I'ma just lie on my back somewhere and stare at the ceiling.
Reading up on executive dysfunction helped me. I wasn't depressed, but rather demotivated.
Load More Replies... Acceptance & Commitment Therapy + Venlafaxine & Mirtazapine (high dosage) got me through and out of a long period of suicidal and depressed feelings, took attempts on my life, discovered I’m bad at taking my own life, my very dark sense of humour returned, I survived and I recommend A.C.T., it rejigs your view of a huge chunk of your life. Be more kind to yourself, you are valuable.
Somewhere along the way, a switch flipped and I've realized that no one honestly cares all that much about my mistakes, and that that 90% of getting away with things is confidence. And I dress and act in ways that make me happy, and I've found a lot of great people who like me for who I am. While I have struggled with self harm, it's been months now since I've done that, and I'm feeling grest.
Regular exercise literally saved my life. Oh, and remember that if you're happy being you then other people's opinions about it don't mattter.
For me, it was leaving work at work. I used to let it stress me out all the time. When I wasn't working, I was thinking about it. My wife was constantly worried about me, to the point where she wouldn't tell me about her problems (unless they were really serious), because she didn't want to add to the load on my shoulders. In the last couple of years, however, I've realised that a job is just a job, and when I'm home, I'm *home*. My wife told me recently that I seem a lot happier and less stress. In short, I learned to compartmentalize.
