Modified and used with permission Dr Paul Looney.

If you want to optimise your mental health following a traumatic injury, the following recommendations may assist you. Be patient with yourself. Over time, small changes can produce big results.

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Aerobic Exercise

• Research shows aerobic exercise to be effective in preventing & treating depression and anxiety disorders.
• Exercise helps to reduce anger & irritability
• You need at least 20 mins of cardiovascular exercise, three times per week
• Exercise helps with maintaining your healthy weight, sleep, alertness & energy

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Nutrition

• Eating a well-balanced diet has a great benefit to mental health, as the body is designed to function best when its needs are met
• It is important to feed your body regularly and maintain a healthy variety and balance to your diet
• Research shows breakfast to be a critical meal
• Avoid ‘empty calories’ or ‘junk food’ – highly processed foods high in sugar, white flour, fats, & excessive caffeine
• Drink plenty of water

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Supplements

• Multi-vitamin – improves your overall health
• B-complex – helps with energy, anxiety, depression
• Fish oil / Omega 3 fatty acids – is good for brain & heart health
• Melatonin – natural sleep hormone

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Keeping a Journal

Write down your thoughts, feelings, and patterns of behaviour.  Has been shown to boost your mental health. A person who journals has increased self-awareness & may be able to better release regret, frustrations & worries. Keeping a journal can positively integrate your negative experiences. Regularly making a gratitude list will improve your mood.

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Faith

Individuals with strong faith and spiritual discipline can enjoy more contentment and joy. Faith and peace can grow through participation in a spiritual community, by prayer, meditation, reading inspiration or religious texts and by being in nature.

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Creative Expression

Discovering what you really enjoy and incorporating it into your daily routine is of great benefit. Finding a way to express one’s self through a creative outlet has been found to enhance life satisfaction and helps to minimise symptoms & episodes of mood disorders. Drawing, painting, gardening, writing poetry or prose, playing a musical instrument, cooking and interior design are a few examples of creative endeavours. Utilising your gift will give you a sense of self-worth and satisfaction as you express yourself creatively. Appreciating beauty is important.

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Helping Others

Stress and burnout will paralyse and rob us of our self-worth. By helping others you will feel more valuable. We may be tempted to withdraw from relationships just when we need to press in and build friendships. Send a card to someone, pick a flower, make a meal for another. Focusing on another takes the pressure off yourself. Have a mentor, be a mentor.

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Purpose

Having a sense of direction and purpose in life is very important in maintaining a healthy attitude, especially in times of adversity. Writing your goals will help you overcome huge obstacles and achieve them. We tend to set short term goals too high and long-term goals too low.

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Rest & Retreat

A day of rest each week is vital to avoid burnout, & twice a week can be hugely restorative. Try and get away for a personal retreat twice a year for several days to renew and reconnect with your soul.