How Does Your Environment Affect Your Mental Health?
Image by J-Photos Unsplash
The environment and mental health are intrinsically connected. The places where you spend a lot of time—home, work, school, and even socially—can have a significant impact on your mental well-being.
The more we take care of our environment, the more we can have a cleaner and habitable home where we can feel comfortable. It’s important that we can find peace at home and relax. Things like warm paints, mood lighting, familiar scents and putting things we love at visible places can make a home really cozy.
Spending time in nature has also been linked to a number of physical and mental health benefits. Walking for example is a great exercise but has also stress-relieving benefits.
Participation question:
- How do you connect with nature?
- What do you love about being outside in a natural environment and how does it impact your well-being?
- What are things that make you feel good about yourself and feel cozy at home?
Helpful videos and resources:
How Does Your Environment Affect Your Mental Health
Nature and Mental Health
How does the environment affect our health?
Seeking Help
Feeling bad about ourselves and your environment all the time can lead to serious life challenges or make mental illness worse. Please reach out for help or support if you have negative thoughts every day to the point where it disrupts your life.
Are you looking for a therapist? 7cups has online, certified therapists with a paid option. For more information click on this link https://www.7cups.com/online-therapy/?ob=1
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@amiablePeace77
Good thing to think of! You really are inventive with those questions.
Now, of course, there are places that are well-known to help people unwind, say resorts and places of entertainment, and all of us have favourite environments where we feel or have felt happier than others or think we ought to. But those same places can also be the theatre of tragedy, unhappy times or disappointments. Some places that feel like the last you'd want to be (think dentist chair) can give you a lot of relief (you don't need that root canal after all).
Personally, I am very lucky to live in a beautiful spot which I've known since I was born, and enjoying the scenery, the various sounds and scents around the year, but it came at a price and I am nostalgic about what I left behind - not as nice a place, but lovely people around, a more regular life with musical activities, better food choices (large cosmopolitan city, of course). I miss not having a Japanese supermarket nearby also. :D This is where I would go wild, I think.
@Fradiga
Some people say that every gain comes with a loss too. The important thing to me is that one feels well in their own skin and environment as it is.
I hear you well about the dentist chair 😃
@amiablePeace77
Great post! We both have a shared love for nature and so glad you created this space where we can reflect on our environment around us. 🌻
How do you connect with nature?
I connect with nature by walking my dog with my family. I also like to spend time by the ocean too which is very soothing!
What do you love about being outside in a natural environment and how does it impact your well-being?
I love the mindfulness aspect of being in the moment with nature and to focus on walking and making sense of your thoughts from the day.
What are things that make you feel good about yourself and feel cozy at home?
Great question! I surround myself with plants and nature. I am fortunate to have a garden at home where I can hear the birds (and the chickens next door!). I love orchids especially and have these in my home which reminds me of the beauty of what is all around us.
@LisaMeighanMScGMBPsS
Nice to see you here today Lisa 😃
As you I love to surround myself with nature. Having house plants is a wonderful idea and makes a home feel so much more natural and "alive" to me!
Walks are great to clear the mind and reflect on thoughts in a calm state.
I feel so alone! I am stuck/ in a situation, another domestic abuse situation. The only reason I’m still there is because my truck is broke down at the persons house and all my belongings are at this residence also. Among other things. I honestly hate my life.
@warmheartedKite174
It is so hard to keep going on in life when it feels you’re stuck and not getting anywhere and have no one to talk to and to support you 💙. I hope that things will get better soon. I find when things start to feel overwhelming it helps to talk to someone who really wants to listen. You can connect to a listener here.
@amiablePeace77
- How do you connect with nature? just walking out the front door I get the smells of nature around me.
- What do you love about being outside in a natural environment and how does it impact your well-being? I feel more relaxed and at ease.
- What are things that make you feel good about yourself and feel cozy at home? I like to have a good meal and spend time helping others in some way.
@soulsings
I can so relate to what you said soul. Smelling the rain, the scent of flowers or just feeling the warmth of the late afternoon sun can feel so good!