Mental disorders are highly prevalent in our society. Depression is a common diseases in our society because the world has a lot of problem: eating, war, famine, diseases,drought, etc .

Staying active and getting physical exercise

The mind and the rest of the body are not separate entities. Exercise and getting active is therefore one of the best things that anyone can do for their wellbeing.

The mental health benefits of exercise are well-documented, even if the precise manner in which exercise improves mood isn’t yet fully understood.

A few hours a week of physical activity can make a difference. Staying active, by the way, doesn’t mean hitting the gym four times a week or training for a half-marathon. Even a 20-mintue walk can help clear your mind and provide a new perspective on an otherwise stressful situation.

Staying physically active or going outside for a walk is one of the most natural and beneficial things anyone can do for a mental health condition. It’s free and, best of all, you can set your own pace.

 

Stay connected and get out more

Social connection is an almost universal need, yet 5.6 million Australians today are thought to experience loneliness.

Loneliness may well be the next public health crisis, in the same way that the obesity epidemic received public attention in recent decades.

Human connection is vital to our wellbeing. It overwhelmingly influences our outlook and there is strong evidence to suggest that it can affect physical health and even life expectancy.

Social connection is definitely a natural way to address conditions like depression and anxiety. Best of all, it could mean different things to different people: getting out more with a spouse or the kids, reaching out to friends and family, reconnecting with people, making a new friend, keeping up good relationships with neighbours, or even chatting to people while walking the dog at the local park.

 

Try to get better sleep

Sleep has an enormous effect on mental health and wellbeing and is a strong predictor for various measures of physical health. The numerous mental health benefits of adequate sleep have consistently been demonstrated. Among them are a reduced likelihood of depression and anxiety; improved memory, attention and learning; a reduced likelihood of bipolar disorder and even a reduction in inflammation linked to chronic disease.

As with exercise and social connection, better sleep is about as natural a cure as you can get when it comes to mental health.

How to Get Better Sleep

Avoid stimulants like alcohol, tobacco and caffeine in the evening; staying active or engaging in physical exercise during the day (but not before bed); avoiding the use of phones and portable devices in bed; and setting a regular bedtime routine. More serious conditions like insomnia or sleep apnea may require a visit to a GP.

 

Avoid unhealthy coping mechanisms

Everyone has their own way of dealing with life’s stresses, known as coping mechanisms or coping behaviours. Sometimes, these behaviours are healthy and beneficial in that they help reduce stress long-term. Examples include exercise, fishing, going for a walk, getting your hair done, pottering in the shed or catching up with mates over a coffee.

When the coping mechanism for stress is likely to exacerbate the situation in the long-term, it is referred to as an unhealthy or maladaptive coping strategy. Common examples include drug or alcohol abuse, smoking, gambling, unnecessary retail spending and overindulging in junk food. These behaviours provide what feels like short-term relief and reward, but are ultimately very unlikely to remove the cause of stress and worry.

Avoiding behaviours that can amplify problems and underlying causes of distress is a legitimately natural way for addressing conditions like depression and anxiety. Certainly, changing a bad or destructive habit is a complex process. Even so, one great way to start is to consider why you or someone you know smokes, drinks alcohol, takes drugs or binge eats.

 

Talk it out

Talking about worries and stresses is one of the best things that anyone can do. The simple act of talking about a source of concern can help improve one’s outlook.

This is the reason why On the Line employs professional counsellors (there are no volunteers). All our staff have a minimum of 456 post-qualification face-to-face hours of counselling experience prior to joining our organisation. They also hold a tertiary degree of minimum three-year duration in a relevant discipline of psychology, social work, counselling and social science or welfare studies

Counsellors are trained to listen to callers and web chat users. In doing so they help them develop strategies to cope — and ultimately help them feel better.