FREE ADVICE FROM A PSYCHOLOGIST

As most mental health practitioners, I became a psychologist to help others. After 33 years of conducting psychotherapy for various presenting problems, I made a list of the top 33 list of things that I think are most helpful to improve mental health (in generalities, not specific to you):

1. Sleep routine including sleep hygiene, getting adequate amounts of sleep 2. Eating/drinking habits 3. Exercise habits 4. Getting adequate amounts of sunshine 5. Having adequate social activity 6. Engaging in pleasurable activities 7. Having a daily routine 8. Solid support system 9. Personal hygiene 10. Examine your thoughts for cognitive distortions to change your thinking 11. Challenge your thoughts by examining the evidence that support your thoughts 12. Develop and maintain friendships 13. Create healthy boundaries with others 14. Ground with the earth 15. Go outside and look at the vastness of nature and the universe for perspective- zoom out. 16. Address fears by engaging in behaviors that are gradually more challenging 17. Be accountable for your thoughts and actions 18. Recognize that everything is temporary, and will change and evolve with time 19. Deep diaphragmatic breathing 20. Meditation 21. Visualization 22. Gratitude Journaling 23. Be assertive (not aggressive) 24. Write down your short term and long term goals, identify what it takes to reach them concretely, and track your progress in writing. 25. Rather than adopting a victim mindset, realize that you have agency to create change in your life now. 26. Rather than "believe," seek to understand reality and truth. 27. Largely, others are not scrutinizing you; they are dealing with their own life issues. 28. Recognize and become aware of overthinking 29. Focus on things that you have control over and let go of the rest 30. Consistency is crucial to outcome 31. Think for yourself and accept reality 32. Break down tasks to be smaller and more achievable if they seem too big 33. Mitochondrial and metabolic health may be responsible for a variety of ailments, including psychological disorders such as schizophrenia and even dementia

These are some guidelines that I utilize in therapy, and tailor them specifically to you and with you. My hope is that whether or not you choose not to engage in therapy, you will consider these topics and try to make positive change for yourself. Thanks for reading!