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Caring for the Caregivers: Wellness Tips for Mental Health Workers

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Are you a mental health worker? Maybe you’re a psychologist, social worker, counselor, or you’re studying for an online Masters in Mental Health to become a qualified mental health professional. Whatever the case, we need to congratulate you. It takes a certain type of person to work as a caregiver – not everyone has the patience, compassion, tolerance, and acceptance to be able to work closely with people experiencing mental illness.

Part of working as a caregiver is giving of yourself to others. Of course, you have to maintain professional boundaries, but the role is all about helping others. You’ll work with people when they’re at their lowest, in the grips of mental health issues such as depression, anxiety, or even serious psychiatric disorders like schizophrenia and bipolar. Caring for the vulnerable can take its toll on your mental, physical, and emotional health. That’s why prioritizing your own wellness is essential.

But how do caregivers care for themselves? This informative article will share some top wellness tips for mental health workers, with a focus on wellbeing and self-care to keep you fighting fit for this line of work. Read on to learn more about staying healthy.

Engage in a Hobby or Creative Pursuit

One excellent way mental health workers can engage in self-care and relaxation with a focus on wellness is by taking up a hobby activity. There are a range of different hobbies to suit all sorts of people. You could take up stamp collecting, coin collecting or even comic book collecting and reading. Some people enjoy puzzles, board and card games, which you can enjoy with a group as a social activity or by yourself. Others like video games or role-playing games. Try to find something you can engage in during your spare time that brings you comfort, relaxation, and joy.

You might prefer to get creative for your self-care as well and engage in drawing, painting, sketching, or another creative pursuit such as creative writing or writing fan fiction. The excellent thing about a creative pursuit is you can pick up where you left off the last time. For instance, if you start to paint, the artwork is still there waiting for you when you next have a spare moment to indulge. Creativity is also an excellent way to channel some of the thoughts, emotions and reactions you might have during the course of your week working in the mental health sector.

Book a Wellbeing Day Off Work

One thing you can do to support your wellness as a mental health worker is to book a paid well-being day off work. If you have a permanent role, you should have some Paid Time Off entitlements to make use of. Most American workers get two weeks of paid vacation a year, but some workplaces offer more. Some employers even offer well-being or mental health days as part of their employment contracts. By booking a day in advance with your manager’s approval, you can dedicate the whole day to self-care activities without worrying about work. You can use this day to relax, book a spa or massage, or catch up with some friends for some well-deserved socialization.

Exercise and Diet are Essential

Another excellent way to stay well, healthy, and in a positive frame of mind as a mental health worker is to focus on regular exercise and sticking to a healthy diet. When you exercise strenuously enough to break a sweat and raise your heart rate, your brain releases a bunch of feel-good endorphins and the neurotransmitters responsible for boosting your mood. It may be hard to find the motivation if you are busy and stressed out from working in mental health, but hitting the gym two or three times a week, or even going for a jog, brisk walk, or a bike ride for an hour or so, should help to make you feel better and promote wellness.

In addition to exercise, your diet plays a major role in how you feel and think. If you’re eating takeout every day and binge on salty and sweet snacks, you’ll likely feel bloated, sluggish, and far from well. If you can, eat a healthy, balanced diet, including lean meats like fish and chicken, with plenty of servings of fruit, vegetables, whole grains, and legumes. It’s okay to have a special snack once in a while or have a cheat day, but the majority of your diet should be balanced and healthy. Eat well, and you’ll begin to feel well. Part of this is staying hydrated, too, by drinking enough water each day. If you find water boring, which some people do, you can use sugar-free cordial or sparkling mineral water for your hydration needs.

Have Fun

Part of proactively managing your well-being includes making time for entertainment, leisure, and fun activities. There are heaps of things you can do to have fun, including going to a concert, going bowling, having some drinks and a meal with a group of friends, or hanging out with your family on the weekend and engaging in some wholesome and relaxing activities. Part of any self-care routine should include time and space for having some careless and carefree fun times.

Take a Hot Bath

Another way to make some time to relax and feel well is by enjoying a long, indulgent soak in a hot, bubbly bath. You can do this on a Friday night after a long week of working in mental health. A steaming hot bath is a great way to soothe your tired and sore muscles and fully decompress after a long, draining week. You can get some bath products, such as a bath melt bath bomb or essential oils, to introduce aromatherapy into your bubble bath. The science is not supportive of aromatherapy to treat illness, but it can be used to promote relaxation and support your well-being.

Regular Supervision and Debriefing

Any mental health worker should actively engage in clinical supervision and debriefing with an appropriately qualified supervisor. These sessions are a chance to explore your thoughts, feelings, and reactions to situations during your duties as a mental health worker. You can share your frustrations, challenges, and even the wins you achieve at work. Your supervisor should hold a safe, supportive space for you to reflect on your work and offer practical solutions and advice to problems that you might have. For instance, you might have had a challenging session with a client and need some space to debrief, which supervision can offer.

A Wellness Summary

As a mental health worker, it’s essential that you stay well and healthy so that you can perform the duties of your role. As such, focusing on self-care and your well-being is incredibly important. This helpful article has shared how caregivers can care for themselves through a mix of self-care activities, exercise, diet, and supervision. Most importantly, don’t forget to have fun!

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