Chill Out! Hey, how are you feeling? Are you stressed?
If you’re like a lot of Americans, you are. Statistically speaking, our country is in desperate need of a national chill pill. Our anxiety and stress levels are high (and still rising, experts say). We work too hard, we leave too many vacation days on the table, and we do many other things that mess with our mental health and our stress management.
It’s time to chill out. Let’s talk about the problem and the solutions you should consider.
The stress and anxiety epidemic
We weren’t exaggerating when we said that the statistics are ugly. Most Americans say that they are stressed, and the stress levels are high, albeit with some variety, across all demographics and political parties. A stunning 59 percent of Americans say that our nation is at its lowest point in history, and they point to that as a source of their stress.
Anxiety disorders, which are closely related to stress and some other mental health issues, are the most common form of mental health disorder in America. More than 18 percent of Americans have an anxiety disorder.
Why? Likely, it’s because of a lot of factors — stress is higher among certain segments of the population, for instance — but some broad truths include the fact that Americans work too hard, take too few vacation days, and don’t do enough to treat their mental health.
You can change that about yourself.
Treating your mental health
Your mental health is as important as your physical health. So if you wouldn’t try to walk around on a broken leg while avoiding doctors and hospitals, you shouldn’t try to get through life with a head full of stress while avoiding psychologists and psychiatrists. The stigma against mental health treatment is dangerous nonsense, and you’ll be much better off if you overcome that stigma and seek out professional help.
Therapy and prescription medications may help you tackle your stress and anxiety issues. So will a healthy diet and over-the-counter supplements. One particularly popular supplement that you may want to consider is CBD.
What is CBD? You may know that it’s derived from the drug marijuana. But CBD is not like its cousin, THC. Unlike THC, CBD will not get you high on its own. What it will do, some studies suggest, is lower your stress and anxiety levels. And because CBD is widely legal and widely available, the experts at stockcbdsupplements.com point out, you have no reason not to join the movement and check out CBD in whatever form you prefer — edible, tincture, vape oil, or pill, among others.
Lighten up and chill out: Finding balance in all things
At the risk of getting all “hippie” on you, we also have some nonmedical advice. Your lifestyle has a huge impact on your mental health in ways that should be obvious and concrete (like your diet) and ways that are harder to define (like your relationships).
Cultivating a positive attitude and reducing stress is something you have to work at. Practicing meditation can help; so can therapy. But whatever path you choose, you’ll need to actively counter negative thinking and fears with positive thoughts and assertions.
Your daily habits and lifestyle can either help you or hurt you here. You should lighten up: Head somewhere with friends for fun, take a vacation, or hit the liquor store to grab a nice bottle of wine for tonight.
But find balance, too: Limit your intake of alcohol (and other drugs), get home from evenings out with friends in time to get a full night’s sleep (it’s essential to your mental health), and figure out how to enjoy great meals without filling your body with junk.
A balanced life leads to a balanced mind. Your own perfect balance will be hard to find and even harder to define, but if you’re always taking steps to build a better life and better mental health, you’ll get there. Start right now.
