This year, Mental Wellness Month presents a chance for people everywhere to reflect on their journey, where they are mentally versus where they would like to be. It is a chance to re-evaluate current self-care tactics and add new ones where appropriate. There are several ways that you can increase your self-care during Mental Wellness Month 2025, whether that is starting with an understanding of self-care for the first time, evaluating your self-care needs, and making changes based on your personal growth over the last year, or even helping someone else achieve their self-care goals.
Ways to Boost Self-Care During Mental Wellness Month
So, what are the best ways of increasing your self-care during mental wellness month 2025?
Avoidance
In some cases, avoidance can be a useful form of self-care. For example:
- Avoid dwelling too much on things outside of your control; try to check any worst-case scenario thoughts and change them for a positive
- Avoid spending too much time on social media or in situations that might worsen feelings of depression, anxiety, or isolation
- Avoid situations or people who might trigger you
Each of these avoidance tactics, in measured doses, can act as a viable self-care opportunity.
Journal
Journaling is a great way to help you focus on the things that matter most and avoid dwelling on anxiety or worst-case situations.
Journaling is also a way to practice self-care techniques from CBT like:
- Checking unhelpful thoughts and examining the situations with some perspective
- Reflecting on your thoughts, like automatic ones or worries, and finding written strategies to overcome them, like the Worry Tree
When you take time to write out concerns, you give yourself perspective as to the things you can control or change, versus what you need to let go of for now. Moreover, it can be a helpful way to boost sleep by writing down your thoughts or anxieties from the day, so they don’t disrupt your sleep.
Support
While avoiding harmful relationships or triggering individuals is a great way to practice self-care in 2025, so is having a support network around you:
- Attend support group meetings regularly
- Don’t isolate yourself even when you are struggling
- Prioritize regular socialization with people you trust, like a Sunday afternoon meal or Monday game night
Support from sober companions, sponsors, friends, and family helps you avoid feelings of isolation, depression, and anxiety.
Advice
One form of self-care that can be used all the time is to pause when things are depressing, frustrating, overwhelming, or stressful.
During your pause, ask yourself:
- What would you tell a close friend or family member who came to you with these concerns?
- How would you talk to me?
- What support or advice would you offer?
The answers to all of these are the same answers you should give yourself. This can offer fresh perspectives but also help encourage positive self-talk during trying times.
Relax
Find time to relax. While many people try to combat the somewhat sluggish nature that comes with wintertime and darker conditions, it’s better to embrace that sluggishness and prioritize relaxation.
Why?
Studies confirm that there are seasonal changes to our gene expression, serotonin levels, and blood cell composition. over 5,000 genes are expressed more strongly in different seasons. your immune system is prone to inflammation in the winter, your cognition translates to a 4.8 year cognitive age difference in warmer months versus colder months.
So, instead of fighting that, make relaxation part of your self-care so that you can capitalize on the changes in your gene expression, immune function, and cognition that come with winter time.
Mental Wellness Help at Sequoia Detox Centers
If you are struggling with your mental health, Sequoia Detox can help you find the right treatment, starting with medical detox and transitioning to the most appropriate level of care. If you need help learning to increase your self-care during mental wellness month this year, we offer a full continuum of care (Detox; Inpatient/Residential; PHP; IOP; Outpatient/Aftercare) as well as dual diagnosis treatment for mental health and addiction.
At our facility, we teach a wide array of self-care strategies, including sleep hygiene, regular schedules, setting goals, journaling, building support networks, and relaxing where appropriate. Let us help you with yours.
Email us today at help@sequoiadetoxcenters.com or call 1-866-824-0709.