Esa's Notebook

It has been shown that mental health disorders have become more common everywhere in western world. Many things threaten our mental health. Difficult events and traumas, illnesses and aging can expose you to them. News about wars and climate change can also increase people’s susceptibility to anxiety and depression. The Covid pandemic had an extraordinary impact on people’s mental health.

In these circumstances, it is important that we are able to protect our minds. It is possible but requires learning, adaptation, and conscious choices.

Protect your mind from things that your mind tends to get anxious about. Avoid scrolling through violent media content, games and movies, and social media where distressing, violent or otherwise provoking contents are presented. Avoid oppressive and aggressive people and those who absorb all the energy and light from others.

Protect your mind from noise. Embrace silence. Practice retreating into silence regularly. Consciously reduce disruptive external stimuli such as the noise of people, loud music and continuous viewing of the computer or television or social media. Consciously limit the time you spend in front of the cell phone or television screen. Practice holding a quiet moment in the morning before going to work or in the evening before going to bed. If it suits you, meditate, listen to soothing music, or read a soothing book.

Be aware of the ways your mind and memory acts. Try to be honest with yourself and don’t hide painful things unnecessarily in the basements of your mind. However, don’t let the gushing deep waters of the mind rule you, but rule them yourself. There is a dark stream of mind that easily makes us remember only sad things and our minds become depressed. Avoid rowing in those streams.

Don’t be afraid of loneliness. It can be empowering and give you time to understand yourself better. However, don’t let loneliness imprison you. Pay attention to other people and show them love and care. It’s rewarding.

Avoid illicit drugs and alcohol because they are the most significant single causes of depression and mental health problems.

Overall, find empowering things in life. Be optimistic about the future. Don’t let the depressing and anxious images of the future discourage you. Make your own future. Embrace yourself, believe in your own cause. Instead of underestimating yourself and measuring yourself against others, build up your self-confidence.