While you’re getting organized, quitting smoking, and losing weight (the most popular New Year’s resolutions in the U.S.), you may be overlooking something that would actually make a bigger difference for you and your family than those popular resolutions.

How about some New Year’s resolutions for mental health?
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You might find that the dissatisfaction that makes you think you need to get organized (again) can be handled better by working directly on the dissatisfaction instead of starting your year with a resolution you haven’t kept in any of the previous years when you’ve made that resolution. New Year’s resolutions for mental health might even make it easier for you to keep the other resolutions you choose to make.
 
Here are a few to consider:
 
I will take action on my mental health. There’s enough stigma around mental health in the U.S. that many people choose not to visit a therapist even when they know that a trained, unbiased listener is exactly what they need. A therapist has tools for dealing with mental health issues effectively, and for personal growth and development, too. In fact, that regular appointment is one of the nicest things you can do for yourself.
 
I will be kind to myself. Does your self talk sound like something you would never say to the people you love? We see people on Facebook posting, “I was a big fat pig” with a photo of their holiday dinner. A friend told us he puts notes up in his house saying, “Don’t smoke that cigarette, dummy!” You don’t deserve that. Treat yourself with respect.
 
I will set healthy boundaries. Sometimes we give other people too much power in our lives. Letting our significant others, our kids, or our bosses make our lives more difficult can masquerade as kindness, but it’s not always good for us. Define your limits at work, at home, and in other relationships. Maybe you’re not willing to do personal errands for your boss, to lie for your spouse, or to accept verbal abuse from your friends. Let this be the year you say so, directly and without anger.
 
I will exercise regularly. Does that sound like a physical health resolution? In fact, there is a lot of evidence that regular movement, especially outdoors, helps our mental health as well as our physical help. Put a daily walk, bike ride, or swim on your calendar and stick to it no matter what. Feeling too low for a walk? Move for three minutes, and then you can head home… if you still want to.
 
I will resist negative thinking. It’s easy for us to figure that positive attitudes and happy thoughts are wishful thinking and that negative thoughts are realistic and practical. Actually, ruminating — going over and over the negative feelings and anxious thoughts that pop into our heads — is neither practical nor realistic. Distracting ourselves with work, exercise, or a puzzle is a healthier choice.

If you are in need of mental health support stop by the Community Center, we are located at 38 Park Way in Happy Camp. We are open Tuesday-Thursday from 9am-4pm, closed for lunch from 12pm-1pm, and Friday 9am-1pm. The Community Center contracts with Siskiyou County Behavioral Health and we can refer you to their services.
 
For the 24 Hour Mental Health Crisis Line/ Access Line, Toll Free: 1-800-842-8979
 
For this Article and more information visit: www.pca-nwa.com/new-years-resolutions-for-mental-health/
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You’re sitting in traffic, late for an important meeting, watching the minutes tick away. Your hypothalamus, a tiny control tower in your brain, decides to send out the order: Send in the stress hormones! These stress hormones are the same ones that trigger your body’s “fight or flight” response. Your heart races, your breath quickens, and your muscles ready for action. This response was designed to protect your body in an emergency by preparing you to react quickly. But when the stress response keeps firing, day after day, it could put your health at serious risk.
Stress is a natural physical and mental reaction to life experiences. Everyone expresses stress from time to time. Anything from everyday responsibilities like work and family to serious life events such as a new diagnosis, war, or the death of a loved one can trigger stress. For immediate, short-term situations, stress can be beneficial to your health. It can help you cope with potentially serious situations. Your body responds to stress by releasing hormones that increase your heart and breathing rates and ready your muscles to respond.
Yet if your stress response doesn’t stop firing, and these stress levels stay elevated far longer than is necessary for survival, it can take a toll on your health. Chronic stress can cause a variety of symptoms and affect your overall well-being. Symptoms of chronic stress include:
irritability
anxiety
depression
headaches
insomnia
Central nervous and endocrine systems
Your central nervous system (CNS) is in charge of your “fight or flight” response. In your brain, the hypothalamus gets the ball rolling, telling your adrenal glands to release the stress hormones adrenaline and cortisol. These hormones rev up your heartbeat and send blood rushing to the areas that need it most in an emergency, such as your muscles, heart, and other important organs.
When the perceived fear is gone, the hypothalamus should tell all systems to go back to normal. If the CNS fails to return to normal, or if the stressor doesn’t go away, the response will continue.
Chronic stress is also a factor in behaviors such as overeating or not eating enough, alcohol or drug abuse, and social withdrawal.
Respiratory and cardiovascular systems
Stress hormones affect your respiratory and cardiovascular systems. During the stress response, you breathe faster in an effort to quickly distribute oxygen-rich blood to your body. If you already have a breathing problem like asthma or emphysema, stress can make it even harder to breathe.
Under stress, your heart also pumps faster. Stress hormones cause your blood vessels to constrict and divert more oxygen to your muscles so you’ll have more strength to take action. But this also raises your blood pressure.
As a result, frequent or chronic stress will make your heart work too hard for too long. When your blood pressure rises, so do your risks for having a stroke or heart attack.
Digestive system
Under stress, your liver produces extra blood sugar (glucose) to give you a boost of energy. If you’re under chronic stress, your body may not be able to keep up with this extra glucose surge. Chronic stress may increase your risk of developing type 2 diabetes.
The rush of hormones, rapid breathing, and increased heart rate can also upset your digestive system. You’re more likely to have heartburn or acid reflux thanks to an increase in stomach acid. Stress doesn’t cause ulcers (a bacterium called H. pylori often does), but it can increase your risk for them and cause existing ulcers to act up.
Stress can also affect the way food moves through your body, leading to diarrhea or constipation. You might also experience nausea, vomiting, or a stomachache.
Muscular system
Your muscles tense up to protect themselves from injury when you’re stressed. They tend to release again once you relax, but if you’re constantly under stress, your muscles may not get the chance to relax. Tight muscles cause headaches, back and shoulder pain, and body aches. Over time, this can set off an unhealthy cycle as you stop exercising and turn to pain medication for relief.
 
Sexuality and reproductive system
Stress is exhausting for both the body and mind. It’s not unusual to lose your desire when you’re under constant stress. While short-term stress may cause men to produce more of the male hormone testosterone, this effect doesn’t last.
If stress continues for a long time, a man’s testosterone levels can begin to drop. This can interfere with sperm production and cause erectile dysfunction or impotence. Chronic stress may also increase risk of infection for male reproductive organs like the prostate and testes.
For women, stress can affect the menstrual cycle. It can lead to irregular, heavier, or more painful periods. Chronic stress can also magnify the physical symptoms of menopause.
Immune system
Stress stimulates the immune system, which can be a plus for immediate situations. This stimulation can help you avoid infections and heal wounds. But over time, stress hormones will weaken your immune system and reduce your body’s response to foreign invaders. People under chronic stress are more susceptible to viral illnesses like the flu and the common cold, as well as other infections. Stress can also increase the time it takes you to recover from an illness or injury.

If you are in need of mental health support stop by the Community Center, we are located at 38 Park Way in Happy Camp. We are open Tuesday-Thursday from 9am-4pm, closed for lunch from 12pm-1pm, and Friday 9am-1pm. The Community Center contracts with Siskiyou County Behavioral Health and we can refer you to their services.
 
For the 24 Hour Mental Health Crisis Line/ Access Line, Toll Free: 1-800-842-8979
 
For this Article and more information visit: www.healthline.com/health/stress/effects-on-body#1
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