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In addition to the standard treatments like medication and therapy, teens with mental health issues may benefit from exercise, nutrition, and wellness practices. These three factors can help your teen cope with anxiety, depression, and other mental health challenges while boosting overall health and making it easier to enjoy life despite the diagnosis.
How does exercise help teens?
Research has found that physical activity can help treat anxiety, depression, and bipolar disorder and even lead to a decrease in addiction issues. More importantly, says YourHealthmagazine, exercise can positively impact mental health issues linked to social isolation, such as school avoidance. Exercising helps build a stronger body and confidence, leading to more successful interpersonal relationships.
How does a nutritional diet help teens?
In today’s stressful world, teens suffer from many mental health issues. A diet rich in whole foods is good for your mind and body. The following tips will help you eat right to support your physical and emotional health:
- Eat various fresh fruits and vegetables daily
- Choose colorful produce to get a variety of vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and fiber
- Add nuts to salads or yogurt parfaits for extra protein, healthy fats, and vitamin E
- Avoid processed foods that contain refined sugars or artificial sweeteners
Ways in which mindfulness can benefit those suffering from stress and anxiety?
Studies show that mindfulness can help improve cognitive functioning while decreasing stress levels. Also, by being mindful of your thoughts and surroundings, you can prevent stress before it even occurs. You might be thinking, who has time to be mindful? But all it takes is about five minutes a day to start seeing changes in your mental health.
It’s important to be aware of times you might be more vulnerable to relapses. These can include:
- Family gatherings
- Vacations
- Parties
- Special events like birthdays or Christmas
- Stressful situations at home, work, school, or in a relationship
Recognizing these types of triggers will help you plan ways to cope with them so that they don’t cause you to fall back into unhealthy habits.
How can parents help teens who are suffering from mental health problems?
Parents have always been their children’s best advocates. There is so much a parent can do to help a teen struggling with mental health issues. It all starts by building a good foundation in your child’s life before reaching high school.
Also, focusing on exercise, nutrition, and wellness will help mitigate common mental health issues among teens today. Parents need to know that teens aren’t necessarily going to reveal when they feel depressed or anxious, which may not be as obvious. Take time to notice when your child seems more withdrawn than usual.
Takeaway
Of course, it’s best to talk with someone you know who can provide emotional support—family members, friends, or counselors at school. But what if you need a deeper level of help than they can provide? If so, consider your options. You can attend an in-person meeting with a counselor or therapist. Click here to learn more about how exercise, nutrition, and wellness work together to support teens’ mental and physical health.
