What do you do to maintain or improve your mental health?

I work in my local VA Healthcare System and mentor new Service Dog handlers with Patriot Assistance Dogs from Detroit Lakes, MN. I have a Service Dog, Miss Molly who has saved my life. I received her nearly 3 years ago, and since getting her, have had the privilege of mentoring 3 Veterans as they entered this new phase of their lives. At the VA, I work as an Advanced Medical Support Assistant in the Primary Care/Mental Health Integration department. We work with Veterans facing many challenges in their life that fall somewhere between what their primary care provider and mental health can provide. Being able to tell the Veterans when they call in that I am a Veteran myself, it seems to help them accept the services we have when I say that I have my demons too and use the services. It seems to me that they are more apt to join in, knowing that they won't be seen as weak by others for asking for help. It is an honor and a privilege to be on both sides of my desk as I can empathize with the often "hurry up and wait" scenarios that can be just as common in the healthcare setting as in military service. I am also able to more easily explain why we can't simply just "whatever" they want and to put it into words and jargon that they understand.

I've been in the military for nearly 23 years (combined Active Duty and National Guard) and in law enforcement for 30. Here are some of things that have helped me maintain my emotional and mental well being:
1. Acceptance.
Accepting the things I can change and accepting the things I can't, and knowing the difference between the two. Not everything can go our way. Sometimes life throws us that irrevocable curve ball. That's the way it is. This is not necessarily a bad thing. We must chuck it up to experience and the gaining of new knowledge. We must learn from it.
2. Mental hygiene days.
Everybody often (for me, it was every 3 or 4 months) I took off from work 2 or 3 days. I did so to "chill out". Relax at home,ounce around, read, watch TV, spend time with the family. My work has always been high pressure, action oriented. I often saw and dealt with things that the average Joe and Jane civillians would never have to. So I would break from the job periodically, spend "me" time.
3. Work and me are separate.
We wear many hats in life. Me, for example: Father, husband, brother, friend, boss, subordinate, etc. That "hat" I wore at work stay on the hat racj when I leave work. My job was often intense. I was a professional Soldier, been to war, served in combat. I was a law enforcement officer, often thrusted into situations that were emotionally impact full. But at the end of the day, when all was said and down and it was time to "clock out", I left it at the job. What happens on the job, stays on the job. Thats why it's called a job. I put on my favorite music on the drive home and relax, putting the day behind me.

The bottom line is this: life is full of ups and downs, twists and turns, bumps in the road, and sometimes obstacles. That's OK. That's life. We must learn to navigate, learn that with the good sometimes comes the bad, accept that a plow on through. Become unstoppable. Embrace that mindset. Fall 9 times, rise 10. Never give up.

I read spiritual literature, meditate in silence, and pray. I will try to go on longer runs with beautiful scenery. I spend unhurried time with friends and family. I try to clean my kitchen and living room every night for a fresh start each day.

Hang in there

volunteer at Veterans Moving Foward program, excersise and medication/meditation.

With the help of my wife and my mental health worker, I have developed a schedule for my time.
I have learned over the years that I have to get away from all communication and TV.
I take walks in our woodland paks, take time fishing and just kayaking. I do these activities alone so I can work out what may be bothering me. My mental health worker is always availed to me and that is a large part of my comfort level.

K9sforwarriors.org

When I'm feelimg down I call a supportive friend, go for a walk, work in my garden, do self care activities, pray-pray-pray, cry when I need to and most important I recognize all of the blessings in my life and focus on being grateful for those blessings.

To maintain my mental health I ride my bike or walk in the park. I avoid soda drinks and eat a low carb diet.

Some things I do to maintain or improve my mental health is keeping a eye out for "in the moment" situations. I believe that when burdens pile up the stress or anxiety and sneak up on oneself "in the moment" and kind of off guard. Some tips to maintain and improve are: 1. Pause 2. inventory 3. Take yourself out of the moment. When we pause we save whatever was going to roll off of our tongue and use other words to make the situation seem less overwhelming. When we take inventory we can feel how our bodies are feeling and it is important to lower and relax your shoulders to feel less stress and to lower the tension. When we take ourselves out of the moment; good practice is to look at something like a picture of a family member, a slogan we find at our desk, or keep something that has a calming smell to it near by like herbs or mint. We have to live for the moment but learn in the moment too.