World Mental Health Day: 7 recommendations for taking care of our well-being

Learning to take care of one's mental health is essential for a person's well-being. However, it is not always easy to know how to deal with negative thoughts or ask for help. On this Mental Health Day, celebrated on 10 October, the Universidade Católica Portuguesa shares seven recommendations especially designed for students.

Marta Pedro, professor of the field of Psychology at the Faculty of Human Sciences, explains that, first of all, we should "take care of ourselves". Having a healthy and varied diet and doing physical exercise are two examples that the specialist gives. "When we are active, we release endorphins that make us feel good, we sleep better, we feel more energetic for our day-to-day and we also have a greater capacity to concentrate".

But taking care of mental health should not be a lonely task and we should "keep in touch with friends and family" who will be our "support network whenever necessary". Furthermore, Marta Pedro highlights the importance of "challenging negative thoughts". If sometimes thoughts make us feel too worried, we should remember that "a thought is not a fact. Thinking that we are not capable does not mean that we are not capable in reality".

The psychologist also recommends "not procrastinating", as putting off a task repeatedly can make us feel discomfort, anxiety and stress. On the contrary, we should "set realistic goals" and "divide tasks into smaller tasks that are quicker to carry out", something that will contribute to our motivation.

However, it is not only productivity that matters and we should also rest. Marta Pedro defends the importance of "taking breaks" and "alternating periods of study with periods of break", as relaxing with hobbies and activities that give us pleasure helps to reduce stress levels. In addition, after achieving a goal, we should "reward ourselves for our effort" with an activity that brings us satisfaction, such as "going to the cinema or being with friends".

Finally, the professor advises to "ask for help if we feel overwhelmed, sadder or more anxious". There are always resources at our disposal, be it our personal support network or, for example, "the mental health appointment of the UCP, to which all students can resort to if they feel the need".