How can we keep our mind “clean and healthy”? We can’t brush it like our teeth or wash it with soap like our bodies. But like our teeth and bodies, our minds can get cluttered. This can stop us from being our best.

What is emotional hygiene?

Emotional hygiene means being aware of our mental health. It means doing small things to take care of ourselves when our feelings get hurt. Many of us don’t know how to do this. We focus more on our physical health than our mental health. For example, when we get a wound, we clean and treat it so it can heal. We wouldn’t make the wound worse!
But when we have an emotional wound, many of us blame ourselves over and over again. This makes us feel worse.

When we don’t treat emotional wounds, our self-esteem goes down. It can lead to worse mental health problems.

We will face these emotional wounds as we settle. Some of us may have even experienced trauma before coming here. We carry the pain for years. This can affect us mentally and physically. Experts found that feeling lonely and disconnected from others increases the chances of dying early by 14%.

That’s why emotional hygiene is important. When we take care of our emotional wounds and work on building emotional strength every day, our quality of life gets better.

Best ways to practice emotional hyegiene

Dr. Winch, a psychologist, calls it “Emotional First-Aid.” Here’s what you should do right after you get hurt emotionally:

1. Pay attention when you are hurt emotionally. Don’t ignore it, deal with it sooner. For example, if you feel alone, talk to a friend. If you’re sad, ask someone for advice. See a doctor.
2. Be kind and understanding to yourself. Protect your self-esteem. Relax, take deep breaths, and don’t compare yourself to others. Remember that things will get better. See every situation as a learning experience.
3. Avoid thinking about bad experiences again and again. This can become a habit. Think about something else when you notice that you’re starting to think too much.
4. Change how you react to failure. Focus on what you can do and learn from the experience. Set new goals. Keep trying.

Change your thinking to start having good mental habits. It won’t be easy. It will need effort and control. Try your best to do these things regularly. In the end, you will gain a lot from having a clear, healthy and strong mind!