SELF-COMPASSION AND YOUR MENTAL HEALTH

Hope Mental Health Blog SELF-COMPASSION AND YOUR MENTAL HEALTH

It’s probably no surprise to you to hear that perfectionism — ever-unattainable — is bad for your mental health. People who expect perfection are often overly critical of mistakes, which can lead to depression.

I read about a study this week that showed choosing to view yourself in a compassionate light dampens the link between perfectionism and depression. Check out this graph:

That dot on the upper right shows that perfectionists who demonstrate low levels of compassion to themselves are high on the depression scale. The dot on the lower right represents perfectionists who show high levels of compassion to themselves: Much less depressed.

Even if you’re not a perfectionist (like the people represented by the dots on the left side of the graph), self-compassion makes a difference in your mental health.

Let’s talk about ways to develop more kindness toward yourself. Here are some suggestions summarized from Psychology Today:

  1. Treat yourself how you would treat a small child or good friend in a similar situation. If the child or friend made a mistake, would you berate and think less of that person or would you try to comfort and introduce some perspective?
  2. Practice mindfulness. When you find yourself being self-critical, take a moment to just be aware of those criticisms without judging them. Then remember how that voice has protected or motivated you in the past. Understanding helps you avoid rumination, which can lead to depression.
  3. Remember you’re not alone. Everyone messes up. You might think you’re uniquely broken, but we’re all struggling and doing things wrong.
  4. Give yourself permission to be imperfect. Note your mistakes or faults and tell yourself it’s okay; you still have worth and potential.
  5. Work with a professional. A mental health specialist can listen to your self-criticism non-judgmentally and introduce some perspective. He or she will help you and cheer you on as you strive to develop the skills that allow you to see yourself with more compassion.

You Might Also Enjoy...

YOUTH AND SUICIDAL THOUGHTS

Suicides among teens ages 15-19 are the highest they’ve been since 2000, says a new study by the Journal of the American Medical Association. Here’s a snippet from an NBC analysis of the study: The new study found that in 2017, 6,241 teenagers and adult

HOW TO FALL ASLEEP QUICKLY

This is second in a two-part series about sleep. Click here to read part one. Last week I wrote about how poor sleep can negatively affect your mental health. If you’re thinking, “It’s not my fault, I just can’t fall asleep at night!” then try this metho

HOW POOR SLEEP AFFECTS YOUR MENTAL HEALTH

I can’t stress this enough: part of managing your mental health includes getting enough sleep. I’ve written about this here before: in my career I’ve seen how poor sleep can lead to suicidal thoughts, memory issues, even weight gain. According to an artic

SOME ADHD MEDS INCREASE RISK OF PSYCHOSIS

New evidence is emerging that some medications for ADHD put teens and young adults at risk for developing psychosis. According to this study of more than 200,000 people ages 13 to 25, one out of 660 people had an episode of psychosis in a few months afte

SUMMER BREAK WITH YOUR HIGH-NEEDS CHILD

As thrilled as kids are with summer break, it can be difficult on parents to muster the same enthusiasm. You’re all out of your routine and it can take time to get used to a new schedule, and get used to each other. If you have a child with developmental

THE NEED FOR MENTAL HEALTH SUPPORT IN SCHOOLS

A recent report from the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) makes a case for more mental health professionals–including nurses and social workers–in schools. From the report: School counselors, nurses, social workers, and psychologists are frequently