With how fast-paced everything around us these days is, it is easy to get caught up in the tide of the instant-loving crowd. 

Not that this is something to shame anyone off as it is only normal to want to get things done quickly.

However, this constant yearning for immediate results also forces people to unconsciously overlook their mental well-being.

Trigger warning for folks who are experiencing tough times. 

In an interview with Development Management Officer IV John Lee Gacusan of the Department of Health (DOH)-Ilocos Center for Health Development, he shared that in 2022, the province of Ilocos Sur recorded 22 suicide cases while there were 10 in the first half of this year. 

Family problems, health, mental illness, and finances, in no particular order, were top of the probable causes for the reported cases. 

There are periods in life when even genuine questions such as “How are you?” and “Are you alright?” would send emotions spiraling into dark corners. 

It is not easy. 

But hey, it will be okay. 

When worn out, it is totally fine to slow down a little. 

There are eight ways to do that as shared by the DOH through physical, mental, emotional, environmental, financial, social, spiritual, and recreational self-care.

The physical type of self-care, Gacusan said, is the “most critical self-care because a lack in this area can affect all other self-care categories.”

Ensuring good physical condition includes eating a healthy and nourishing meal, moving the body daily, either by walking, running, or working out, drinking a glass of water upon waking up, getting between seven to nine hours of good sleep, spending time in nature, and having a soothing hot bath or shower.

The second which is mental self-care helps to stimulate the mind, improve brain functionality, and help develop a growth mindset, involves learning a new skill or language, setting intentional goals, reading self-help or personal growth books, practicing gratitude, and doing a social media detox, among others.

Another is the emotional—learning to understand oneself and their emotions better through emotional self-care such as setting healthy and clear boundaries to protect one’s energy, spending time alone undistracted, journaling feelings, having a good cry, writing down positive affirmations, and asking for help.

The fourth one mentioned by Gacusan is the environment, where one should always feel motivated rather than depressed includes making the bed every morning, traveling for a change of scenery, tidying and organizing the workspace, decluttering the wardrobe regularly, listening to music, as well as setting a calm mood in the evenings.

Practicing financial self-care, the fifth type, he said, helps eliminate stress and anxiety from our lives.

Among the activities listed under this are listening to financial or money-related news, investing in the future, setting financial goals for the year, using a money app to help keep track of finances, and dealing with debt head-on.

Meanwhile, social self-care is the ability to build and maintain healthy interpersonal relationships with others.

It involves forming new personal and professional relationships, staying connected to important people in one’s life, limiting time with negative people, ending relationships with toxic people, spending time with friends and family, and writing letters to a friend.

For the seventh one, spiritual practices namely meditating or breathwork, spending time in nature, going to a place of worship, yoga, mapping out core values, and dedicating time for self-reflection, and manifestation help tap the inner being to find a deeper purpose and more meaning in life. 

Lastly, the DOH suggests recreation as it encourages one to tap into their inner child by taking part in hobbies that do not require too much brain power.

Things to do under this are traveling alone or with others, having a pamper day, watching Netflix or movies one likes, getting creative by painting, coloring, or doing a puzzle, reading fiction, magazines, or comic books, playing board games or doing a puzzle, etc. 

When drawn back to the dark corners of pent-up frustrations and silent screams, there are eight types of self-care and several practices one can choose from.

And while it may not be as easy as it seems, may these help in finding solace and lightening the load of life’s daily stresses. (JCR/AMB/ATV, PIA Ilocos Sur)