How to Build Your Mental Health Toolkit

Embarking on the journey to better mental health starts with equipping yourself with the right tools. Just as a builder carefully selects materials to construct a sturdy foundation, assembling your own mental health toolkit empowers you to fortify your resilience against life's obstacles. Next time you’re coping with stress, anxiety, depression, or other mental health challenges, look in your mental health toolkit to find an accessible and healthy way to overcome these struggles. 

What should you put in your toolkit?

Add a relaxation technique

Begin by incorporating a relaxation exercise that soothes both your body and mind. It could be a deep breathing exercise, morning meditation, or a form of self-care. Whatever technique works for you, use this part of your toolkit when you experience feelings of stress or anxiety to help you restore mental balance. 

Add a physical activity

Research shows that people who exercise regularly have better mental health and emotional well-being. In addition, exercise increases feel-good neurotransmitters in the brain, increases energy levels, and makes you feel more relaxed. From anything from an early morning run to an evening yoga session, add at least 30 minutes of daily exercise to your toolkit. 

Add a creative outlet

Lucky for us, you don’t need to be Picasso or Hemingway to benefit from creative expression. Practicing creativity, in forms such as art, writing, dance, and music, is a great way to improve your mood, reduce stress, and help you relax. Find a creative outlet that works for you and pull it out of your toolkit when you need to destress.

Add a healthy habit

Next, find a realistic healthy habit to add to your toolkit. Maybe you’ll make a commitment to drink more water, as hydration has been shown to improve overall brain health. Or, perhaps you decide to practice better sleep hygiene, which refers to habits that promote quality sleep and have been linked to decreased risk of mental illness.

Add a coping strategy

What activity do you turn to when you’re feeling stressed or overwhelmed? Coping strategies are actions or thoughts used to modify one’s reaction to a stressful situation. Healthy coping strategies include positive self-talk, different forms of self-care, goal setting, and listening to music. Add one of these positive mechanisms to your toolkit, and remove unhealthy coping strategies, such as substance abuse, avoidance, self-harm, or excessive screen time.

Add your support system

Remember, you don’t have to face mental health challenges alone. Consider your immediate and extended support system, which may include parents, siblings, friends, coaches, professionals counselors, or therapists. During challenging moments, look for these people for support. 

Add an emergency resource 

As your last step, add an emergency resource. In a time of need, crisis and suicide prevention hotlines can help save a life. Visit our Resources page for links to national emergency resources, including the national helpline, suicide and crisis hotline, and crisis text line.