mental health habitsWhen talking about bad habits, usually something like smoking, sedentary lifestyle and poor diet comes to one’s mind. However, the most unhealthy habits are not related to our behavior, but to our psychological state.

To be able to change these habits first it is necessary to know the impact they have on our daily lives.

1. Isolating ourselves from others and feeling lonely

Loneliness is devastating for both mental and physical health. It makes us feel vulnerable to others, so we become cautious and aloof. Sometimes we think that this is a reasonable and prudent approach to protect ourselves from getting hurt, while in fact it alienates us from people who could make our life more beautiful and creative.

2. Underestimating ourselves after a failure

Failure is a life lesson that can teach us how to manage challenges more effectively in the future. Unfortunately, our “automatic” response to failure is the belief that we set unattainable goals or that we are not good enough to succeed. Lowering ourselves and our expectations are not going to learn from past mistakes.

3. Making rigorous self-criticism after a blow to our confidence

Self-confidence makes us more “resistant” to the refusal or failure. Nevertheless, very often we are too strict with ourselves when others comment on our mistakes or negative sides. When our confidence falls, we are not able to use our skills and talents to move forward.

4. Guilt prevents us from correcting mistakes

The guilt in small doses can be helpful, as it warns us about things that can hurt our beloved ones. When we ask for forgiveness and get it for a mistake we’ve made, our relationship with another person gets back to normal and guilt disappears. However, sometimes tensions remain because we avoid facing up to our responsibilities.

5. Wallowing in grief

When something upsets or displeases us, it is natural to try to understand what happened and look for possible solutions. But often we get stuck to the events and have the same thoughts and the same feelings again and again. This creates growing concerns and obsessions. In turn, it provokes the reaction of the organism to stress and over time increases the risk of depression, alcoholism, nutrition disorders and cardiovascular diseases.
