Mental Health Tips for the Blind and Visually Impaired
/Mental Health Tips for Those Who are Blind or Visually Impaired
May is Mental Health Awareness Month. We know that vision loss can cause a lot of grief, which we’ve talked about before on the blog, but what about keeping your mental health in check on a regular basis? Today we’re sharing some tips and tricks so that you can feel your best mentally, even with vision loss and blindness.
1. Take Care of Your Physical Body
This can go in a lot of different ways but there are a lot of things you can do to take of your physical body that supports your mental health! From eating healthy to getting enough exercise, taking care of your physical self is so important for mental health, especially if your vision loss is caused by something like diabetes.
2. Get Outside
There are so many benefits to getting outside from making sure you’re getting enough Vitamin D to the mental health benefits. We know there can be extra challenges that might arise if you are blind or visually impaired (especially if you aren’t confident in your orientation and mobility skills or have not received that training yet) but that doesn’t mean you can’t step outside and get some fresh air!
3. Talk to a Professional
We can all use some extra support sometimes during life. This can be especially true when dealing with vision loss or disability in general. There is no shame in talking to a professional counselor. You can even find low cost options on Open Path Collective or if you are interested in working with a therapist who specializes in physical disability, you can check out Therapy Den. A therapist can help you work through stressful events in life or even if you just need to check up on your mental health as a person who is blind or visually impaired. There is no wrong time to seek help.
4. Get Social
Similar to our tip about getting outside, there are so many benefits to getting social! Whether it is through a phone call, a Facebook group, or meeting up with a friend – they are all a great option to feel less isolated and alone.
5. Prioritize Sleep
Sleep is essential for not only our mental health but also just our health in general! It is especially important to get on a regular sleep schedule if you struggle with something like non 24 sleep wake disorder. Melatonin is a great natural option if you’re struggling to sleep but be sure to check with your doctor before giving it a try!
6. Keep a gratitude journal
This tip comes from our very own Social Worker (we offer a wide range of social work services to our on-campus clients!) but keeping a gratitude journal can be a simple step to changing your mindset and helping your mental health. A gratitude journal can be as simple as writing three things you are grateful for each day no matter how small!
7. Self-Care
Another tip from our social worker, schedule 2 hours of self-care a week. Self-care can mean a lot of different things but as our social worker, David, puts it “self-care is anything a person wants to do for themselves that is not work or school. This can include a walk in the park, yoga, reading a book, watching a movie, etc. The point is to avoid stressful situations and do something you enjoy”.