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Mental illness is often stigmatized. Depressed people should try harder to be happy. Anxious people should relax. People with PTSD need to get over their trauma and move on. But anyone with a mental health condition knows that’s not how it works. You can’t smile depression away. Anxiety isn’t cured with a bubble bath. However, even if you recognize that a smile won’t cure depression, you may hesitate to try an antidepressant or other medication. Like mental illness itself, medication is also stigmatized. The truth is that prescription medication can help many people with mental health issues. Here’s why you may want to consider taking medication to treat your mental illness. 

Think about the last time you laughed really hard, so hard that your sides ached and you had trouble catching your breath. Maybe your child did something silly, you saw a funny meme online or your best friend told you a hilarious story. Now think about how you felt afterward. You probably felt lighter and happier. While we’ve all heard laughter is the best medicine, you might not realize that laughter really is beneficial to your body and in turn, your mental health.

Creating a to-do list helps you stay organized and on track. Then, as you cross items off, you feel immense satisfaction. But are you adding mental health to your to-do list? And if you’re not, you may notice you’re feeling more irritable, tired and are quicker to get sick. To be the happiest and healthiest version of yourself, you must prioritize your mental health. Here are a few ideas to help you add mental health to your to-do list.