Corrupt

Maintaining Mental Health

Maintaining perfect sanity in our time of neuroticism and cognitive dissonance can be hard. Gifted individuals especially will often feel powerless and depressed by the magnitude of irrationality and shallowness they face every day, which can lead to serious full-scale depression. However, this is not the only cause of ill mental balance. Bad relationships and abuse also count. These things tend to run together accumulating to an ill climax.

The first and most important aspect of obtaining a better mental view is to build up a strong sense of control and achievement. The key is organization, and having everything in your life in its proper place. This builds character and boosts confidence.

Things which will affect your mental balance the most:

Work

Real physical work can be highly liberating and immersing in that it wears out the body, keeps the mind still, and afterwards gives a great sensation of having done something useful. Unfortunately, our society tends to take the direction of less and less physical effort. This has had enormous consequences for "developed" world populations and, consequently, the opportunities for honourable physical labour (i.e: work in the field) are really scarce. Work/careers are very important to individuals, as they can provide identity, material sustenance, and involvement with our community. Therefore, it makes sense to think of our jobs as honourable commitments, and we should see that they fulfil the same high standards as we have for other activities. Your work should not put your integrity at risk (phone advertising), or be completely useless (flipping burgers). Use poor jobs only as temporary solutions.

Exercise

Adequate physical activity is essential for our bodies to stay rooted in this world of fluctuating resistance. Those in poor physical shape can expect to be viewed in a less flattering light than if they had looked after their condition. It is a pre-programmed feature in humans to recognize health and vigour. Besides being a genuinely wise choice for health and well-being, losing extra pounds and gaining some visible muscle will also provide you with a giant boost in self-confidence. For more information please refer to our guide to physical exercise.

Sleep

This is another component which you can't afford to neglect. Many studies have shown that sleep strongly affects both our immune system and mental abilities. Getting the right dose of sleep will wake you up full of energy and enthusiasm for a new day of brilliant possibilities. If you suffer from insomnia, don't use pills to cover it. These don't work since they don't medicate the real cause behind sleeplessness. Instead, try increasing daily exercise and breaking any bad habits which may make it hard to fall asleep. A poor diet, particularly if meal times fluctuate or if you eat late, can have drastic effects on quality of sleep. A 3 hour window before bedtime is necessary for proper digestion, and caffeinated products should be avoided after midday. Irregular sleeping patterns and lack of sunlight (light therapy lamps are available for those of you forced to work night shifts or in dark environments) also have negative impacts on quality of sleep.

Diet

Eat healthy, all-round, local and organic. Avoid GM stuff and industrialized meat: they are both suspicious in their actual content and do not give proper respect for the organism's offer of life. Don't buy into what the so-called experts tell you about the latest intake and dietary recommendations. Your ancestors fared very well on their traditional diets, thus it must be valid now too. Eating at regular times also keeps your energy levels steady and discourages snacking.

Friends

Humans are social animals, therefore we need social interaction for mental well-being. Having a handful of trustworthy friends and good family relations is highly beneficial, since it may even help you land the right job! True friends are a rare commodity, far more valuable than any mineral dug up from soil and stone, especially in a time of urgent need. Don't lose them!

Entertainment

You will eventually face a time when you want to relax, but don't let this be an excuse to simply zone out (TV) or consume vapid, trendy products (again, TV does not help). Entertainment can be sought from quality art, hobbies and traditional activities such as folk music and folklore.

Everyday Routines

Although these only take up a small portion of our daily lives, they still have an enormous impact. These can be things such as brushing your teeth, picking up after yourself, and doing laundry. Keeping these small routines in check can make you feel in control of your life.

Things you should avoid:

Masturbation

The libido is one of the main energy drives in the human body; don't exhaust it! If you feel the necessity to fap here and there, it's OK, but chronic (daily) masturbation consumes much bodily protein and numbs the senses.

Procrastination

This is a major modern disease. Too many temptations have driven us to avoid fulfilling our duty. It may not even be the lack of responsibility, but simply not feeling confident or satiated with the idea of getting pressing matters completed.

If this has become a habit for you, getting rid of it may prove extremely difficult. If you succeed, it will raise your willpower and drive to have errands done as soon as possible. The central problem of procrastination is usually lack of organization and a belief that our duties take time from more pleasurable activities. To counter this, remind yourself of the immediate logical benefits of completing the deed, the long-term benefits, and you will see that putting things off is not really a reasonable option.

Setting Unrealistic Goals

If you decide to accomplish something but set the standard too high, there is a good chance that you will lose control, which leads to a massive sense of disappointment and guilt. This can only be cured by an honest acknowledgement of weakness, and then restructuring your commitments and pacing yourself with the more challenging projects.

There are two correct methods to counter self-destructive urges: