Sometimes the churn of daily life can make us feel like we are stuck in the spin cycle of a washing machine. Chronic stress, worry, and anxi...
Sometimes the churn of daily life can make us feel like we are stuck in the spin cycle of a washing machine. Chronic stress, worry, and anxiety threaten to upend any attempt you might make to fine a just a little bit of quiet in your day. In the same way, struggling with depression can leave you feeling tired, sad, and defeated. Put simply, these are exactly the reasons why a mental health retreat is the perfect setting to reset your mind, body, and spirit.
A mental wellness retreat is simply a getaway, for a period of time decided entirely set by you, that allows you the space and time to detach from the stressors of life while doing a little bit of soul searching. These wellness programs are designed in a way that each individual will draw from it what they need, to pick and choose the activities that speak to their needs. After all, an anxiety retreat should be anything but anxiety provoking.
If you are experiencing the cumulative effects of the past six months of unsettled mental health due to the coronavirus pandemic, you are in good company. During the pandemic, rates of anxiety and depression rose steadily as the weeks wore on. Consider a weekend mental health retreat to reconnect with nature and self, or a longer-term psychological retreat that includes more clinical therapeutic elements.
7 Ways a Mental Health Wellness Retreat Can Help You Reset
When you start to research mental health retreats you will quickly realize why these programs are in such high demand. Situated in a beautiful setting, such as the
countryside, at the beach, or in a secluded mountain location, these retreats offer a long list of tantalizing amenities and services, all provided to assist you in achieving a state of mental peace. Here are 7 reasons to plan an anxiety retreat or a depression treatment retreat:
1. Detach from technology. Most of us have lost track of just how addicted we are to our smartphones, tablets, and laptops. How often do we find ourselves staring transfixed, zombie-like at our social media feed not even absorbing what we are reading? During your time at the wellness retreat, you will leave your electronic devices behind and focus your attention on what is real and tangible. Instead of bringing on depressing newscasts on your laptop, you instead get to live in blissful ignorance of world events. You will be astounded at how wonderful you will feel after taking a break from technology.
2. Move at your own pace. Most mental health retreats provide a schedule of daily activities, although there is no mandate that you have to participate in them all.
Each individual derives from the retreat what he or she needs for their unique mental health needs by selecting the activities that offer something relevant to them. You can get up at dawn and join the group on a hike or a sunrise yoga class, or you can sleep in until 10. The retreat exists to serve your needs, not the other way around.
3. Immerse yourself in nature. Because the mental health retreats are generally located in a stunning geographic location, you may feel your worries begin to melt away the minute you arrive. Being away from traffic, noise, and crowds allows you to focus on the actual beauty of the natural surroundings. There may be a lake, a creek, a beach, a panoramic hillside view, or lush gardens to relish during your time at the wellness retreat. For this reason alone, by reacquainting yourself to nature you will notice a significant improvement in mood.
4. Learn relaxation techniques. The hallmark of mental wellness retreats is its focus on helping you reach a state of relaxation and serenity. Each retreat provides a collection of activities that are designed to help you learn ways to de-stress once you return back to regular life. These activities include such things as meditation, yoga, massage, Reiki, acupuncture, sound therapy, water therapy, and mindfulness walks.
5. Do a cleanse. Some retreats offer a certain type of dietary philosophy, such as a plant-based menu, ketogenic diet, a detox cleanse, or organic menus. Most retreats offer a variety of menu options, allowing you to fully embrace a detox cleanse or to simply stick to a healthy, organic diet during your stay. Either way, you can expect that nutrition will be front and center as an integral component of enhancing the mind-body connection.
6. Rediscover you. While a retreat setting will offer some opportunities to socialize, such as at meal times or during group activities, the emphasis will be on spending time in solitude. In the stillness of our own thoughts, especially when spending a period of time in such a restorative, nurturing environment, we are able to reconnect with the essence of who we are. In these quiet moments we will find ourselves sorting out what is important to us, and what needs to change in our lives, feeding our spiritual side and moving us closer to optimal wellness.
7. Work on some issues. If you signed up for a wellness retreat experience you no doubt packed some of your troubles in your suitcase. Maybe you have been dealing with a bout of depression after losing a loved one. Perhaps you have recently lost your job and are feeling anxious about the future. Whatever the mental health challenge is, a retreat offers an opportunity to work through these emotions. Mental health retreats offer psychotherapy and group therapy sessions to provide a more intensive treatment experience.
Honestly, who couldn’t benefit from a stay at a mental health retreat? These programs offer a unique opportunity to release tension and stress while rediscovering the things that make you feel happy and fulfilled. And after a year like 2020, I believe that we all deserve a stint at a mental wellness retreat.
