The human body – when compared to those of other animals – is very susceptible to being damaged. And while it does have an incredible ability to heal itself, sometimes it needs a little extra help.

Many serious injuries and illnesses require – and receive – immediate medical intervention such as surgery or medication to reduce the chances of permanent disability or even death.

However, despite the fact our mental health is even more fragile, it receives little in the way of treatment when compared to our physical health.

Poor mental health that goes undiagnosed and untreated can be even more serious than a physical malady because it can affect so many more people than the person with the condition. It can also lead to poor coping mechanisms and even death in extreme cases.

That is why it is vitally important to take care of your inner self. This is a process that can be less clear than treating your body, and it can come with the same temptation to try and power through the pain.

But taking the required steps to work through your emotional issues will give you a clearer picture of who you are and allow you to have a better quality of life. Everyone is different when it comes to their mental health but here are a few steps you can take to your inner self:

Talk to Someone

Following the death of Layne Staley, the original lead vocalist of Alice In Chains, the band’s lead guitarist, Jerry Cantrell, said: “Part of the healing process is sharing with other people who care.”

Finding someone you can talk to about your struggles is one of the most important steps in the healing process, whether they’re a friend, family member, or a therapist. Talk to them about how you’re feeling and the struggles you’ve been going through. If you have an idea why you’re feeling that way, tell them about it and allow yourself to delve into what the root cause might be.

Doing this can be incredibly cathartic as it allows you to release pent-up emotions and stress. Someone being there to support you and listen can make your burden a little lighter. In addition to providing an outside perspective, the person you talk to can also provide actionable advice and insights you hadn’t thought of before.

A major concern here is that your confidant will see you as a burden and that opening up to them will ruin that relationship. However, if they are worth having in your life, they will care about what you’re going through and will want to be there to help. If you need additional support, you should seek out professional help as a great therapist will be very engaged in helping you, especially if it’s something serious.

Reflect on Yourself

Once you have the people you need around you and you’ve begun opening up to them about your woes, the next step is to reflect on what you’re feeling. Self-reflection can also be a long, difficult process for many people with so many emotions coming to the surface as you’re trying to put together why you’re hurting. Ideally, you’re not doing this part alone, but are doing it in tandem with the people you’re confiding in. But this step can last a long time as it requires you to be honest with yourself and critically analyze why you’re feeling that way.

There could be something in your life leaving you dissatisfied, frustrated, or defeated. It could be a multitude of things that you’re not confronting, or it could be a part of yourself that you’ve suppressed because of familial or social pressure. It could even be a traumatic event from your childhood that placed an incredibly heavy burden on your mind and left you susceptible to a variety of emotional triggers.

Seriously reflecting on these causes can help you to process them and understand them in a deeper way. Through reflection, you can come to terms with a tragic event or accept that the thing causing you so much distress wasn’t your fault.

Alternatively, it can allow you to reflect on your own weaknesses and help identify areas for growth so you can get what you want out of life. Having a clearer idea of what your issues are and the reasons for them will allow you to accelerate the healing process.

Find Positive Healing Methods

This step is possibly the trickiest to describe because it is heavily dependent on the type of problems you might be facing. How a person learns to heal their inner self is unique to them and that choice must be made based on their own self-reflection and the advice of their loved ones or a professional.

Some of the ways you can use to heal your inner self include adopting a more positive mindset, being more forgiving of yourself, and recognizing the positive things in your life and being grateful for them. Take time to find things that bring you joy and allow yourself to enjoy them as often as you can. Ultimately, the main thing you need to do to heal your inner self is to take care of yourself, both physically and mentally.