How to Become Mentally Healthy and Strong That People Think You Are on Brain Steroids
Mood follows action. Improving mental health relies
on consistently doing “solids”—good deeds—for your future self each day.
In any moment, ask what tomorrow’s self would want you
to do within the context of sleep, nutrition, movement,
connection, and life administration.
Counter Context-Dependent Memory
The thoughts and memories your brain accesses
at any point are dependent
on your current psychological and physical context.
When in a low mood or experiencing depression,
the brain selectively accesses memories associated with doom
and gloom, creating the false perception
that life has always been that way.
The amygdala detects threats in the environment
and signals the hippocampus to store
those experiences in long-term memory.
Countering context-dependent memory requires strengthening
optimism circuits through two main approaches:
1. Think Opposite
When experiencing discomfort or negative thoughts,
first observe your emotional, physical, and mental responses.
Use metacognition (the ability to observe your thoughts)
and interoception (awareness of internal bodily sensations)
to identify physical markers like slumped posture
or a feeling of dread.
Then ask how you would respond if you held the opposite thought:
- Self-Loathing vs. Self-Love: Shifting from self-critical thoughts to self-acceptance alters posture, relaxes facial expressions, and fosters internal feelings of gratitude and motivation.
- Social Anxiety vs. Excitement: Replacing anxiety-inducing thoughts about failure with thoughts of excitement transforms physical symptoms like trembling or sweaty palms into open, confident behavior.
Bringing awareness to a behavioral pattern is the first step
toward changing it.
An event paired with the same thinking yields
the same experience, whereas an event paired with
new thinking yields a new experience.
Thoughts dictate feelings, and feelings reinforce thoughts
in a continuous loop.
Shifting to an opposite thought creates a new psychological
blueprint that becomes easier to access with practice.
2. Imagine Positive Future Events
Imagining the potential of positive future events triggers
the release of serotonin and norepinephrine,
activating the anterior cingulate region
of the brain to regulate the amygdala.
Maintain items, trips, or activities in your calendar weeks
or months ahead so there is always something specific
to look forward to.
Increase Perceived Control Through Decisiveness
The degree of control you perceive yourself
to have over a situation dictates your emotional state.
Low perceived control breeds depression,
while high perceived control fosters agency and high energy.
Happiness stems from actively pursuing self-chosen goals
rather than passively accepting outcomes.
To build a high sense of perceived control:
- Ignore External Demands: Avoid letting other people dictate your life choices, as conforming to external expectations removes your sense of personal control.
- Make Small, Good Decisions: Attempting to make single, perfect decisions activates the ventromedial prefrontal cortex, which is involved in emotional decision-making and distress. Focusing on making small, good decisions quickly activates the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex. Decisiveness reduces anxiety, as making a choice eliminates uncertainty and provides a single direction to move forward.
Instill a Practice of Certainty
Because much of life is volatile
and beyond personal control—such as politics, weather,
and other people’s actions—it is essential to establish
a daily practice of certainty.
A practice of certainty is a completely self-governed activity,
such as going to the gym, meditating,
cooking a favorite meal, or reading.
This practice must be completely under your control
and executable anywhere.
To remain reliable during chaotic times,
it must not depend on or involve other people.
Prioritize Exercise and Sleep
Exercise and sleep are foundational components
of neurological and psychological health:
- Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor (BDNF): Exercise stimulates BDNF production, strengthening brain structure and function.
- Neurotransmitter Enhancement: Physical activity increases the firing rate of serotonin neurons and raises norepinephrine levels, helping counteract biological markers of depression.
- Prefrontal Cortex Blood Flow: Intense exercise increases blood flow to the prefrontal cortex, restoring impulse control, decision-making, and rational thought when feeling mentally depleted or overstimulated by screen time.
- Sleep Architecture: Regular physical activity reduces excessive REM sleep—which is often elevated in depressed states—and promotes deeper, restorative sleep.
To put this into practice, aim for 30 minutes
of intense daily exercise until sweating,
and allow one hour of screen-free wind-down time before bed
to process the day.
