Doing A Mental Health Check-In With Yourself To Address Anxiety & Difficult Emotions
Taking time for regular mental health check-ins—whether alone, with a loved one, or with a mental health professional—can be a meaningful step toward maintaining good mental health. These intentional moments of reflection can help foster self-awareness, promote emotional honesty, and support early detection of any emerging mental illness symptoms. Here, we’ll explore how routine reflection and compassionate self-assessment may help individuals build emotional resilience, address mental health concerns, and support long-term well-being.
What is a mental health check-in?
These check-ins offer a moment to reflect, recalibrate, and realize when it may be time to seek mental health support. The approach can be structured or informal, as long as it encourages honesty and self-compassion.
Self check-ins: The importance of reflecting on your emotions
Self-check-ins can create a space for you to tune into your internal world, helping you understand what you're feeling and why. Developing this kind of self-awareness can encourage improved emotional regulation and more informed decision-making. Being emotionally honest with yourself as you identify feelings of stress, anxiety, or depression can also act as an “early warning system” for any underlying mental health conditions, so you can then seek help.
How regular mental health check-ins may help reduce anxiety
Reflecting regularly on your emotions and behaviors can lead to greater self-understanding and anxiety reduction in a number of ways. Here are a few examples:
- Promoting awareness. Routine check-ins may help you recognize patterns or situations that tend to provoke feelings of anxiety. This insight can inform coping strategies and behavioral or lifestyle adjustments.
- Encouraging emotional regulation. Acknowledging emotions as they arise can allow individuals to process feelings in real time, potentially preventing emotional repression and build-up that can intensify stress and anxiety.
- Building coping skills. Reflecting regularly may help you strengthen resilience and build a toolkit of healthy coping mechanisms, such as breathing exercises or journaling.
- Providing a sense of control. Regularly taking time to check in with and care for your mental health may contribute to a sense of control and reduce feelings of helplessness commonly associated with anxiety.
- Facilitating early intervention. Frequent check-ins can make it easier to spot when immediate help—such as the support of a mental health professional—may be needed.
Tips for effective mental health check-ins
Each individual is unique, so the style, structure, and frequency of check-ins may vary depending on personal needs and preferences. For one person, a quiet moment with a journal may suffice. For another, structured conversations with a therapist might also be necessary.
Whether you're experiencing symptoms of anxiety, depression, an eating disorder, or general emotional strain, customized mental health check-ins can be a great resource for noticing symptoms so you can seek support, and they can help in promoting improved mental health overall as well.
A mental health check-in for anxiety
Managing anxiety often involves grounding techniques. Simple methods such as deep breathing, mindfulness exercises, or body scans may help regulate nervous system responses. Over time, setting aside time to recognize stress patterns may help reduce anxious thoughts and promote well-being.
Possible self-assessment tools for anxiety include:
- Deep breathing exercises
- Guided meditation videos or apps
- Grounding techniques (like naming five things you can see)
- Creating a “worry journal” to externalize anxious thoughts
Once you engage in techniques like these, your mind may feel clearer and your thoughts slower, which can allow you to take constructive next steps to address your stressors.
A mental health check-in for eating disorders
Individuals managing serious mental health conditions like eating disorders will typically need to engage with a qualified mental health professional for tailored tools to support recovery and healing. In addition, individuals living with eating disorders may benefit from therapist-guided practices such as food journaling, self-compassion exercises, and mindfulness.
Other possible mental health check-in tools for eating disorders include:
- Repeating positive affirmations about body image
- Practicing mindfulness before and during meals
- Using self-compassion and cognitive reframing to challenge negative self-talk
Consult a mental health professional for advice on the approaches that might be right for you.
A general mental health self-check-in for awareness of emotions
A self-check-in ritual may involve journaling, practicing gratitude, meditating, or simply taking a quiet moment to ask yourself how you’re feeling. These small habits can foster routine emotional reflection and may offer more perspective on life experiences.
General self-check-ins can be part of your daily routine. A few helpful tools include:
- Keeping a gratitude journal
- Asking reflective questions like “What am I feeling today?”
- Rating your mood from one to 10 or identifying it using the feelings wheel
- Practicing short meditations to reconnect with your body
A mental health check-in with a loved one
Mental health support from those you care about can be a helpful resource. Scheduling weekly chats, sending thoughtful texts, or sharing a cup of coffee regularly can make space for emotional connection. Sharing openly and asking emotionally honest questions may also foster trust and vulnerability.
Some ways to check-in with friends and loved ones include:
- Send a check-in text such as: “Just wondering how you’re doing today?”
- Schedule weekly catch-up calls
- Share a journal prompt or question you can both answer
- Be an active listener; avoid offering advice unless asked
A mental health check-in with a professional
Meeting regularly with a mental health professional can offer structure and the benefits of their expertise. Therapists can help you identify the roots of emotional difficulties, guide reflection, and offer actionable tools.
In these check-ins, you might:
- Explore emotional patterns and behavioral habits
- Learn coping mechanisms tailored to your specific mental health challenges
- Get help creating a long-term plan for emotional well-being
- Receive support for managing stress, anxiety, or other challenges
How routine reflection can foster personal growth
Regular mental health check-ins, whether alone, with friends, or with a mental health professional, can play a significant role in reducing anxiety and supporting overall well-being. Through these moments of reflection and connection, individuals may be able to build resilience, better understand their emotions, and take proactive steps toward staying healthy.
Committing to routine self-assessment can also help nurture clarity and confidence. As individuals grow more aware of their emotions, they may develop a deeper understanding of personal needs, desires, and values. This insight may not only enhance mental health, but also encourage personal and emotional development. Regular mental health check-ins can lay the foundation for more intentional life choices, healthier relationships, and an increased sense of purpose.
How therapy can help with anxiety, eating disorders, and other mental health conditions
A qualified therapist can provide a supportive space for individuals to address a variety of mental health concerns. Whether you’re facing signs of anxiety, depression, an eating disorder, or another challenge, a mental health professional can offer tailored strategies to help you manage symptoms.
Therapy can help you unpack root causes, set healthy goals, and build long-term coping tools. Therapy can also serve as a proactive form of mental health support, guiding individuals through personal growth, transitions, or emotional self-discovery.
Exploring online therapy
For those who don’t want to or aren’t able to meet with a therapist in person, online therapy might be an alternative worth considering. It allows individuals to connect with a mental health professional remotely from home, reducing barriers like location and scheduling conflicts. With an online therapy platform like BetterHelp, you can receive care that can be more affordable than most in-person therapy sessions without insurance. You can get connected to a wider pool of providers than may be available in your area, too. Finally, due to its convenience, online therapy can also make consistent mental health check-ins easier to maintain.
BetterHelp currently accepts HSA/FSA cards and is recognized as an eligible expense by most HSA/FSA providers. Get started today.
What the research says about online therapy
There’s a growing body of research pointing to the potential effectiveness of online therapy. Various studies suggest that it can often be as effective as in-person care for treating symptoms of a mental health condition like depression, anxiety, and many others.
Takeaway
How do you do mental check-ins?
Mental health check-ins can be done individually or with the help of a loved one or mental health professional. Journaling, responding to mental health-related prompts, or regularly evaluating the quality of your mental health using a numbered scale can help you keep track of various aspects of your mental health, such as your stress levels, over time. As you recognize patterns, you may be able to implement effective coping strategies and find balance.
What is the 3-3-3 rule in mental health?
The 3-3-3 rule is a coping strategy for anxiety and other challenging emotions. It usually entails naming three objects you can see and three sounds you can hear before moving three parts of your body.
How do I check in on someone with mental health challenges?
Regularly asking how the person is and actively listening to their answer can be helpful. Depending on your relationship with the person, you might try to make plans with them and express that you’re there if they need anything.
Can I get a check for my mental health?
If you’re concerned about your mental health, talking to your primary care provider or a therapist may help you determine whether treatment is necessary. Mental Health America also has a variety of online screening tools that can offer more insight into your current mental state.
What happens during a mental health wellness check?
During a mental health wellness check, a person is usually asked if they are thinking of harming themselves or others. They may be provided with mental health resources if needed. If there is a risk that they could harm someone, they may need to stay in a psychiatric facility temporarily.
What are five warning signs of anxiety?
While anxiety is a normal human emotion, an anxiety disorder can arise when anxiety levels are persistently high, unmanageable, and lead to challenges in a person’s life. Five warning signs of a potential anxiety disorder include a sense of impending danger, frequent worrying, trouble sleeping, an inability to focus, and physical symptoms, such as muscle tension and headaches.
What qualifies you for anxiety?
According to the World Health Organization, anxiety disorders are the world’s most common mental disorders. There are many different anxiety disorders, each with its own set of diagnostic criteria in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition (DSM-5). Only a licensed mental health professional can officially diagnose these disorders.
How do you know if you need to see a psychologist or psychiatrist?
The primary difference between these professionals is that a psychiatrist is a medical doctor who can prescribe medication to patients. While a psychologist typically has a doctorate, they do not prescribe medication. You may find it helpful to connect with both types of professionals for more comprehensive mental health care involving both therapy and medication, or you might prefer to see one or the other, depending on your needs and preferences.
Can I see a psychologist without insurance?
While it’s possible to see a psychologist without insurance, the out-of-pocket cost may be high. If you’re concerned about the cost, it may be beneficial to ask about providers with sliding-scale fees in your area.
How much does a therapy appointment cost?
The cost of a therapy appointment can vary widely depending on the professional, their location, and whether you have insurance coverage. In general, in-person therapy without insurance ranges from $100 to $200 per session. Online therapy may offer more affordable care for those without insurance.
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