Mental Health Zones Self Check-in

Social & Behavioral Indicator Recommendations

Here are a few recommendations to support Social & Behavioral Indicators of your Mental Health.

Some may be more useful and accessible depending on your Social & Behavioral Indicators Zone (see the Section Score Ranges below). For instance, Hang Out With a Few Friends could help while you Seek Professional Support if you are in the Orange or Red Zone overall. If you are in the Green Zone overall and your Social & Behavioral Indictors is Yellow, you might consider trying something new, like Habit Forming Visualization or Laugh Out Loud.

Remember, this list of recommendations does not include everything you might need for your Social & Behavioral Indictors, and not all of them will work for all people all the time. Let us know if we can help.

  • Play...we are never too old to being creative and imaginative. Read The Importance of Play for Adults or listen to Play Doesn't End With Childhood: Why Adults Need Recess Too.

  • Laugh out loud spontaneously and on purpose for 1 minute. Watch comedian Glozell Green practice laughter therapy.

  • If you already have 1 or 2 trusted supporters that are aware of your mental health indicators, remind them to be on the lookout for any indicators that you are moving towards the Orange Zone. If you don’t yet have 1 or 2 trusted supporters with whom you’ve shared about your mental health, you may want to spend time writing down changes in your physical, emotional, social/behavioral, and cognitive experiences that they could be on the lookout for and help you address if needed. Then you want to share it with them, including ways they could help you get the mental health support you need.

  • Save Warm Crisis and Acute Crisis phone numbers in your phone, such as LA Warmline 855-952-9276, California Peer Warmline 855-845-7415, or CrisisLine for texting 741741.

  • Is there a habit you want to create? Use visualization to imagine yourself engaging in the new habit every day for at least 3 minutes. Use your 5 senses in your visualization to make it more realistic. What do you see in your imagery? What do you smell? Do you feel the sunlight, dewy mist, a soft blanket? Notice in your visualization what is touching your skin. What do you hear? Finally, what do you taste? Engaging your 5 senses adds to the neuropathways in your brain, which can make the actual behavior change towards a new habit happen with greater ease.

  • Some of us need a lot of alone time and others need very little. Either way, set aside intentional time to be social with yourself. Write in your journal, watch your favorite show, go for a walk or drive, or simply be in the moment.

  • A Do Nothing Day is when you clear you schedule of any advanced plans. Wake up in the morning and do whatever sounds restorative to you in the moment.

  • Pick an activity that you enjoy, find fulfilling and restorative and ask one or more friends to join you. Especially if you are in the Orange or Red Zones, ask a trusted support person to prep meals and remind you to drink water, go for drives, take walks/hikes, or chill with you while you access professional care.

  • You may consider talking with your primary care doctor, a psychiatric physicians assistant, licensed mental health professional, massage therapist, meditation specialist, or a crisis text or hotline. You may also work with a medical professional to learn about prescribed and supplemental/over the counter medication to support your mental health.