YORK, Pa. — If you thought mental toughness is all about pushing through pain with no complaints, guess again.
Eric Rittmeyer, a U.S. Marine veteran and mental health expert, says staying mentally tough is all about emotional control. As COVID-19 cases continue to rise and health leaders urge more quarantine and isolation, Rittmeyer spoke with FOX43 about ways to stay mentally sharp at a time many of us feel so alone.
"It's difficult to do and it starts with emotions. They are the only thing we have total control over, our thoughts and emotions," Rittmeyer said. "We can't control what's happening outside but we have total control over how we respond to those things, and i think what's most critically important is to not surpress these feelings we're having."
Rittmeyer stresses the importance of realizing no two people are in the same mental capacity -- "We're in the same storm but we're not in the same boat," he says -- and the way to best address struggling mental health is to fall back on the support system closest to you.
Rittmeyer says if you're struggling with your mental health, don't hold your feelings in. Find someone to talk to and learn how to express yourself. Second, do your best to keep those thoughts in check. Rittmeyer suggests staying away from the echo chamber or "doomscrolling" nature of social media and message boards that suggest the sky is falling. Also, Rittmeyer wants you to rely on your relationships. Find the people closest to you and talk to them, and listen to them as well, because they may be struggling without you even knowing.
"We have to put in a lot of effort to reach the people who may not be reaching out to us, but who we feel can reach that hand out," Rittmeyer said.
Eric Rittmeyer is a reoccuring guest on the FOX43 Mental Health Minute. More information on his expertise as a mental toughness speaker and author can be found on his website.
