Here’s the amazing thing about your brain: It’s always changing, reorganizing and making new connections between neurons, depending on how you use it. 

Washing your body every day isn’t enough, but it’s a good start. Use warm water and mild moisturizing soap that won’t dry out your skin, and then gently pat your skin dry.

Elsa Mina

What does any of this have to do with mental health?

Interestingly, neuroplasticity can work for or against you. Bad and good habits are equally capable of triggering changes in your brain.

Anxiety and depression can alter the structure of your brain. The hippocampus actually shrinks when you’re experiencing depression, and the volume of gray matter in your brain decreases when you’re experiencing anxiety. It’s a good thing these changes are reversible!

Avoidance isn’t the Answer

Physical or emotional avoidance provides instant relief and is most people’s go-to-solution for anxiety and depression. For instance, if you have social anxiety, staying home as much as you can seems like a good solution. 

However, all this does is cause the neural pathways associated with social aptitude to die-off, making your anxiety worse. Continued exposure is the only way to protect those parts of your brain. 

How to Rewire Your Brain

Your skin is your largest organ, so do all you can to avoid cuts, blisters, and skin infections as they can lead to bigger problems fast.

Jessica Alba

This is probably the last thing you want to hear if you have anxiety, but exposure to new environments can open up new pathways and connections in the brain. This is actually one of the hidden benefits of traveling; new friends, experiences, and memories trigger the release of dopamine. More dopamine means more motivation, and as a result, less depressive symptoms.

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You don’t need to spend loads of money on an exotic vacation to get these benefits. Start with that new restaurant that you’ve been dying to try, a new hiking trail, or basically anything else that takes you to someplace you’ve never been.