Local psychiatrist encouraging people to work on mental fitness

The COVID-19 pandemic has had a significant impact on people's mental health, but according to a local psychiatrist, there are ways to improve mental fitness.

Dr. Jackie Kinley, director of the Mental Health Day Treatment Program with Nova Scotia Health, told CityNews Halifax people can shift their way of thinking to better control their mental health.

“If you think about your brain as any other muscle in your body because everybody has certain level of physical fitness and we know if we want to, there are things we can do and psychologically it's the same,” she said.

Kinley said there are exercises and practices people can do to change their neuro-chemistry and ultimately their neuro-biology.

“It takes practice and you have to develop habits, but all of us have the potential to be able to do that,” said Kinley. “It's not a fatalistic model, it's a positive and optimistic model and it's one we don't talk about enough.”

According to Kinley, journaling and confiding in a friend or loved one are great ways at keeping accountability when attempting to improve your mental fitness.

“People need to feel empowered right now,” she said. “Everybody feels helpless and they're victims of circumstances. Master your circumstances or your circumstances will master you.”