Mental health is an ongoing illness. Right now I am in a good period. I still have bad days but I am better than I have been in a long time. I have a mission to try to help as many people like me as I can. I have encountered lots of stigma in my health journey. I have had everything from been told I am lying to being told to snap out of it. I want to share with you ways to help yourself when you are feeling at your lowest.
1. Contact a qualified therapist. This can be through your doctor or if you feel more comfortable contact an online counsellor. Getting professional help is a great tool in the road to recovery. This is the best step you can make right now if you are reading this and feeling lost.
2. Breath. Take time. You are allowed to feel this way. It is ok. To not be ok. Your mind is a complicated place. Coming to terms with the fact you need help is ok. Everyone goes through a dark period. You are allowed to feel your feelings. No one has the right to tell you otherwise. This also goes for crying. You are allowed to cry.
3. Guided meditation. I liked these as they helped me switch off my mind. My mind would run away with negativity and bad thoughts. This helped me ground my mind and focus on the now.
4. Avoid alcohol, Alcohol is a natural depressant. It can make a bad situation worse. Yes, it might feel good for a little while but it is to avoid at this time. You do not need any form of extra pressure on your mind.
5. Write things down. Write down your feelings. Why you are feeling them? What can you do to change the way you feel? You can not punish yourself for things you can not control. I know this helped me with my mind spirling. For instance. You think you offended the coffee waitress. You are worried about how she feels about you. Can you change this? No. does she have an impact on your life? No, Then move on. This can be a great way to really make sence of your thoughts and feelings.
6. Exercise. Working up a sweat is a great way to release endorphins The happy hormone. It is also a great way to clear your head and make your body physically exhausted. You don't have to do extreme workouts you can just go for a walk around your local area.
7. Take little steps. Start small. If you are scared to go outside. Push yourself to try to go a bit further every day. Reward your victories. If you accomplish that extra step on your landing. Take a minute to see the progress you have made.
8. Get a dog. This is one of the best things My husband made me do. I got Millie when she was 18 months. I had a new focus. Millie had to be walked. She had to go to the toilet, She needed food. This gave me a purpose and to be honest unconditional love. I have written about Millie before But she was a big part of my recovery.
9. Do Things That Will Significantly Help And Benefit Others
There’s a certain feeling we all get when we do things for other people. It’s like a mirrored feeling of joy and happiness. When we see others benefit from a direct action of ourselves, it feels wonderful. Life isn’t all about you, after all. Doing things for others not only feels good, but it gives you the perspective that you might be lacking – you see that you can make a difference and that we all have issues. Doing things for charity such as donating to a Purple Heart Pickup or something equally helpful will make you feel a lot better. We’d all like perfect lives, but working in tandem is a pretty good substitute.
I hope this has given you some things to try to help with your own mental health problems.
