Seven Ways To Combat Your Struggle
This really goes for anyone who is struggling with anything, but I have noticed these are the best things I can do to fight my mental illnesses. These things are not easy, and rarely anything that is good for me ever is. They take hard work and determination, but they help me to better myself every time I do them. I thought it might help those who are struggling with their own struggles to hear what I do to avoid being stuck in a rut.
A few of these things, like eating healthy, seem to be no-brainers. You often hear doctors and inspirational speakers talk about how eating healthy does wonders for them. Sometimes it is hard to hear- but its true. I am allergic and have many irritations to a lot foods. Technically, I am not supposed to be eating anything with dairy, gluten, or candida (which in turns means I shouldn't eat sugar). When I do eat things I am not supposed to (we all do, just admit it), my mental health is not in top shape either. Our mental and physical health go hand in hand. When you eat well, you feel good.
Exercising
Exercising does wonders to the brain. When you exercise, your body releases something called endorphins. Endorphins reduce pain and increase happiness and positivity. Basically, exercising gives you some pretty awesome benefits and makes you feel better. Exercising allows me to reduce stress in a healthy way. I also notice that it clears my mind and allows me to have healthy and encouraging thoughts.
I go to the gym, but a lot of people cannot afford a gym membership or feel uncomfortable attending the gym. That is okay! There are many ways to exercise. Going on a run around your neighborhood, going on a walk, carry a basket in the store instead of pushing a cart. All these things are easy ways to exercise. When you are working out, you body and mind become one. It is an amazing thing I highly recommend.
Going Outside
GO. OUTSIDE.
It is scientifically proven that those who spend more time outdoors are fundamentally happier than those who do not. PsychologyToday states, "Just having a 50 minute walk in nature, when compared to a walk in the city, helped decrease anxiety and negative feelings, increases positive feelings - while improving working memory."
I struggle big time with seasonal depression. The winter kills my mental, emotional, and physical health. I haven't quite figured out how to combat that other than taking vitamin C, going to the gym, and vacationing to warm places. When I do go outside, though, I am significantly happier. Feeling the sun on my face awakens something deep within me that was hibernating all winter. From the beginning of time, we were outdoor creatures. We hunted, slept on dirt and grass, and naturally looked up at the stars at night. I do not know all the answers to life, but I do know that going outside and just being increases my overall mental health. I am happier, motivated, and more positive.
Escaping The Situation
Sometimes the best way to deal with your mental health is to escape a situation that is making it worse. I have pretty bad social anxiety. When I am around people, sometimes it becomes so bad I feel as though people are breathing on me, and so close that they are sitting on me. I am the type of person that pushes through the battle inside my head because I "need to act normal" or think to myself, "this is stupid, Ellie. Just stop freaking out. Sit here and be a normal person." So.. I just sit. And the feelings keep happening, and I start feeling the walls close in on me and I break down. A lot of times when I push myself through situations I know I shouldn't be in (such as social situations that make me uncomfortable) I end up having a panic attack.
Guys, don't be me. You know yourself better than anyone on this earth. You know your feelings and you know your triggers and you know when you need to separate yourself from certain situations. Don't beat yourself up because other people seem to be able to handle things better than you. They are not you. So, be you. Know yourself and escape situations that may not be the best for you.
Taking Mental Health Days
Take mental health days. Take mental health days. Take mental health days.
This goes hand in hand with loving yourself and being kind to yourself. This takes so much practice to learn and finally become comfortable with. Self love and self kindness is not an easy thing to do. I cannot tell you how many days I have missed class, work, church, or social events because I was being kind to myself.
If you went to the gym and worked your bicep's super hard, almost to the point of maxing out, would you be expected to work them out again the next day? No. Muscles need time to rest and recuperate. That is how they grow stronger.
Work. Rest. Repeat.
Well, there is no difference with our brain. We work our brains so hard and almost no one talks about the need to just relax, take a break, do kind things for yourself. Read your favorite book. Take a nap. Go on a walk by yourself. Take a shower. Enjoy your favorite treat.
Work hard and then rest. Be kind to yourself, love yourself, and you will eventually learn to understand yourself. You will find your mental health grow stronger and stronger.
Work. Rest. Repeat.
Serving Others
I am sure I have talked about this before, but my diagnosis of Bipolar II was hard. I felt broken and lost and so unlike myself, like my brain had be lying to me my whole life. I felt defeated and tired and that is pretty much how I acted. I laid in bed, cried a lot, and slept a ton.
Then, I remembered a quote that was told to be a few years back. I liked it then, but I live by it now.
The quote states, "Forget yourself and go to work."
There is nothing more freeing than serving others. You are able to forget your momentary troubles by losing yourself in the service of others.
There are a few things that make me truly joyful. Serving others, though, gives me pure joy. Allowing myself to be hands for those who are less fortunate puts my situation in perspective.
I realized quickly that I don't have to donate millions of dollars or volunteer at a soup kitchen everyday to serve. My favorite ways to serve is to make cookies and bring it to work. If I see someone who looks wonderful, I tell them.
I realized by this quote that it is so easy to be within myself and stay there. Even though it seems justified at the time, I throw myself a pity party. What I realized, though, is that my situation does not change. I can cry all I want, but at the end of the day I am still going to struggle with Bipolar II, depression and anxiety. I want to be the person that forgets themselves and goes to work. I want to serve people and help people so much that I forget the situation I am in, even if just for a moment.
Life is worth it. Do things that help remind you of that.
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Eating Healthy
Take Your Medicine
If you are on medicine for a mental illness, TAKE IT. Often times, we take our medicine, feel better, and feel as though we are better and don't need the medicine. Guys, a lot of the time, you feel better because you are taking your medicine. Do not go off it, especially without talking with your doctor. It can be dangerous to your body and your mental health. Taking my medicine is always something I do in order to help with (even a little bit) my struggle.
A few of these things, like eating healthy, seem to be no-brainers. You often hear doctors and inspirational speakers talk about how eating healthy does wonders for them. Sometimes it is hard to hear- but its true. I am allergic and have many irritations to a lot foods. Technically, I am not supposed to be eating anything with dairy, gluten, or candida (which in turns means I shouldn't eat sugar). When I do eat things I am not supposed to (we all do, just admit it), my mental health is not in top shape either. Our mental and physical health go hand in hand. When you eat well, you feel good.
Exercising
Exercising does wonders to the brain. When you exercise, your body releases something called endorphins. Endorphins reduce pain and increase happiness and positivity. Basically, exercising gives you some pretty awesome benefits and makes you feel better. Exercising allows me to reduce stress in a healthy way. I also notice that it clears my mind and allows me to have healthy and encouraging thoughts.
I go to the gym, but a lot of people cannot afford a gym membership or feel uncomfortable attending the gym. That is okay! There are many ways to exercise. Going on a run around your neighborhood, going on a walk, carry a basket in the store instead of pushing a cart. All these things are easy ways to exercise. When you are working out, you body and mind become one. It is an amazing thing I highly recommend.
Going Outside
GO. OUTSIDE.
It is scientifically proven that those who spend more time outdoors are fundamentally happier than those who do not. PsychologyToday states, "Just having a 50 minute walk in nature, when compared to a walk in the city, helped decrease anxiety and negative feelings, increases positive feelings - while improving working memory."
I struggle big time with seasonal depression. The winter kills my mental, emotional, and physical health. I haven't quite figured out how to combat that other than taking vitamin C, going to the gym, and vacationing to warm places. When I do go outside, though, I am significantly happier. Feeling the sun on my face awakens something deep within me that was hibernating all winter. From the beginning of time, we were outdoor creatures. We hunted, slept on dirt and grass, and naturally looked up at the stars at night. I do not know all the answers to life, but I do know that going outside and just being increases my overall mental health. I am happier, motivated, and more positive.
Escaping The Situation
Sometimes the best way to deal with your mental health is to escape a situation that is making it worse. I have pretty bad social anxiety. When I am around people, sometimes it becomes so bad I feel as though people are breathing on me, and so close that they are sitting on me. I am the type of person that pushes through the battle inside my head because I "need to act normal" or think to myself, "this is stupid, Ellie. Just stop freaking out. Sit here and be a normal person." So.. I just sit. And the feelings keep happening, and I start feeling the walls close in on me and I break down. A lot of times when I push myself through situations I know I shouldn't be in (such as social situations that make me uncomfortable) I end up having a panic attack.
Guys, don't be me. You know yourself better than anyone on this earth. You know your feelings and you know your triggers and you know when you need to separate yourself from certain situations. Don't beat yourself up because other people seem to be able to handle things better than you. They are not you. So, be you. Know yourself and escape situations that may not be the best for you.
Taking Mental Health Days
Take mental health days. Take mental health days. Take mental health days.
This goes hand in hand with loving yourself and being kind to yourself. This takes so much practice to learn and finally become comfortable with. Self love and self kindness is not an easy thing to do. I cannot tell you how many days I have missed class, work, church, or social events because I was being kind to myself.
If you went to the gym and worked your bicep's super hard, almost to the point of maxing out, would you be expected to work them out again the next day? No. Muscles need time to rest and recuperate. That is how they grow stronger.
Work. Rest. Repeat.
Well, there is no difference with our brain. We work our brains so hard and almost no one talks about the need to just relax, take a break, do kind things for yourself. Read your favorite book. Take a nap. Go on a walk by yourself. Take a shower. Enjoy your favorite treat.
Work hard and then rest. Be kind to yourself, love yourself, and you will eventually learn to understand yourself. You will find your mental health grow stronger and stronger.
Work. Rest. Repeat.
Serving Others
I am sure I have talked about this before, but my diagnosis of Bipolar II was hard. I felt broken and lost and so unlike myself, like my brain had be lying to me my whole life. I felt defeated and tired and that is pretty much how I acted. I laid in bed, cried a lot, and slept a ton.
Then, I remembered a quote that was told to be a few years back. I liked it then, but I live by it now.
The quote states, "Forget yourself and go to work."
There is nothing more freeing than serving others. You are able to forget your momentary troubles by losing yourself in the service of others.
There are a few things that make me truly joyful. Serving others, though, gives me pure joy. Allowing myself to be hands for those who are less fortunate puts my situation in perspective.
I realized quickly that I don't have to donate millions of dollars or volunteer at a soup kitchen everyday to serve. My favorite ways to serve is to make cookies and bring it to work. If I see someone who looks wonderful, I tell them.
I realized by this quote that it is so easy to be within myself and stay there. Even though it seems justified at the time, I throw myself a pity party. What I realized, though, is that my situation does not change. I can cry all I want, but at the end of the day I am still going to struggle with Bipolar II, depression and anxiety. I want to be the person that forgets themselves and goes to work. I want to serve people and help people so much that I forget the situation I am in, even if just for a moment.
---
Life is not easy. It never has been. Since we were born we had to learn to communicate with someone who really didn't understand us. We cried when we were hungry, fussed when we needed a diaper change, and screamed when we needed attention. Mental illness communication really is not too far off from that. Although we may not cry, fuss, and scream (although sometimes I admit I still do), we are trying to communicate to people all around us that don't understand what we are going through.
Because of this, it is rather easy to get stuck in a mental illness rut. Please, take into consideration the things I do. Share with others what you do. Life is good, but can be better when we eat healthy, exercise, go outside, escape triggering situations, take mental health days (love yourself), and serve others.
We didn't choose the life we did because we thought it would be easy. We choose our life, every single day, because is worth it.
Life is worth it. Do things that help remind you of that.
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