Either way, I don't want us all to forget about Mental Health Awareness Month, so let's talk about how I am crazy a little bit more. This will probably be the last in this series, only because I really like all of the EDIM prompts for next week. It is my sincere hope that these posts helped someone, if only me for the relief I felt writing them.
So you've realized you have a mental health problem...what next?
- Visit a doctor. Even your primary care physician. They will send you to a psychiatrist if necessary. I started with primary care and I wish that 10 years ago they sent me directly to psych. I have to talk to a psychiatrist now, in order to stay on my prescriptions. Side note: Be honest with your doctors. If your pills aren't working, don't be afraid to tell them. If your pills are causing near-menopausal night sweats, tell them.
- Talk to someone. I tried therapy and failed miserably. Why? I hate talking about myself, especially to a stranger who seemed less than interested. I took personal offense to her demeanor. Which is not how any of that is supposed to work. Now, Justin makes me talk about it. About what is bothering me or why I get stressed or anxious. He has also gotten really good at identifying triggers for me. So, although I hate every bit of it, it is the healthy thing to do.
- TAKE YOUR PILLS. Seriously. And if you decide you don't want to take them anymore, consult your doctor.
- Identify your triggers. I feed off others' negativity like a fat kid feeds on cake. Sometimes reading about mental illness make the anxiety start welling up. And while I like being busy, I can easily cross the line between happily busy and anxiously frenzied. These are things I'm still learning.
- Find your happy place. Or things that make you calm. Music, baths, and wine are all obviously very comforting things. Focus on your breathing. Exercise. Turn your phone off. On really bad days I like to lay in bed under the covers in the dark. With a fan on.
- Be inspired. I will Eat, Pray, Love for the rest of my life and I am not even kidding. That book brought me so much inspiration and peace. It really did. I also subscribe to The Daily Love and follow Tiny Buddha on Facebook. This all sounds so cheesey and kumbaya-ish but it is what helps me stay centered. Find your center, whatever it may be.
These things aren't always easy to do, but you have to. Once you make the decision to take care of yourself, you have to do it right. Mental Health care isn't something you can half ass. You can't just take your pills every now and then when you feel like it. You can't purposely engage in behaviors that you know are bad for you. And you have every right to disengage from things that are bad for you as well. I will always be working on these things. It's a part of me that requires extra care and always will.
and honestly it's about being open to the fact that you're making a change and not being fearful of what others thing. the more shame involved the less likely anyone will be able to get on the road to becoming more mentally healthy.
ReplyDeletep.s. it's like the most legit comment i've ever written.
I'm going to use the phrase 'kumbaya-ish' for the rest of forever.
ReplyDeleteI am ALSO going to pass this along to a few non-blogging friends who I feel really need to see it.
:)
I am now following Tiny Buddah. Love it.
ReplyDeleteIdentifying triggers is so important. Like Justin helps you, I try to help MFD.
A long time ago, I went through a very dark period of my life...it was a the lowest of lowest, and every once and a while, I feel that low but the reminder of how far I've come is what get's me through the day.
ReplyDeleteNow that I'm in a new medical group I need to look into all of this. I tried therapy last year and the doctor literally brought everything back to her. I just wanted to figure out a way to deal with my stress and she was no help.
ReplyDeleteI don't know how to control stress and it bottles up. Pretty sure at this rate a nervous breakdown is in my future.
Love you.
ReplyDeleteI cry. I get really emotional over tiny things and start to cry. I was so nervous about my thesis presentation that I felt like I had to throw up and started crying (ok it was more tearing up, but some fell!!) when Matt came in and sat down next to me. But I do agree in just talking to someone, any one, dosen't have to be a therapist...talking helps
ReplyDeleteOh man, this topic.
ReplyDeleteI started to get really extreme anxiety & panic when I was around 6 years old. But back then (and in the south), mental health wasn't all the rage like it is (thankfully) today, so no one took me to a psychiatrist; instead, I went to my pediatrician ALL THE TIME with frantic complaints of pains and headaches that I was certain were fatal. The anxiety and panic continued through high school, till it all came to an ugly head my freshman year of college in a--heehee--PSYCHOLOGY class. I had a major panic attack (never really understood what they were or how they differed from anxiety attacks until I had one) and finally went to see a psychiatrist. Since then, I've been on anti-anxiety medication and frankly, it's a life-saver.
The same things that calm you calm me: wine, baths, some music, talking to people who are calming and/or other people who have anxiety and understand the strange and incredibly uncomfortable rushes that happen within the central nervous system and convince you that you're about to have an aneurysm. Or something.
I better stop cause I could go on for days, but needless to say--love this post!
IC has been absolutely amazing at identifying my triggers, it kind of shocks me when he says something and I'm like, I've lived with me for 27 years, why haven't I figured this out?
ReplyDeleteOK, I have NEVER said this before....BUT I have battled severe depression due to an event from my past...and triggers just hit me since I watched Silver Lining Playbook....have you seen it? Anyway, I never knew the term trigger...until I watched the movie and now it's all making sense to me and has helped me deal on my bad days. You are brave for sharing and I love you for it!! xoxo
ReplyDeleteDealing with Nolan's doctor visits lately have made me dislike therapists. None of them were all that interested in him and it seems like they diagnosed him with whatever specialty they studied in school. I know they aren't all bad, but if he needs to see someone regularly, I'm going to be searching high and low for someone I'm comfortable with.
ReplyDeleteI have a huge problem with happily busy and anxiously frenzied. I love being busy, I put a ton of stuff on our calendar, and love to do fun things at the drop of a hat. But when my to do list piles up and I feel overwhelmed, I freeze and can't do anything. I lie around every evening, watch tv or read, and convince myself that I need a break, rather than just getting to it!
This is awesome. You are so right about identifying triggers. I've been working on that and had to set some severe boundaries that some people didn't understand, but it was worth it. You are doing so great, and it's so good you're putting this out there.
ReplyDelete