I’m sure your mental state has had its ups and downs lately too, hasn’t it?
A pandemic certainly doesn’t do well for anxiety or depression. It doesn’t do well for a healthy emotional or mental state. I’ll admit that I’ve found myself in bed, depressed, and hoping that I could just sleep all of this nonsense away more than a few times since things hit the fan in March.
As we work through quarantine, and find a vaccine for COVID-19, let’s not forget that right now is a great time to be talking about mental health. I mean, it’s always a good time to be talking about mental health, but May happens to be Mental Health Awareness Month.
I’ve made it a niche of mine to speak on this topic, because I’ve had my own experience with it. If you’d like more details on what I went through, watch the videos below where I talk about it in depth.
There was a point in my life where I truly wanted to die, and saw no end to a very painful job situation. I fooled myself into thinking that things wouldn’t get better, and I’m so glad I was wrong about that.
For starters, I want my message to be clear: MILLIONS of Americans suffer from a form of mental illness – so you’re definitely not alone. I’ve been on a prescription myself since April of 2017.
I know that so many of us are struggling with our mental and emotional state right now especially. On top of that, finances are up in the air for a lot of us too.
I’d hate for a reduced budget to be the reason that no one seeks help right now while they need it most. That just wouldn’t sit right with me. So, allow me to offer some options and suggestions that cost absolutely nothing that may improve your mental state.
- Sharing your own mental health story: Ironically, helping others by sharing your story online or via your mobile phone can do a world of good for you too. It gives you a chance to air your own grievances and support someone else as well. NAMI has a link for some stories you can check out that might give you a confidence boost toward sharing your own.
- Use NAMI as a resource: This is a national organization that may even have a branch available to you locally. When things open up, consider visiting them or reaching out. If there’s no location near you, they’ve got plenty of free online resources for you to take advantage of right here too.
- Go for a walk: Cheesy as hell? Yes. Does it work? Also, yes. Being cooped up in quarantine is not natural for us, though essential right now. This concept is a lot to deal with on its own, so I’d suggest “getting out” in a safe way – like taking advantage of the outdoors.
- Let someone know you’re “having a bad day” if you’re having one: No one is asking you to “fix yourself” in these moments, but it sure does help change your environment (for your benefit) when you let others around you know what’s going on. This gives them an opportunity to help you, and you the first step in recovery… recognizing that there’s a problem. Starting a conversation costs nothing.
- Use social media as a “social” outlet: We spend so much time simply surfing the web and scrolling through our feeds without much thought or care. What if we actually engaged with other people online and offered comfort and support? What if we commented on a cat photo that sparked a pleasant conversation about pets which changed the tone of your day? I think in times like these it’s important to be social. We can use technology to our advantage this way. Life doesn’t always have to have an endgame.
Of course, you’re always more than welcome to reach out to me here too. Stay safe lovelies!
