CAN WE BE REAL WITH OURSELVES?
The past several months have seen mental health deterioration severely affecting lives including our own. All of us may or may not be dealing with a serious problem but in reality dealing with an intensely challenging personal problem is a personal view, a problem that affects you intensely might not affect someone else to that extent or one may not even face a similar issue.
Social and personal stressors like worries of a safe and anchored future, withdrawing from relationships and developing unhealthy coping mechanisms to deal with the same is something many of us have experienced.
As we begin with Mental Health Awareness Month,which is about being honest of where you are and what you need to do for your well being – Physically, Emotionally and Mentally. Let’s open up about our struggles and remind ourselves to be kind to our mind.
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Therapy is cool:
It is no secret that we live in a world with an existing long history and negative stigma about mental health and mental health awareness. A common assumption often heard is that someone has some problems for treatment. To make matters worse, the persons who opt treatment are tousled or not normal. Participation in therapy gives patients the opportunity to explore their thoughts, expectations, feelings, and worries without being judged, which ultimately promotes better communication in other areas of life. Therapy is what you make of it.
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Take one day at a time:
Dwelling on yesterday’s mistakes or tomorrow’s uncertain decisions means missing out on today.Worrying about the future severely hinders our ability to live fully in the present.Taking one day at a time means not asking too much of yourself, or neglecting your own needs. You can keep a journal to record your thoughts, worries, hopes, and observations. It’s an effective way to check in with yourself on a daily basis and get anything that’s been worrying you off your chest.All that is required of you is to live today fully as if it were your first day and your last.
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You matter:
It’s easy to shrug off this idea or dismiss it as cheesy. Truly knowing that you matter can play a vital role in supporting you when you encounter a crisis. Knowing that you matter can help one fight negative feelings. It all starts with self-acceptance and self-validation. Affirming yourself by saying “this is who i am and it is perfect”.
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Maintain your self care:
Sometimes people attempt to meet the needs of family members, employers, children, friends, or society in general before meeting their own needs, and working to please and care for others often interferes with one’s self-care routine and can take a toll on a person’s well-being. People all have different requirements for self-care, but in general, the goals of self-care are to find a state of good mental and physical health, reduce stress, meet emotional needs, maintain one’s relationships, both romantic and platonic, and find a balance between one’s personal and academic or professional life.
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Breathe:
Breathing deserves much closer attention – there’s more going on with each breath than we realize.Breathing exercises can act as a bridge into those functions of the body of which we generally do not have conscious control. Controlled breathing helps calm the brain,Breathing exercises can act as a bridge into those functions of the body of which we generally do not have conscious control.studies also showed for the first time that the rhythm of our breathing generates electrical activity in the brain that influences how well we remember.
By: Tanaya Poopal
