You all know my story by now that I struggle with my mental health. So, this year my aim is to stay on top of my mental health by keeping check of it and doing everything I can to avoid stressful situations. That isn't always possible of course but over the last few years of therapy, I've learned how to cope better and manage all kinds of situations that would have caused me horrendous anxiety in the past.
I know a lot of people say I don't seem the type of person that would suffer from anxiety but it can happen to anyone, from all strokes of life at any time in their life. Sometimes it's the result of a traumatic experience or something from their past that is triggered in their present life. For me, I've always been this way and it's only since I've gotten older and fully started to understand what was happening that I realised I need to constantly check in and make sure I am minding myself.
Years went by where I constantly felt on edge, I was worried about the smallest things and eventually, it took its toll on me and I began to feel severely depressed. I had to leave my life in Australia and come home to get some help and finally get some answers. It didn't happen overnight, medication helped but I didn't find the right therapist until a few years later. It was only after I started going to my current therapist that I started to notice significant differences in the way I was feeling and thinking.
The hardest part about getting help is admitting to yourself that you need it. I think because there is such a big stigma around mental health people are still so scared and embarrassed to admit they aren't doing ok and need help. For me, admitting and accepting I needed help was the best thing and I felt like a huge weight was lifted. I wasn't hiding anymore and I could finally be completely honest with the people close to me. No one judged or questioned me they just showed me so much support and love.
These days I do small things each day to try to maintain a healthy state of mind. It's not always easy, I struggle and I still have very down days but I know it's just a day, or a thought or a moment and I know I'll come out the other side. You have to ride the wave and go with the feeling sometimes. I think if you try to force it away and ignore it, it will just grow bigger and get worse. Now, instead of hiding or avoiding my feelings I sit with them, speak to someone close to me and try to get to the bottom of why I am feeling that way.
Something that helps me stay focused and well is being present. Most of the time we are lost in thought, either living in the past or thinking about the future. We live in such a fast-paced world we get caught up in it and don't live in the present moment. This has a massive effect on me and the way I'm feeling, it's overwhelming and leaves me feeling exhausted. By practising mindfulness it brings me back to the present and lets me live in the current situation. It isn't something I've mastered 100% and I think I will always struggle to be present but by practising mindfulness each day I get better and feel like I've a better grasp on things. The minute I go into my head and let my mind take control instead of controlling it is when I start to overthink and panic.
I hope this was helpful and you took something from this post. When it comes to mental health it can be a bit of a mind field and it's so complicated. Try to remember we all have our own experiences and struggles and we are all on our own individual journeys.
If you are struggling the best advice I have, is to speak to someone and start your journey to a happy, healthy mental health. For me, its just as important as physical health and I have to have a healthy mind if I want to look after the ones around me.
I hope if you are struggling or in a bad place that this post helped and you speak to someone you trust.
Mind your mind
Love Grace xoxo
