On #WorldMentalHealth, I will now give you my incredibly wise and useful tips towards having moderately decent mental health. I'm an expert - at having mental health issues - which might seem like I have no idea what I'm talking about, but these things have helped me (a bit)
1) Boring as it sounds, get enough sleep. You feel absolutely EVERYTHING more when you are sleep deprived. Plus, sleep is great for stopping everything hurting for a while. Unless you have weirdarse dreams. But even then.
2) Try to find something meaningful to do, even if it isn't work. One of the things that has helped me a lot is the fact I HAD to go to work, but also that my job wasn't shit. If your job is shit, do volunteering or something that helps you feel that what you do matters.
3) I know they all say it, but there have been experiments with rats that prove that exercise does help. However, I am both lazy and not a rat, so I haven't actually done any personal checking of this one. Ditto healthy eating.
4) The drugs aren't just a plot by big pharma. The drugs may save your life! They saved mine. Think of it as blood pressure medication. If you are in crisis, you take drugs to help fix it. Then you look at other things you can do, like lifestyle and therapy to help. 1/2
2/2 Sometimes you are OK after lifestyle and therapy changes, and you don't need the drugs anymore. Sometimes your genetics are so stuffed (ie, mine) that you are pretty much stuck on drugs for life. Neither are a failure.
5) Get a therapist. Seriously. If you are in Australia, you can get at least 10 sessions on a mental health plan. The safety net helps if you see a shrink (still costs money). If you are under 25, try headspace. And remember, not every therapist is a good fit for you.
6) I know it is incredibly hard to tell people how you are feeling when you are feeling shit. Try to look for other ways to communicate. And maybe, when you are well, let your friends know that "I'm just tired" can mean anything from "didn't sleep" to "suicidal"
7) Online you can make friends who understand what you are going through, even if you don't meet them in person. It can be really helpful to expand your circle this way. But remember, this can sometime mean you bounce off each other negatively, so do so with care.
8) Again, bit boring, but sunshine is important as is fresh air. Force yourself to go outside for at least half an hour every day.
9) It is OK to take care of you. If you can't face people, stay home (except for that half hour thing). Read. Cry. Have a bath. Watch dodgy netflix or something. Get a teddy bear to cuddle. This is a good thing to do sometimes.
10) On the other hand, responsibilities help us. They force us to fight these horrible diseases. It is easy to get overwhelmed by them if you don't HAVE to fight. So, think of the people who love you and what your responsibilities to them and you are.
11) And, of course, get a dog. Dogs are the best thing in the universe. They also make us go outside, exercise, have a responsibility and are so so so wonderful. Rescue dogs are the best of all the dogs too (except maybe Scotties)
This thread on what helps me with Mental Illness has been brought to you by someone with major depression, anxiety, borderline personality disorder, binge eating disorder and ADD. Woo for me! Disclaimer: My experiences are not everyones, but you are worth trying for.
