Healthy Living: May Mental Health Awareness Month (Open Discussion)
HEY EVERYONE~
Welcome To the Month of May!
⭐️This Month we focus on “MENTAL HEALTH AWARENESS”. And how you or someone else may be affected by Mental Health illness.
⭐️If you or someone you know suffers from Mental Health concerns (such as Anxiety, Depression), etc.. you are NOT alone!
⭐️Take time for a Mental Health Day when needed. Unplug—take a break from social media, email, and other forms of technology that cause stress. Indulge in self-care activities, like getting a massage, taking a bath, or reading. Spend time with friends, family, and loved ones. Spend time outside, like taking a long walk, going on a hike, or riding a bike.
⭐️How to take part in Mental Health Awareness Month:
- Educate yourself on mental health topics.~
- Take an online mental mental health screening~
- Create a self-care routine.~
- Try meditating.~
- Check in on those around you.~
- Tell them your experience.~
- Support a mental health organization.~
- Speak with a therapist.~
- Help someone Here at 7Cups! And offer support!
@PoliteOcean
@InsightfulPhoenix
Hey there I.P.~
I know that you have been feeling stressed with recent events in your life..
@PoliteOcean
Hi there! How have you been? 😊
@daydreammemories
Hey there Dream! ~
We’re glad to hear that you have been doing okay!
@PoliteOcean
Hi, Ocean,
I look forward to all the questions you post. You really help to make me feel better.
@purpleTree4652
Hey there Tree! So glad to see you take part. And it’s really lovely to hear that these questions help or are of some benefit for you & that they help you to feel better. That has made my day! ❤️
I personally think & feel that having pets it’s one of the BEST mood boosters for our wellbeing. Sleeping in with your kitty, as well as praying more (2 of my personal favorites), and meditating are ALL amazing ways to work on your wellbeing, while Providing comfort. And definitely helps us to feel better.
In the past few years, my mental health has really deteriorated. I suffer from depression, anxiety, ADHD, and have memory issues that relates to these conditions. Unfortunately, this makes it challenging to maintain personal and professional relationships. I honestly don’t know where to begin. Starting feels overwhelming, but the least overwhelming place to start feels like healthy living. 😌
So, I’ve purchased a journal with stickers and plan to start a food and exercise journal soon. I’m hoping that by incorporating better habits that things will start to improve. 📝
@Olive1Q82
Hey there Olive!
We are so sorry to hear that you have been having a challenging time the past few years with your overall well-being. I agree that it can certainly be difficult to maintain relationships when you are struggling with mental health issues.
It can also be challenging in knowing where to start when you simply want to feel better. But starting small is always a great way to start! Small steps can add up to bigger & better ones.
And it appears that you have definitely made a few amazing choices to get going! Purchasing a journal to track all your efforts is a wonderful way to help with whatever goals you are choosing to work on. It’s a great way to track your habits and to watch your patterns. And focus on what small things you might need to work on more as you keep moving along!
I think it’s awesome for you and we are here to support you in your healthy living efforts however we can! You are certainly on your way to better wellbeing. And we thank you for sharing your responses with us!
Please continue to let us know how you are doing! You can always check-in with us in our “Weekly Checkin” thread at the end of the week to keep us updated!
Best wishes on feeling better.
@PoliteOcean
3.) How do you manage stressors or challenges in Healthy ways when you feel them affecting your Mental Well-being? Oversleep, smoke weed (when I am able to get some), watch Dhar Mann vids and wish that I got that treatment as a homeless person or have a family that treated me better than my own, or have 2 parents instead of just one. as I have followed those values he shares before I knew he existed and making videos on YouTube and ***, mope. Oh, u said HEALTHY? Can't afford much "healthy" on a fixed disability income that is gone on the 1st to rent, bills and bank fees, and no family around willing to help. They believe they were never meant to help for any reason, as that's what the local resources and social assistance programs were meant for.
4.) Have you done a Mental Health Checklist?… In what ways can you “Check-in” & touch base with yourself & your Mental wellbeing? Honestly, I don't know. I've never known how to do that because I have never had proper therapy. Tried CBT, it made me feel like it was my fault I have severe anxiety and depression, and when I had to take anger management (while dealing with a SEVERLY ABUSIVE relationship at the time more so on their behalf, so uh no crud), and feeling like I was being victim blamed! Nothing worked. I also never have a moments peace, as someone I kinda "rescued" (was living in a cockroach infested place with a horrible guy who treated anyone who came over that their stuff; like if the person brought food or drinks bought with their own money to eat because he don't have food there like it was his and if u said ANYTHING about it, it was his place, his rules, and would kick out anyone that disagreed, no matter what time of day or night it was) They were also into a worse drug than the green stuff, and ever since they met me, never touched it since. His place upstairs is too small for his computer, so being the nice person I am allowed him to use it in the basement apartment where I live, so we share better internet (one modem for 11 people with more than one device is what internet is in the actual place) and pay for it despite living in different parts of the house (made into a weird 1bed/2bachelor/6 shared accommodation rooms; 3 on each floor) type place. Was an old nursing station for the Battle of 1812, and The Battle of Lundy's Lane. Living in a piece of history is cool.
I wish I was able to afford a therapist. The one I have with the community health center I'm with only allows 10 sessions before seeing "other options", meaning paid I won't ever be able to afford, or being on a waitlist or I would have to call (when I have severe phone anxiety and prefer email, chat, or text) myself and be unable to ask for what exactly I want, without many fumbles, frustrations, and feeling upset with myself and they assume I am taking it out on them.
I have been told by a Trauma Support Center that I have "too much trauma" for them to even help me with, so I have trauma upon trauma because of never being able to talk to anyone about anything without having the "well ur not the only one" or "someone has it worse than u!" thrown at me like what I'm going through is irrelevant and I should simply "get over it". As that's what EVERYONE I have tried talking to about my issues (friends, family, therapists) before have said to me.
I have c-PTSD, I HATE having long hair as the abuser I mentioned earlier used it as a rope, pulled me down, then BLAME the "bad balance" on my physical disability I was born with and had ZERO balance issues before meeting him (playing basketball, Dance Dance Revolution a.k.a DDR and riding a bike were some of my favourite hobbies growing up all needing balance to not misstep or topple over so hmmm) but gaslit me into thinking it was because my physical disability only gets worse over time without proper treatment/surgery when it's needed. Since my mother decided that my surgery was "too expensive", but healthy younger bros to summer camp for a month was not (it was more than the surgery so that should say something), I have had to deal with my spine curving more and more into an S shape. Back then I was active, I walked and if I had a bike rode that everywhere, never taking the bus unless it was out of town. If they had an arcade I would play DDR and win tickets playing skeeball and hoops. Didn't matter if I was homeless, I saved all my quarters (as this was a "quarters only" arcade and I never saw one of those before) and used them for the arcade.
And now I am trauma dumping. *sigh* all my trauma and experiences somehow lead to something from the past. Trying what that 10 time therapist told me "realize that u will not be harmed by this new person in ur life, that long hair won't affect u as much when looking in the mirror." I have had my hair short for well over 10 years now because of my abusive ex using my hair as a rope. Also, it is WAY easier to manage, and since I have had SUPER thick hair ever since I was a kid, would find it more of a hassle in the heat to have long hair than short hair, as I wasn't constantly trying to get ALL the hair in a hairtie, only to have it break and even the backup break or no backup at all, and with my physical disability messing with my lung and crushing it, breathing is a NEED and long hair really isn't. I usually have a pixie style cut that is shaved on my neck and sides so I don't sweat as much.
Unfortunately, I have to have it cut professionally, as I cannot afford the equipment for home, nor would be able to do it properly and have to still end up going to get it FIXED professionally, because I am one of those ppl who can't follow a video tutorial to save my life. Sadly the only funds I get extra from taxes is trillum (I live in Southern Ontario, Canada), and it will be either enough for a small amount of groceries, or getting my hair cut, plus the transportation to and from either place, and that is it. There is no both. I have ponytail length now (last time I got it cut was October of last year) and looking in the mirror is giving me flashbacks.
Ok I'm stopping now.