𝔾𝕚𝕣𝕝'𝕤 𝔾𝕦𝕚𝕕𝕖 🌻🦋

#8 Healthy Ways to Cope with Mental Illness

       When you're struggling with a mental illness, such as anxiety or depression, it can be really hard to find healthy AND useful ways to cope. 

       I know from personal experience that self-harm quickly becomes addictive, and it's easy to convince yourself that that's the only way to ease your pain. But, what if there was another way? 

       In this chapter, I will be providing you with a handful of healthy ways to cope, in the hopes that one or more of these becomes useful to you. I would also like to preface that none of these may feel right for you and your situation, and that's totally okay. Everyone's different. And, I never want you to blame yourself for something that's out of your control. You are truly doing the best you can, and I am extremely proud of you for that. Please, don't give up! You've got this! You are going to win this fight I promise!

1.) The first, and possibly the most beneficial tool available to you, (it was in my life anyway) is a yoga ball. Bouncing on a yoga ball is the perfect way to get in some exercise without having to go outside, or exert too much energy. It's also an extremely helpful way to manage your anxiety, due to the fact that you're essentially bouncing out all the jitters and restlessness that's inside you. I oftentimes bounce on my yoga ball in the time leading up to an event that's anxiety-prevoking, such as a phone call, or social gathering, and it really seems to calm my nerves some. I've found that you're more likely to feel apprehensive and restless when you're attempting to sit still. I've also found that it's useful to bounce anytime you're feeling suicidal or have the urge to self-harm. I don't understand why or how it works, but it just does. I think it must help occupy or distract you. It's crazy to think that something this simple could actually help, but you can't doubt it until you've tried it.

2.) Another suggestion I have for you is to pet or cuddle an animal. I seriously wouldn't have survived if it hadn't been for my dog and cat. My cat was good at keeping me warm and being cuddle, but would run away everytime I cried. Whereas my dog loved to lick away my tears, but didn't exactly wanna cuddle. Animals do an incredible job at loving you unconditionally. Plus, they're there to keep you company no matter what. I had a really hard time feeling lonely whenever my pets were around. 

3.) The next suggestion I have for you is to make a list of things you continue to fight for / wish to accomplish in your lifetime. In other words, a list of reasons you want to live. Perhaps, it's a close friend or relative you want to stick around for. Or, maybe it's your dream job or vacation. For me, it was a combination of all three. It was during the time that I felt most hopeless that I discovered what I truly wanted. I realized just how badly I wanted to move to Canada and even made a plan to move there once I had graduated from college. This list can assist you in realizing just how important both you and your life truly are. It's important to learn what you really want, what'll make you happy, and just how much potential you have. Shoot for the start, my lovelies! The skies the limit. 

4.) The next suggestion I have for you is to allow yourself to genuinely experience your emotions. This one might seem stupid, but trust me on this. It's easy to think that whatever you are feeling will go away if you simply ignore it. But, the unfortunate truth of the matter is that, it won't. It's also easy to think that crying = weakness, when in reality: it actually takes more strength to cry than it does to bottle up your emotions. Now, I don't know about you, but anger has always been my worst enemy. I've tried to bury any anger I feel, because I thought it was bad. But, guess what? It's not. As long as you deal with it in a safe and responsible way, anger is healthy. It's just an emotion. So, disregard the people who've led you to believe that anger is a bad thing, because you will never be like them. In fact, you have every right to be angry. Mental illness is a difficult thing to deal with, and I'll be the first to remind you that you are brave, and you are strong. I promise, no emotion lasts forever. It may feel like it at times, but I can assure you that you are stronger than this.

5.) Another suggestion I have for you is to contact the National Suicide Prevention line at 1-800- 273-8255 or any other crisis line that's available to you. I know it can be extraordinarily daunting and nerve-wracking to ask for help from a stranger, especially over the phone. I felt the exact same way. I believe it took me twenty minutes of deep contemplation before I finally gained the courage to dial their number. But, I'm so happy that I had. And, I know you will be too. And, if a phone call is just too much, there are many numbers you can text too. These people care about you and so do I. Don't be embarrassed and don't be scared. You've got this! 💞

6.) The sixth tip I have for you genuinely saved my life, and I hope it can do the same for you. And, that is to take full advantage of mental health days. High school's what ultimately led me to want to end my life, so taking a few days off from school in order to make things feel a bit more manageable was extremely beneficial. You're entitled to days off. You're dealing with a lot, and if taking a day off makes you feel better then I say do it! I also say that if school is just too hard and switching to doing your classes online is an option, go for it! I think taking classes online would've saved me so much pain and isolation. This isn't quitting or giving up; this is coping and surviving. 

7.) The next suggestion I have is to listen to music / watch a YouTube video, TV show, or movie that you love. Personally, I always opted to watch Shane Dawson or Vine compilations, because they made me laugh when nothing else could. I'll go ahead and link a playlist of my favorite funny videos below, just in case you're interested. In regards to music, you can either listen to calming songs that possess lyrics that resonate with you. Or, you can blast an extremely upbeat song that makes you feel like you're on top of the world. And, when it comes to TV shows, I wholeheartedly love and recommend: Full House, Friends, Grey's Anatomy, Anne With an E, The Haunting of Hill House, The Society, Atypical, This Is Us, and Parks and Recreation. 

8.) The final suggestion I have for you is to sleep. I understand that an excessive amount of sleep is a common symptom of Depression, but I believe that taking a nap / getting a good night's sleep is extremely useful. Taking naps has always served as a temporary escape for me, and it can for you too. Anytime I'm feeling sick, depressed, or in pain, I go to sleep. Getting a good night's sleep and/or taking a nap can give you the break you need in order to reset and recover both emotionally and physically. 

       I'd love to hear If you find other ways of coping helpful in the comments below, and hopefully together we can make this list longer. Thank you so much for reading, and I truly hope this information was found to be beneficial. And, please never forget . . . YOU ARE INSANELY STRONG!!! 🥰

~ Lissy