Un-silencing Stigmas
There have been stigmas against mental health issues for as long as I can remember.
Growing up, there was this rule: “what happens in this house stays in this house.” which meant that when things get bad, you don’t share what’s wrong with others; you keep it to yourself. Right?
Wrong.
Not exposing unhealthy harmful behavior actually leads to feeling worse because it can make you feel alone. Another stigma is this idea that things like anxiety and depression are all in someone’s head and can be fixed at any point. When things aren’t going well in life, we shouldn’t have to feel like we need to act as if everything is fine. Keeping what’s happening to yourself can be very harmful. Holding things in can cause extreme stress from not expressing yourself. And we all know how awfully stress affects the mind and even the body.
Stress is called the “silent killer” for a reason. It not only affects you emotionally but it also takes it toll on you physically.
So don’t stress, but undress your mind and face your negative thoughts because there are safe spaces to talk about mental health. Mental health conditions are more complicated than they seem and there are many different kinds.
Did you know that 44 million American adults are experiencing some form of mental health illness? According to Mental Health America, a site dedicated to “promoting mental health as a critical part of overall wellness”, this is an unfortunate fact. There’s a good chance that someone you know is facing difficulties with their thoughts or, maybe you are going through mental health issues yourself. Some ways to address the anxieties in our lives can be through three different expressions: verbal, physical and spiritual.
I’ll also share a couple of extra things that help me personally. By no means are these the only ways of dealing and battling mental health issues, but these are what works for me.
Express yourself Verbally or Artistically
Let’s talk about it. One of the most common pieces of advice you’ll get is to talk to someone whether that be a close friend or family member, a spouse or a therapist. This option can be very helpful, but what if you’re someone who doesn’t like to speak very much or aren’t into therapy? Well, you can always write or journal in a physical book or even in the notes app on your cell phone.
Some people like to express themselves through writing poetry or music or through singing and dancing. Others do it through photography and videography or sculpting and painting. I personally had a positive experience in therapy and strongly recommend it. Luckily for me, therapy was free at my college which I didn’t know until my third or fourth year there, so it’s really a good idea to look into what your school, job or local community has to offer.
You never know.
As soon as I found out about therapy at my school, I went to multiple sessions. I also write poetry and sing as a form of release. I love reading testimonies in long captions and hearing people’s stories in their music that I can relate to. It reminds me that I’m not alone in how I’m feeling. Whatever your form of expression is, make sure you use it. You will not only reduce your stress but you will also help others who can relate to you as well.
Physical Activity does Your Body good
One of the best tips to help reduce stress and anxiety is physical activity, according to the Anxiety and Depression Association of America (ADAA). Exercise produces these feel-good endorphins in the brain that “act as natural painkillers—and also improve the ability to sleep, which in turn reduces stress” as well. It’s a beautiful cycle that is definitely attainable for most of us. “Even five minutes of aerobic exercise can stimulate anti-anxiety effects”, which is amazing news because this is something we can all make time for (ADAA). If you ever told me you don’t have five minutes to spare, you’re lying to me. And yourself.
For some people, that five minutes turns into fifty minutes and eventually working out becomes a therapy in itself. This doesn’t happen for everyone of course, but as long as you get a few minutes in a day, I promise you will feel some sort of improvement in your mood. I personally enjoy yoga as my physical and spiritual release.
Explore Your Spiritual Side
Spiritual does not necessarily mean religious, although most religions do have spiritual elements in dealing with mental heath. Being spiritual can also be a way of getting in touch with yourself in a non-religious way such as though meditation or even something as simple as spending some time in nature. Meditation is not just sitting with your legs folded and spewing different chants (which of course is a valid way of meditating if you chose to do so that way). You can also meditate in complete silence without saying anything and without your legs folded. I enjoy silent meditation best, personally. Some people like to listen to the sounds of nature, others like to listen to instrumentals or meditation music.
Something that also personally helps me is turning my phone off for a little while. It may seem simple but taking my eyes off of Instagram and other apps really helps me regain my focus and remember what’s most important. I do use my phone for work a lot, but it feels good to detach at times and turn off the electronics. I find that when I’m on my phone too often and take on too many things at once, I often overwhelm myself and that can lead to extra anxieties.
Try not to take on more than you can handle. It’s always great to challenge yourself, but you’ll know when you’re burning out so listen carefully to your mind and body.
When I don’t listen to my mind and body, I become over stressed, which leads to cancelling on people, ditching, double booking and so on. This was happening in my personal life, my work life and my social life. Please don’t be this person!
The more we know the more we can create solutions. It’s time to end the stigmas surrounding mental health. There’s no need to look at it as some sort of taboo conversation when it’s something we should all talk about. Odds are if you aren’t suffering personally, you know someone who is.
My anxieties have caused me to miss out on opportunities, birthdays, friendly gatherings, family gatherings and so on. That's honestly the part I dislike most; missing out on special things like a good friend’s birthday. Backing out on prior arrangements and work obligations because you need peace of mind; I have felt these things. My social anxiety at times can become too much but with these tips and strategies I manage. I personally don’t use medications, so I thought these non-medicinal approaches may be helpful to anyone who may be in the same boat as me.
No matter what methods you choose, whether it be verbal, physical, spiritual or even something I didn’t mention here to battle your mental health, just know that you are not alone in your struggles at all. “Nearly one in five U.S. adults live with a mental illness”, according to the National Institute of Mental Health.
We are all in this together.
The more we know the more we can help one another and ourselves.
If you found this helpful, please share with a friend or loved one. You never know who may need a few extra tips.
*Let's take care of our minds*
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