Hey Family! It's been a little while since the last blogpost. I hope you are doing well. Before we get into today's post do this exercise with me. Inhale on 1, 2, 3, 4...Exhale on 4, 3, 2, 1. Notice any tension lurking around your body and release it. Relax your shoulders, relax those brows and unclench your jaw. You are alive and well. Smile. Did that feel good? Every now and then, throughout the day, I like to check in using this exercise. We hold tension without even noticing; whenever we're working, concentrating or just simply sitting. Its worth the check in to give our bodies a rest. Think of it as a little mini self care exercise. Okay! now that we're all relaxed lets get into the meat of the matter.
Today is the second day of May (yay, we made it to the 5th month of 2020) and May is mental health awareness month! The purpose of mental health awareness month is to bring awareness to mental health and reduce stigma surrounding it.
When we think about health, we tend to isolate the things that seem tangible and forget about the not so obvious parts of our being. These include our spiritual and mental well-being. I want to bring the World Health Organization's definition of health back to our memory. They define health as the state of complete mental, physical and social well being and not merely the absence of disease. As I mentioned in the earlier days of this blog, we are complete beings consisting of a mind, body and spirit. In order for us to be truly holistically healthy, all three areas of our being need nourishment.
Over the last recent years depression and anxiety have been just a few mental health issues that have been highlighted. I think it is because a lot of us are becoming more open to sharing our stories with each other. One thing is for sure, we need each other in this world, and our stories are a vital part of encouraging and strengthening each other. One of my favorite things about this generation is that we are open to talking about difficult topics such as mental health. The first step to fixing any situation and not sweeping things under the rug is acknowledging that the problem exists.
Additionally, giving ourselves permission to feel our emotions is an important part of taking care of our mental health. Therefore, it's imperative for us to realize that allowing ourselves to feel our emotions instead of running away from them or forgetting them is a good thing. In fact, being present with our emotions can be very productive. With careful attention it allows us to get to the reason behind or feelings and find ways to effectively work through them. Being positive is a good thing, but it should not come at the expense of ignoring our emotions. We must acknowledge our emotions, allow ourselves time to feel them and then find a way to deal with them.
There are different methods we can use to take care of our metal health:
1. Therapy: This can either be with a school counselor, pastor (if they provide counseling), and of course a licensed therapist. I've seen sometimes that people are afraid to say they go to therapy. There is a lot of stigma surrounding it. However, it is nothing to be ashamed of. In fact anyone can benefit from it, even if they don't identify with any mental health problems.
It is definitely worth a shot if these services fit within your budget. There are options for free therapy and I'll try to share some below.
2. Prayer and Bible Reading: I've mentioned before that my spiritual health is heavily
connected to my mental health. I feel the most joy and peace when I am nourishing my relationship with God. I can tell him anything. The good, the bad and even the ugly; and so can you. His desire is that we run to him for everything. His word said he will supply ALL our needs according to His riches in glory. This is not simply about material things, but He will supply strength, love, empowerment, restoration, forgiveness, you NAME IT! His word is very encouraging and one of the tools we can use to hear from him. So, open your bible and check in with God through prayer. Why? because he loves YOU.
3. Journaling: This is a cheaper alternative to therapy, or could even be complementary. You can journal your thoughts and work through difficult situation using writing as a medium. Some journals come with writing prompts in them to make things easier. Sidenote: I'll be sharing a writing prompt on our instagram stories @theholistichealthnut everyday this month, so if you are interested you can use them. Journaling is a useful tool for exploring our thoughts and even self discovery!
4. Adequate Rest: Getting adequate sleep is very good for clearing the mind and allowing us to better concentrate and focus. When we are well rested we are less irritable and are better able to effectively and rationally handle daily activities and solve problems.
5. Physical Activity: As much as diet culture tries to tell us that physical activity is about losing weight and manipulating our bodies it is not about that. It is about feeling good in our bodies and even our minds. Physical activity is very helpful for mental clarity and even boosting our mood (think happy hormone- endorphins!).
6. Emotional Support: Whenever you feel down, reach out to a trusted friend or family member. It is important for us to know that we are NOT alone, and we are loved. Don't isolate, let someone know how you're feeling.
7. Self care: This can literally be anything. It can be as simple as brushing your hair after waking up. Making time to take care of ourselves is one way WE show ourselves love. I wrote the word "we" in uppercase because often times we focus more on the love we receive from others. However, the truth is, self love is just as important if not more. So schedule dates with yourself everyday, show up and enjoy yourself. It doesn't have to be going to a restaurant by yourself, we can't o that now anyway. It can be as simple as watching your favorite show or washing your hair or journaling. It can be ANYTHING.
Accounts to follow on instagram that deal with mental health and provide affordable or free resources:
@thelovelandfoundation - they offer free therapy services for black girls and women featuring therapists that look like us because that is important. If you would like to participate with them, check out their instagram and click the link in their bio. Also, they offer opportunities for you to donate to allow them to be able to afford providing free therapy. So, if you have the means and you would like to help, please do!
@sitwithwhit - Her posts are a good source for insight.
@blackmentalwellness - They also share insightful posts. Check out their website via the link in their bio for information on different mental disorders. These might be helpful if you or someone you know is experiencing them. They also provide information on various coping strategies so check them out.
@Whitelotusblooms - She is based in Jamaica and is an associate clinical psychologist that specializes in relationship therapy. ANY relationship, romantic, platonic, familial etc.
@mentalhealthamerica - You can find various resources through them as well. You can check out their find help highlight for resources. They shared a link to warmlines which you can call when you feel like you need help but its not urgent. The website is www.warmline.org. you can click on your state to find a number. If you have an urgent issue please call 911.
I hope this blogpost was helpful to you. Remember to give yourself permission to feel your emotions. There is nothing wrong with getting help from a therapist, even if you don't feel like you need help. Most importantly, God is always there with open arms ready to hear from us and help us. He is only a prayer away. If you use any of the resources I listed, let me know how they helped you. I'm an email or instagram DM away. Please subscribe to this blog if you aren't already and share this post with anyone you think could benefit. Spread the word and let's build the HHN community!
Stay Well,
The Holistic Health Nut
Komentáre