Ways I Cope with Mental Illness

Dealing with mental illness can be hard. I am no expert, but these are definitely things that I have learned to help yourself or someone you know who struggles with mental illness. These are not listed in any particular order, and I just want to clarify I am not a therapist, just trying to share some helpful tips!

Journaling

Keeping a journal helped me a lot when I was struggling with finding things that made me happy. Every night before bed I would sit down and write all of the things throughout the day that made me smile or feel joy. This could be something small like the sun shining or just being in a good mood. This way, when you are feeling down about things, you can reflect on all of the good things you have focused on, instead of focusing on all of the bad things.

Meditation

Meditation is not for everyone, but it does help lots of people. Meditation is a good grounding exercise for when your feeling anxious and stressed out. There are lots of meditations out there that you can try! I personally love meditation because it centers me back into my own body and helps me focus on the here and now. With my anxiety, I tend to fret about the past and the future, so much so that I throw myself into anxiety attacks, sometimes. Meditating before bed or in the morning helps give me a good way to stay present during the day.

Hobbies

This one I struggle with A LOT, but I know this is a great way to release certain things for some people. Whether it be painting, working out, reading, or anything else you enjoy, having a hobby really lets you spend some time on yourself. This can be hard to do, especially if you're lacking the motivation most of the time—like me—but if you get into a routine, then it can be very rewarding for your mental health.

A Good Support System

Having a good support system is a VERY big thing when you struggle with mental health issues. This does not have to be your family, it can be a significant other, friends, or even pets! When I lived by myself, my cats were a huge part of my support system, so much so that they are now my emotional support animals. Also, you want to have someone to be able to talk to who can be there for you in the way that you need.

Therapy

Therapy is not always something that works for everyone, so please don't think I am trying to tell you this is what you need to do right now! I know a lot of people do not like to go to therapy, and that is okay if you are able to find ways to cope with your mental health without it, but lots of people do get great reward from therapy. I am one of those people. It did take me awhile to find a therapist who understood my thought process and way of thinking, which helped drastically. However, I saw growth within myself while going because I was able to talk to a third party about how I was feeling with no one saying that I was right or wrong. Also, my therapist helped me with a lot of ideas for coping with certain thought processes that I had.

Self-Care

Taking care of yourself! How do you take care of yourself? This is definitely based on yourself, so you may have to take some time to figure this out with yourself, but here are some examples from what I try to do for my self-care. I like to have a couple days a month where I don't worry about cleaning the house or laundry, where I just focus on relaxing. So bath bombs, a good book, or I binge watch my favorite TV show! I also like to make sure I am keeping up on my eyebrows and making sure I stick with my skincare routine—which I struggle with! However, your self-care is not limited to those things, it can be anything that makes you feel like you are focusing and taking care of yourself. So have fun with it and do something for YOU!

These are just a few things that I personally use to make sure I am staying one step ahead of my mental health. This is in no way me trying to be a therapist, and these may not work for everyone! I really do hope that these help someone out there. Remember, you are wanted, loved and beautiful!