How I got over my latest mental health slump in record time

HOW-I-GOT-OVER-MY-LATEST-MENTAL-HEALTH-SLUMP-IN-RECORD-TIME mental health depression anxiety // www.xloveleahx.co.uk
With every year that passes I learn more about myself, and more about dealing with my mental health. When a bad mental health spell hit just before Christmas it knocked me off my feet, but it went away within just a week, which has never happened before.

Here's what I did differently.

I opened up to people about it within the first couple of days. 

When I feel low, I don't want to bother anyone with my mental ups and downs, but I've been around the block enough times to know it really helps to share my feelings. Usually I don't open up until I'm totally in depression's clutches and things are looking very dark indeed. I worry that my occasional mental health woes on top of my physical health stuff will bore people, so I normally don't share that I'm feeling off mentally until it's almost too late. But this time around I did share before things progressed, before I started to believe the lies depression tells me.

And it really helped. I wrote a post on Facebook and Twitter saying I was feeling really low and just airing my feelings helped. When you can't trust your own brain being told by other people that you're a worthwhile human and things will get better is a wonderful thing. I also used it in a positive way to share 5 things to tell yourself when depression strikes.

So please do share when you're feeling low. Admit it to yourself and tell other people - on social media and in real life.

I told James that I was really struggling. 

I usually try to hide it from him when I'm struggling (as well as from myself and the rest of the world). But I told him I was feeling terrible and I didn't know why and he was great. He made me more hot drinks than usual and brought me blankets and tucked me in on the sofa.

Share your feelings with your significant other or closest loved ones. A stiff upper lip helps no one when depression bites.

I stopped beating myself up for feeling low for no reason. 

I do this stupid thing when I feel really bad. I constantly beat myself up: 'There's no reason to feel like this!' Well duh, other than the huge chemical imbalance in my brain that makes every single day a challenge. Luckily I caught myself doing this about two days in, and realised beating myself up for having no reason to be sad is just stupid. So I let go and let myself feel the crappy feelings. I also slept as much as I needed to. I swear I must've slept 40 hours out of 72 during the worst part of it. I was too exhausted to even sit up.

Let go - sleep as much as you need. Feel your feelings. The sooner you allow the crap stuff out the better you'll feel. Don't beat yourself up - it's exhausting.

Here are some other things which cheered me up.

Finding out my DA and PA had gone up to 36 and 46 respectively - good news for my blog!*
Receiving a Christmas card from my 3 year old niece that she'd written herself and put 9 big kisses in. 
Listening to Christmas music.
Binge watching the Good Wife. (Binge watching anything helps - it stops me having to think!)

I'd like to take this opportunity to wish you all a wonderful new year and all the best for 2017.
Thanks for reading. Leah xoxo

*DA and PA are metrics which basically say how much influence you have, and the higher the numbers go the more you can charge for sponsored posts and so on.

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