I am 37 years old and, most of my adult life, I have suffered from mental illness.
The medication I take helps a lot of the time. But sometimes when I'm stressed or overworked,
my symptoms are bothering me and I have to work really hard in order to regain control.
But over the years, I have learned a few tricks which have helped me to cope with my symptoms
before they became a major problem.
These tips have really helped me to stay healthy and optimistic.
• First, I try to focus on the good things in my life.
I think of family, friends, and members of the treatment group to support me in my recovery journey.
I know they are there to help me find solutions. If I come up with solutions instead of focusing on the negative,
I feel so much better. And each day, I deliberately give myself time to appreciate it and be aware of all that I am grateful for.
I will write in my journal, send thank-you cards to my friends, or to help others.
When I focus on all the good things in my life, I do not spend much time thinking about bad things.
• Next, it is very important for me to communicate with others.
Being close to my friends and family, it always puts me in a better position and helps my self-esteem.
This is a meaningful relationship to help me maintain a positive attitude, which gives me space for personal growth.
It is also very important that I stay healthy. I try to eat a healthy diet, get some exercise every day,
and sleep enough, as prescribed by my doctor. I always feel good after exercising, or just walking around the block.
• One of the hardest things for me, I was developing the coping skills that worked for me.
It was difficult to learn how to respond in a healthy way from oppression, sadness, criticism, and indifference.
When I learned what worked for me, I was able to get back to being myself.
One way I can learn to deal with this situation by writing about my bad experiences, and how they made me feel.
I also got professional help when I needed it. I learned to recognize signs and symptoms,
all I knew was that they were signs of not doing well.
And I found that it was better to get help immediately rather than later.
It takes courage to ask for help, and I am very happy to ask my husband to help me find a healer.
My therapist helps me in ways that my friends and family do not know.
Don't get me wrong, their support is also very important to me. It took me a while
to start using these strategies.
It did not happen overnight. I tried them one by one.
Some work better for me than others, but everyone is different.
Therefore, I take my medication as prescribed by my doctor,
and when I am feeling very low, I know I have tools that can help me get back on track.
Talk to your doctor, try these tips, and find strategies that work for you.
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