A Philosophy On Managing Mental Illness
Management of your mental health is important, even more so when you suffer from conditions like anxiety and depression. I say management because I don’t believe illnesses such as these can be cured, rather managed for extended periods of time between episodes. Prescription medication or “non-prescription” medication can suppress symptoms short term but are not the answer. Think of them as tools to put you in the right state of mind to confront your underlying situation head on. Here’s what I’ve learned.
It’s ok to need help.
It sounds so simple but its widely overlooked. People feel obligated to keep to themselves and think they are burdening others with their problems. Two things could happen if you tell somebody you’re not ok. They could tell you to ‘harden up and stop overreacting’. Or they could comfort you with open arms and support you through your tough time. Either way you’re benefitting from opening up, because you don’t want friends who put you down. You’ll be surprised how many people will support you. Help doesn’t have to be a counsellor or psychologist straight away, it can be a friend that you trust. In opening up you will also find out how many people have shared similar feelings. Take the weight off your sole shoulders.
Live in the one eternal moment.
There has only ever been the present. Yesterday, tomorrow and next week are just ideas, they don’t exist. Therefore thinking about the past and future is counter productive to the you living in the ‘now’. You live in one moment. At the beginning of your life it was ‘now’, while you are reading this it is still ‘now’. Immerse yourself in everyday, take the opportunities that most miss while they think about the future. See the wonder presented by the universe just for you. The only way to make the future better is by improving upon the present, the ‘now’. Take life one day at a time, recovery is not going to all happen at once.
Find purpose.
Lack of purpose or direction in life breeds negative thought patterns. Keep your mind busy and goal driven. It has to come from you though, don’t pursue something because someone else says you should. It took me until the third year of my engineering degree to realise I wanted to do psychology. You’ll know when you’ve found your vocation, it fills your soul with child-like excitement and euphoria. Don’t place your purpose in relationships or with friends or family, be your own rock. Society will tell you to be this or that, be rebellious, be unique. If you don’t know your purpose yet I have one piece of advice, listen to your gut more than your head, if it feels wrong it probably is, and you’ll know when its right. Search for your own personal legend, and leave this Earth a little better off than when you started.
You have nothing to prove, just be yourself and flourish.
From the ashes, you will rise.
Liam.