mental health Archives

While the holidays can be the most wonderful time of the year, that isn’t the case for everyone. In fact 1 in 4 people experience increased anxiety, or Generalized Anxiety Disorder. While the to do list might seem long this time of year, it is also important to prioritize your mental health. If you ignore it, it can impact aspects of your life like relationships, work , your physical health will suffer, and many other things will suffer as a result. Taking care of your mental health, in addition to everything else, should be at the top of your priority list.

However, since it is sometimes seen as a taboo issue, one that we sometimes feel ashamed to talk about, it may seem that you can do little to improve or maintain your mental health. The reality is that there is a lot that you can do, and you can start small if you want to. Read on to find out more.

Talk About Your Issues

Many of us believe that we must keep our troubles to ourselves. After all, who would want to hear about all the many problems we’re having? Who would care enough to go against all the impulses that urge you to remain silent?

To be honest, there are a lot of individuals that care. Friends and relatives will undoubtedly want to know what is going on in your life and how you are dealing with things, particularly if you have had a terrible incident or something unexpected has occurred. If you don’t believe you can speak to someone you know, a therapist will listen to you and help you get back on track with your mental health. Joining online forums, for example, can provide total anonymity.

When you talk about your difficulties, they typically appear much less than they were, and solutions can be discovered much more easily. The stress of thinking about your problems will be relieved, and you will feel better as a result.

KEEP YOUR PHYSICAL HEALTH UNDER CONTROL

The close relationship between physical and mental wellness cannot be refuted. Therefore, taking good care of your body is often the best way to protect your mind too. Staying active is an essential feature (we’ll get onto that in a minute) but it’s not the only key feature.

Ignoring physical complaints can restrict your daily activities. And it will inevitably take a toll on your mental welfare. Medication management is an essential step to staying organized, which should keep your body and mind in a stable place. Leaving issues untreated only allows the problems to escalate.

Maintaining physical health should also extend to protecting your eyes and ears. Whether it’s wearing ear defenders at work or blue light glasses when using screens is up to you. Prevention is the best form of protection. And when your body is suitably protected, you should be far happier and more comfortable in yourself.

Ask For Help

Asking for support to cope with your troubles and your mental health in general might be even more difficult than talking about them with someone. However, it’s uncommon for someone to be able to overcome the most difficult (and even minor) challenges without the assistance of others. It’s much better to recognize that you are struggling than to continue trying to get by independently, which is far more detrimental to your mental health.

It makes no difference what the issue is that is giving you so much agony; someone will be able to assist you. Whatever it is, once you seek assistance, it will never be anything that cannot be dealt with in some way.

Keep Active

When you are feeling down and your mental health has suffered, you may want to sit or lay down and do nothing. However, it is much more preferable to get up and be moving to make yourself feel better and to care for your mental health in general. I know this has helped me through some of the difficult

When you start moving about, whether it’s to play sports, go to the gym, take a class, or just stroll outdoors, you’ll start to feel better. When you’re through, you’ll be pleased you made the time to exercise, and your mental health will almost surely improve. As we said, start small and then move onwards, so you might want to begin by checking out https://sportnews.in/ and then going on from there.

I have shared quite a bit on my social media channels how much I love my job and how lucky I am to be part of a team I care about doing work that I am passionate about. One’s job should have a positive impact on one’s life, but let’s be honest, it’s not always rainbows and butterflies. And sometimes, when we don’t take the time to check in, the work life balance can tip a little too far one way and impact your health. It might not be a physical impact, but more so a mental one that you might not even know is effecting you until it is a little too late. So I wanted to share with you some ways that you can make sure your work doesn’t impact your overall health.

Photo by energepic.com from Pexels

Start Moving More

It’s easy to forget, especially since many of us have had to pivot to working from home and may be at a computer for longer hours than usual, but humans were really not supposed to sit down as much as we currently do. While it can be comfortable to sit, comfort in itself is probably overrated! Here is the thing, many of us are now going from our bed to our office chair to the couch in the evening and then right back to bed, and that is too much sitting! Research suggests that this might have severe long-term health consequences. The solution? Move more. You can take regular walks throughout the day, get a standing desk, or even cycle or run to work. I also wear an apple watch to remind me to get up for at least a minute each hour.

Better Work Set Up

As well as sitting, humans were also not really designed for typing all day long. We get used to it, but it can have a harmful impact on certain aspects of our bodies, most notably our wrists and hands. Mine is doubled because of a previous life as a tennis player. If you’re feeling pain in this part of your body, then visit a hand surgeon. I recently booked an appointment and found out that I have a cyst in my wrist. Other common concerns could be carpal tunnel syndrome, which is a common consequence of typing in an incorrect position. Beyond that, it’s about reviewing your work setup. There are ergonomic keyboards and mouse setups that are easier on the wrists.

Work/Life Balance

It’s normal to feel a little bit of stress at work. But if you’re feeling overly stressed, then there’ll be a problem. This level of stress can have short- and long-term impacts on your health, not to mention your overall enjoyment of life. If you can’t see how your working life will calm down, then it’s important to take steps to improve your work/life balance. Having a cut-off time for work, doing relaxation activities, and taking time throughout the day to get some headspace will all prevent a build-up of stress. Whenever I think I have a busy or stressful day ahead I try and start my day with meditation to clear my head and get me ready for the tasks ahead.

Maybe it is time for a career change

I must say I am so lucky to have a job I love, but trust me before working at the Weather Network I had many jobs I did not love. Sometimes I was working several jobs at once and the stress was just overwhelming. I understand making ends meet, I bought a condo straight out of university and so money and finances is important, but it isn’t everything. Sure making a steady income can take a lot of the stress away. You know that you can pay your bills each month, you can invest in activities that have a positive impact on your overall health, and you can do things that do create a healthy lifestyle like purchasing a gym membership or healthier (and usually more expensive meals). Maybe it is time to ask for that raise that you know you deserve. Or if you don’t think it is the right fit and it isn’t benefiting you both financially and emotionally, than maybe it is time to move on.

Let me start off by saying this blog is not easy to write. My family and I have been through weeks of crisis, trauma, sadness, heartache, hope, happiness, tears, laughs, the list goes on and on and while most of what has happened in the last few weeks I will keep private (especially since parts of my emotional experience I haven’t even been able to express yet with my partner), I felt the need to share at least a slither of what has happened, in hopes, and I don’t know who, but somewhere out there, there is someone else who needs this help. Not that I wish for anyone to have to deal with a truly traumatic experience while also trying to navigate a global pandemic, but if there is someone, I want you to know you are not alone.

I also felt the need to put some words on paper as a therapeutic part of my personal healing. Maybe it is selfish of me, since I am not the one with double digit broken bones, but I am the one with the broken heart that is slowly being put back together piece by piece and sharing the experience , these words , it makes the trauma real. It helps me process it and hopefully be whole again myself.

So here is what I am willing to share, as we have shared some of it on social media already. On September 13th, the day before our one year wedding anniversary, my husband was in a very serious mountain bike accident. He spent several days in the ICU, suffered multiple broken bones, and a mid to severe brain trauma injury. Thankfully, every day he gets a little healthier, stronger, and better, and we are so lucky for that.

What I am not willing to share, yet is the specific emotional turmoil this has caused, maybe one day but not now. That is not the point of this blog, the point of this blog is some words, I won’t say of wisdom since I am by no means (and hope I never am) an expert in dealing with trauma, but words from first hand experience of trying to navigate a traumatic experience while also trying to navigate a global pandemic, COVID 19.

According to reports, 53% of Americans said their mental health was negatively impacted by COVID 19. The pandemic has caused fear and anxiety over health, loved ones, job loss, the list goes on. According to the CDC, it has caused people to loose sleep, worsen chronic health problems, and worsen pre-existing mental health issues. All of that sounds hard enough right? Well now add another layer of anxiety, of fear, of uncertainty when a loved one is in the hospital.

Some obvious impacts were right on the surface level

Forget the personal, emotional and physical impacts for a moment. Let’s first talk about the actual concrete things we had to deal with. Because of COVID 19, my husband had to be tested when he arrived at the hospital. Until his test results came back, I could only be with him for an hour a day, and I could only visit him through a window. Once his test came back negative, he was allowed one visitor, once a day during a certain time period. That meant once I arrived, I wasn’t allowed to leave his room except to go to the bathroom. I wasn’t allowed to leave the hospital or even have lunch at the cafeteria. So usually I would be in the room for 12 hours a day, just stuck there with my thoughts. No one to talk to, no one to cry with, no one to hug when I started to feel sad. All I could do was watch my loved one, helpless, and in return feel hopeless and heartbroken for 12 hours straight. On top of that you have to wear a mask the entire time, and you are constantly hearing about COVID from doctors and nurses talking to each other. It makes the pandemic so much more real and so so much scarier.

Some of the impacts were a little deeper and harder to express

I count my blessings every day that this is the first truly traumatic experience I have had to go through. In the early days post accident, I could’t eat, I couldn’t sleep, I was just going through the motions but I wasn’t actually here. My body felt numb, it all seemed like a bad nightmare that had to end but no matter how hard I tried, I could’t wake up. The mornings were the worst, I would wake up with such anxiety that every inch of my body was in pain because I didn’t know what new experiences I would have to go through, or what information I would have to try and take in that day. I had to be strong on the outside for him, our family, our friends, but on the inside I was breaking down mentally, physically, emotionally.

How to cope with it all…or at least try to

I need to start off with thanking every single nurse that watched my husband. I wrote down every single one of their names so I can thank them at a later day. Not only were they taking care of my husband, but they also took care of me. Hugged me when I cried, joked with me when I needed a laugh, came running if I heard a beep that scared me (even though the beeps were totally normal and they were on top of everything). They were amazing not just at their jobs, but at supporting us and I am so thankful.

That is the first point I wanted to make, it is ok to not be strong all the time.

As I mentioned, I was trying to be strong for those around me, I was trying to go through the motions, to make sure all tasks were taken care of. I tried to distract myself from the pain, but the moments I actually felt ok, were the moments after a good cry. The moments that I let myself go. The moments that I let myself feel emotions. You don’t have to be strong all the time, and in fact it is import for you to be able to process your feelings to be able to accept what has happened, and be able to heal.

Not only is it ok to breakdown, but it is ok to lean on friends

When I was sad, down, hyperventilating (which happened a lot) I would message a girlfriend or my mom or dad. I know I am very lucky to have such an amazing support group, and some people aren’t in the same position as me, but not holding it all inside and expressing and sharing your feelings will help you cope and help you avoid a complete and utter breakdown when it all eventually does come out.

It’s also ok to reach out to someone outside of your inner circle…

I had never tried therapy before, but a few people recommended seeking some professional help since I was really struggling to with my own mental state I decided to give it a try. It was the best thing that I ever did. Having an opportunity to express my feelings, emotions, and experiences to someone who was on the outside and unbiased and could really share and who could also give professional advice on how to handle my emotions.

It taught me how to cope…

Every day, sitting in the hospital room my mind would always go to the negative, the worst case scenario. In therapy I learned that cortisol is a chemical in your brain that spurs negative thoughts. But what the therapist taught me is that we still have control over where our thoughts go, and that if we are thinking about negative events that could occur down the road, why not instead turn those negative thoughts into positive ones. As hard as it is (and easier to turn to the negative idea) work a little extra harder to turn those thoughts down a positive path.

Writing it down really helped me…

Sometimes there were things I didn’t want to share with friends, family, or even my therapist, so I decided to start a journal. It was the one outlet where I could really express all of my emotions without any judgment or holding back any of my thoughts. Being able to let it all out helped me create a safe outlet. I was able to prioritize my fears and concerns. Writing it down helped me manage my stress levels by clearing my mind.

Take a moment to breathe…

The hospital is a really hard place to be. Especially in the ICU, where families are going through really difficult times. Now put a global pandemic on top of that, where you aren’t allowed to leave the room except to go to the bathroom, so a friend sent me over some breathing techniques for when I was feeling stressed or overwhelmed. Take a minute to yourself and try and clear your mind and just focus on your breathing. It will help calm you down in the moment.

And if you need to, take some real time for yourself…

Everyone kept telling me that it was also important to focus on myself and my wellbeing. In the moment I didn’t understand, I felt I had to be at the hospital all day everyday to be there for my husband. I wasn’t sleeping or eating, or taking any time to myself. It wasn’t helpful. I didn’t have any energy and I wasn’t able to be strong for my husband, or myself. I felt like I was losing my mind, and so one night instead of staying at the hospital for 12 hours, I left a little early, went home, and slept in my own bed and it was the reset I needed. At first leaving him all along, I felt so guilty, but everyone kept reminding me that I needed to also make sure my own bucket was full. Just taking one evening to myself, with a nice glass of wine, and some distracting laughs from friends helped me regroup and refocus.

Try and focus on the positives…

As hard as it can be during one of the most difficult times of your life, trying to look for positive moments and events each day can try and keep your mind from going to a bad space. I decided to write down three things that I am thankful for each day. Focusing on positive moments, no matter how small they were, helped me realize that there were things to be thankful for and reminded me that as hard and dark as the days seemed, that even though this was going to be a long road, there was a light at the end of the tunnel.

These are a few things that helped me get through one of the most difficult times of my life. Leaning on friends, family, outside sources, and just trying to find moments and positivity as hard as it may seem in the moment. I am no expert by any means but I have gone through this first hand. Going through a global pandemic is difficult as is, but add a traumatic experience on top of that and it can be extremely overwhelming and stressful. Everyone kept telling me that it is important to take care of myself as well as my husband, because if I wasn’t taking care of myself, I wouldn’t have the strength or energy to take care of him too. Find the outlet that helps you cope with the situation at hand. And just take it day by day, because focusing your mind on anything outside of the present isn’t going to help you be strong in the moment.

Happy April everybody!

I wish I could say April Fools and snap my finger and have everything just go back to normal but unfortunately I can’t do that. Instead I can write this blog and check in on my friends and family and make sure we are all doing ok, and to let you know if you are’t doing ok, well that is ok too.

It has been a weird, uncertain, strange, and scary time to say the least. I think the scariest part for me is the unknown. The unknown elements to the virus, the unknown final statistics and numbers, the unknown if a loved one or family member will test positive, and the unknown timeline of when things will get back to normal or if it even will get back to normal.

As I mentioned, it is ok to not be ok, it is ok to feel emotion, to be scared, to be sad. Sad for missed weddings, for missed birthdays, for missed childbirth, for missed honeymoons. It is ok to be sad that you lost your job, or hours, or interviews. So feel the emotions, be sad, but also be strong because you are not alone, we are all truly in this together from one end of the world to the other.

To be honest, there have been days where I haven’t been ok. Where I have cried, had a panic attack, broke down, screamed at my husband, thought about worst case scenario, read the news and cried some more.

I count my blessings every day though. I am working and staying busy and telling stories that I love and distracting myself, I have an amazing husband to keep me grounded and sane, an amazing dog that gives me an excuse to get some fresh air every day, amazing friends that check in on me, and an amazing family. I realize that not everyone is in the same position and so I want this to be an outlet for you, an opportunity to share your fears, your tears, but also your hope and your courage so that we can all get through this together, and hopefully keep as many of the vulnerable safe.

I also just wanted to share a few things that I have felt helpful to get through this.

Take a moment to breathe and be grateful

If you know me and have followed this blog, you might know that I suffer from anxiety and so I have been struggling, but I have found comfort in waking up early and doing some breathing exercise ( or trying them throughout the day when I am feeling stressed). I also try and write down three to five things that I am thankful for everyday. It makes me realize how truly lucky I am. I also keep reminding myself the reason that we are doing this and social distancing is to help save as many lives as possible.

Try and get into a routine

As I mentioned I am pretty lucky because I am still working right now, which definitely keeps me distracted but I felt like I was just pouring all my time and energy into work so I decided to come up with a daily schedule. I make sure to take time to walk my dog and get fresh air and also make sure I work out for an hour or go for a run because that is something that helps me clear my head when I am stressed.

Call your friends and family

I have actually found myself facetiming and calling my family and long distance friends now more than every. As terrible as this situation is, it makes me realize how special relationships are and that in the busy world we live in, it is important to take the time out for the people we love. I have also found comfort in finding people that I can open up with and share my experiences with.

Let yourself have emotions

I am the kind of person who tends to hold things inside until I explore, and then the situation is 10 times worse than what it would have been if I just dealt with it in the moment. I have found it has helped by letting myself feel. Sometimes I am angry and sometimes I am sad. I let myself feel the emotions but I always try and and make sure I try and end on a positive feeling (goodnewsmovement has really helped with that)

Try not to read too much

As a journalist, it is my job to stay informed and so I am always checking the latest information, but once the work day is done I try and shut it off and if you don’t work in the news or health care don’t spend hours reading article after article because here is the thing, the virus is so scary because it is so new and unknown and so no one right now really has the answer and so reading that it will take over a year or we will have to be in lockdown for six months, sure that might be the case but don’t stress yourself out over things that aren’t proven or known yet.

Listen to health officials

It is so frustrating when I see tweets and pictures of people gathering in groups and having house parties. Listen just because you are young and healthy, it doesn’t mean it won’t spread to family members you care about that aren’t as young and healthy. The sad thing is more and more “young and healthy” people are also finding themselves in the ICU. It is important we all listen to our health care officials and government officials and do the right thing so we can all beat COVID19 together.

Give back when you can

I honestly feel so helpless in all of this (although the most helpful thing we can do is all stay home) but there are ways we can help. Health care workers need masks, researchers need funds, and food banks need donations. I am giving blood for the first time next month which I am very nervous but also excited to do my part. I have found comfort in being able to do some small things to help out.

So here I am, just checking in and making sure you are all ok, and if you are not ok. I am here for you all, and just know we will all get through this together by staying apart (for now)

Keep your heads high my friends,

Mia

A guide to looking after your mental health