Mental Wellness

I think one of the most frustrating things about writing for me is that there is so much to say, I spend months vacillating between being sure I can finally write and knowing that I need more time to reflect. I know a lot of people write every day. It works for them. I don’t feel like you can really write about things on a daily basis with any level of self reflection or extensive pondering. I think this leads to a lot of thoughtless drivel and pointless reading.

I’m not trying to get famous here. I’m not trying to toot my own horns. I am simply trying to write about the reality of my world, my perceptions, and how I cope with the complexities of mental illness, and how I work towards mental wellness. A lot of time is given to mental illness, and though we still are fighting a ruthless battle against stigma, it is becoming more well known and understood by society. I personally feel a lot more time should be given to mental wellness.

What is mental wellness for me? It is an exuberant effort on the part of a mentally ill person to seek help for their illness, and to implement treatment, therapy, tools, coping mechanisms, and building supportive personal community that help keep a person continually moving forward, and that community being there for them in moments of darkness, regression, and the struggle to persevere.

Unlike other medical conditions, with clear cut therapies and cures, mental illness is still a mystery. The marrying of neuroscience with psychology is a huge step forward in understanding mental illness even further and offering new, innovative therapies, but we are ages from a cure.

So what actually, and currently helps? I think that is different based on the person. Along my journey toward mental wellness I have engaged in psychotherapy, including both cognitive behavioral therapy, as well as dialectal behavioral therapy. I have been under the care of a psychiatrist for 17 years. I utilize a variety of psychiatric drugs that help me function better than without them. I have built up a community of people no matter where I am that I both share my mental illness story with, but also ask them to be part of my support system. I have constructed a list of people to call should I get suicidal with plans. I have found the strength to abstain from cutting since October 2012 with the help of others who also struggle with self-harm. I have learned to utilize mindfulness meditation, grounding, and centering as a means to pull myself out of panic attacks. Listening to music is a huge way I work on healing myself. Art in general is how I renew my spirit. Walks in nature and talks with birds seem to calm my soul. And there is nothing more glorious than a sunrise or sunset. I think the biggest thing I have ever done to drive my mental wellness forward is to be vulnerable and honest about my struggles with mental illness. I am quick to open up about my mental illnesses. I have found most people either have personal experience with mental illness or they have close friends and family who do. The camaraderie is life saving.

There are a lot of folks out there that just need to know they aren’t alone, and today I am here to tell you that you’re not alone. You’re struggle is not a private hell. There is light at the end of your dark tunnels. Your past is not your future and your future is not your past. You do not have to ride the victim train of life. Disembark and join me at the park where we can experience the present moment. The here and the now. The smiles and the stories. Good food. Good music. Experience the love of your tribe, open up, and share.

What are some ways you work towards your mental wellness. Please comment below and share with your community.