advice
Advice and tips on managing mental health, maintaining a positive outlook and becoming your happiest self.
5 Ways to Calm a Panic Attack
Can you feel your heart racing? Finding it difficult to breathe? Feel like the world is closing in? Feeling a loss of control? Chances are, you're having a panic attack. Here are five ways to help calm yourself down and feel at ease again.
By Catherine Watson8 years ago in Psyche
Using a Bullet Journal to Relieve Anxiety and Depression
Anxiety is often paired with depression because the feelings of hopelessness and pointlessness inevitably lead to thoughts of how much worse our lives can get. We imagine our lives falling apart, piece by piece, until we fade away into nothing. For me, this often includes how all my responsibilities will go undone and everyone that relies on me or cares for me will stop caring about me.
By Sean Fraser8 years ago in Psyche
For the Days When You Can't Get Out of Bed
I know how it feels, the mornings where the sun is beaming through the curtains, the birds are chirping and the day is right in front of you, but why? Why get up? I don't want to, I don't need to, therefore, I'm not going to. I know the weight depression has and it makes it feel like your bed is where you belong all day but that's not a life. I remember the fights I had with myself every morning trying to convince myself to get up. Here are some things that I did that I hope help you when you're struggling to get out of bed.
By Cristian Carrasco8 years ago in Psyche
Emotional Dumping Ground: Identifying Toxic Narcissistic Friendships
Throughout our existence, we tend to have a lot of different types of friendships revolving within our lives. Statistically, if a friendship lasts longer than seven years, then it will more than likely last a lifetime. The best types of friendships are those that reciprocate kindness, fun, love, and support. Having an equal amount of respect and attention towards each other. These are the ingredients to help maintain lifelong healthy friendships with other people. In our darkest times, we can rely on certain people in our lives to be there for us when we really need somebody. Unfortunately, not all friendships follow this simple formula. If you read the first couple of sentences of this article and you already have had an epiphany about certain people in your life, you more than likely have someone in your life that you suspect is a toxic narcissistic personality.
By Cordelia De Milo8 years ago in Psyche
5 Ways to Get Motivated While Depressed
Depression is a multi-faceted illness that can make you feel horrible about yourself while sucking any sort of ambition or motivation from you. Your inner critic pairs with the depression to tell you that not only are you pathetic, but anything you do is pointless because all you will do is fail. Failure is inevitable, so there's no point in trying.
By Sean Fraser8 years ago in Psyche
Helping Yourself When Helping a Friend
Recently, great strides have been made with talking about mental health. The Heads Together campaign, together with Prince Harry opening up to Byrony Gordon on her podcast about his own issues, opened the door for mental health to become a topic that can be discussed in the open public sphere. Since then, there are internet campaigns, discussions on social media, and even more publicity and acceptance around being an individual with mental issues, which means that we are now in a time where there is more understanding than ever for the sufferer, and this is a great thing.
By Louise Mackin8 years ago in Psyche
Leave Well Enough Alone
Winter has been long and cold, and not just with the weather. No, this year there was a lot of emotional turmoil going on in my life with the relationships I have had. It is through these difficult times which we find ourselves growing or backsliding.
By Vanessa Cherron Riser8 years ago in Psyche
20 Ways to Improve Your Mental Health
Drink Some Tea and Wind Down: Hot tea has been proven to help with stress and anxiety. Also, it is supposed to improve happiness. Wind Down With Some Music or a Book: Just sit up in your bed and chill with a good book, or listen to peaceful music. Or even jamming out to your favorite songs can help you feel better. Put Down That Phone: Sure, checking Insta is great, but sometimes taking a break from your phone will make you feel more relaxed. Color: I know this sounds crazy, but coloring promotes relaxation! So grab an adult coloring book and some colored pencils and you're set! Make Sure You're Getting Enough Sleep: Sometimes when I don't sleep at night I get stressed easily. So make sure that you get at least eight hours of sleep or more if you can. And if you're having trouble sleeping, try eating some oatmeal, or melatonin sleep drinks. Go Outside: If you're feeling stressed, go walk the dog. Or if you don't have a dog just go for a walk. Sometimes just playing a little outside can help. The sun is a great source of Vitamin D. This can not only improve your mental health but your physical health. Eat: Okay, I know what you're thinking. But some foods have been proven to increase happiness. Including, dark chocolate, eggs, honey, and greek yogurt. If you don't like any of these, don't worry, these are only a few of the foods that make you happy. Write in a Journal: Everyday, write two things you're grateful for. This helps you look at positive things rather than negative. Take a Bath: Taking a relaxing, warm bath once a week, makes you feel less stressed. Also, throw in the Epsom salts, and lavender. Epsom salts help relieve aches and pains. Lavender is known for its relaxing effects on the body. Spend Time with an Animal: Spending time with animals reduces the stress hormone, and stimulates feelings of happiness. If you don't own an animal, volunteer at a shelter. Pick Up a New Hobby: Find a hobby that you like to do and that makes you happy. If you find something you like to do, you'll be happier. Spend Time Alone: Take some time for yourself. If you're always around people, you really need to take some time and enjoy being alone. Do Yoga: Doing Yoga, is proven to calm people down. So if you're ever feeling stressed, sign up for a yoga class. Take Care of Yourself: If you maintain good hygiene, and you take care of your body, you'll be more confident and feel better about yourself. Surround Yourself with Inspiring Quotes: This could mean decorating your room with inspiring quotes that you'll see everyday. Or you can get one of those inspiring daily apps. Surround Yourself with Positive People: You know the saying " Who you hang out with is who you become."? By being friends with positive people, there will be more positive energy in your life than negative. Set Goals: By setting goals, you are creating something to work for. Write them down, and figure out what you need to do to reach those goals. Smile: Doctors have proven that smiling reduces stress, even if it's fake. Also, smiling makes others happier! Eat healthy: Eating healthy can help you feel better, and improve emotional health. So next time, skip the ice cream and go for the fruit! Spend Time with Friends and Family: Spending time with the people you love helps boost happiness and reduce stress. And, who doesn't love spending time with family?
By Katherine Silvers8 years ago in Psyche
5 Tips to Help Support Your Friends with Depression
I am certainly no stranger to the black dog appearing in my life. I've also watched my loved ones suffer in silence because, often, people don't know how to reach out and help them in a constructive way. Here's five simple methods to support your loved ones through hard times.
By Victoria K8 years ago in Psyche
Living with Mental Illness
There is a stigma that comes with mental illness. It is looked down on, joked about, and quite often, it's dismissed. Believe it or not, mental illness is more common than you might think. One in four adults are affected by mental illness. That is 61,500,000 people in a given year. Not only is it common, it also does not discriminate. You see people on social media or at school or work and you think they have everything figured out, that because they're smiling and laughing or because they have a million friends, they're happy and everything is okay. Wrong. I'm here to tell you, that is all just a cover up.
By Candace Taylor8 years ago in Psyche
