Uncle Karthus’ Resources for Mental Health Assistance and Self Care
((My Karthus does some terrible, terrible things. I strive to write a dark character for my own reasons because this is a safe and cosy place for me. I’m glad it is that for some other people as well. That means a lot to me. I want to help cultivate a safe, healthy place in the community. So please, take some some resources I pulled together. One never knows what someone is struggling with. Friends are listeners, not therapists- only you can help you, and yes, you are worth helping.
Remember my little lost souls- Be kind to one another. Remember that life is not beautiful, therefore it is, my little ducklings. There is beauty all around you.
1- National Suicide Prevention Hotline (US) Call 1-800-273-8255 Available 24 hours everyday
A listing of international suicide prevention hotlines by country
2- Online crisis chats and resources
Crisis chat
Suicide Prevention Lifeline
IMAlive
3- Online Active listening services. These do not replace a good mental health professional, but an active listener can probably be found:
7 Cups
BlahTherapy
4- Overwhelmed? Panic? Anger? Overwhelming emotion? Use this- The Mammalian Diving Reflex- An excellent technique for calming down from extreme and overwhelming emotions using your body’s natural functions. This works extremely well. This comes from the DBT (Dialectical Behavior Therapy) workshops.
When emotions run very very high, the brain doesn’t function properly and can’t take in new information or process information properly. To get back to a functional place, one can activate the mammalian diving reflex. It forces the parasympathetic nervous system to kick in. What this means is that it changes your heart rate and forces a calmer state. This has to do with very old functions in the brain and nervous system from our earliest ancestors. TLDR; our body and brain thinks that you are diving into deep, cold water, as it was explained today, so resources are IMMEDIATELY put towards calm survival mode, because it thinks that it needs to protect your vital organs etc.
Warning: This actively slows the heart rate so people with health problems related to the heart or disorders such as anorexia nervosa that already place a lot of stress on the heart should avoid this. If you have kindly roomates etc, make sure you let them know what you are doing just in case. If you get light-headed, stop.
Fill a bowl or large container with icy cold water/ water with ice in it.
Bend over slowly/lean over, and take a deep, slow breath, close your eyes.
Carefully submerge face in the water, below scalp line to to cheek bones is best. Area beneath the eyes and above the cheekbones is the most important.
Keep your face there for minimum of 30 seconds.
Sometimes people unable to do this can get a similar effect with leaning over and pressing their face to ice packs/a bag of ice wrapped in something to prevent skin from hurting, as long as the cold surface is touching the areas beneath the eyes and above the cheekbones.
Proper use of this technique should provide some immediate relief so you can process information and get some grounding and logical back into your life.
5- The Wonderful Magical 5 4 3 2 1 Grounding Technique
Very simple grounding technique. Very good for anxiety attacks, PTSD symptoms, dissociative symptoms and other general mental health symptom reduction/ relief from triggered responses etc. This helps you return to a calm, grounded state.
Get observational! Breathe and actively acknowledge either out loud or to yourself:
Five things you see around you
Four things you can touch
Three things you can hear
6- Make sure you are working towards the following basic needs to the best of your ability to help balance and reduce general mental health symptoms. If possible, go through, and see if any of these are within your ability to address. Paying attention to these will help you maintain a slightly healthier, happier state of mind or get to a more stable base to work from.
-Food: Have you eaten? Protein is beneficial especially
-Hydration: Water or teas. Be aware of caffeine intake
-Exercise: Moving will help you get rest when you need it and releases endorphins in the brain. Even just a little bit, especially outside will be good. Humans evolved to move great distances, so moving even a little gets you back into a better place.
-Sunlight/vitamin d intake. Sunlight on your face for even a few minutes a day will also help reset a broken sleep cycle. Most modern humans have a lack of vitamin D leading to many issues, so if possible get tested for it, make sure to get a little bit of sunlight and/or get supplements if possible.
-Socialization: Try to find a safe for you way of speaking with people. Typing, skype. Keep a small bit of contact with someone. Set up someone as a safe contact who does not stress you. Do not keep toxic people in your life.
-Sleep: Sleep is necessary, and it is the most difficult one. Addressing the other basic needs will help you get sleep.
7- (US Based, mostly) Resources for assistance for finding affordable and/or free mental health assistance near you.
Find a health center
Prescription assistance/ free clinic finder
NAMI - Find support
Where to find care: Community health centers
8- Abuse Recognition
Recognizing abuse is the first step to getting help- emotional, toxic etc. People are going to help you. You have worth. You are not alone. You are stronger than you know. This is a good starting article.
That’s it for now, my little lambs! Remember to stay safe and healthy!
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