keep on keeping on

prof pic by Dylan Kato I battle with depression so here's where I collect the things I need to see/hear when I'm at my lowest

[sheisrecovering]

SELF SOOTHING TECHNIQUES.

click each slide for high-res, written version after the jump.♡

Keep reading

[mental-health-positivity-deacti]

If you’re struggling today, I want you to know that I care about you. Mental illness is tough. It’s really hard to manage. It’s even harder because of the stigma surrounding it. I’m so incredibly proud of you for making it this long. Hold on.

[disabilityhealth]

When you feel like crap, accomplishing anything is a big deal.

So be proud of yourself for the little things: getting out of bed, making a meal, answering texts. You’re doing the best you can.

[onlinecounsellingcollege]

You need to learn to select your thoughts just the same way you select your clothes every day. This is a power you can cultivate. If you want to control things in your life … work on the mind.

Elizabeth Gilbert (via onlinecounsellingcollege)

[sheisrecovering]

26 activities to help your mind, body and soul. 

stretch

cuddle with a pet

go for a walk

put on music and dance

clean your room for 10 minutes

take a hot bath or shower

write down your honest thoughts

go cloud watching

take some deep breaths

cook a healthy meal for yourself

swing on a swingset

scratch something off your to-do list

go through your closet and donate clothes

go exploring with your camera

sing a motivational song out loud to yourself

unplug from all electronics for an hour

burn a scented candle

dress up in your favourite clothes

soak up the sun for 15 minutes

take yourself on a date

paint something huge

watch videos that make you laugh

write a gratitude list

give yourself a pedicure or manicure

treat yourself to dessert or a glass of wine

try something new

some important facts to remember about self care:

self care makes you more energetic and mentally present.

you technically don’t have to do anything and it can still be an act of self care. self care is about genuine fun and relaxation.

self care can help you build self esteem.

self care does not mean you are choosing between yourself and others. it does not make you selfish.

self care is important to maintain a healthy relationship with yourself and others.

self care is essential.

[cwote]

[cwote]

You are doing so great!

Thanks for the inspiration @stateofstudy :)

[cwote]

Just start.

@sheisrecovering xoxo

[studyowls]

// june ‘16 spreads

hi!! i’m alive!!

i am very aware that its august but as you may or may not have noticed i have pretty much been dormant here (except for queue) for the past 2-3 months or so 😅😅  so now i’m back i thought i might as well share the spreads i completed in the mean time!! july spreads will come along shortly as well as an update!!

so in june i went on a grad trip with my pals to tokyo so most of these pages are travel related! um also before i get asked this, no, i didn’t do those pages while travelling because that would actually be impossible 😂  i did them after i got back home!

and also because i feel kinda guilty taking people’s pictures off the internet, pasting them in and kinda reposting them back on?? i’m going to include a reference list in the cut below from now on!!

Keep reading

[livepositivelyfit]

This is just a reminder

If you fucked up today, that’s okay. You’re still smart, and good, and people still love you. If you’re in a dark place today, that’s okay. Even if you feel like you can’t get out of bed, and all you can do is breathe, that’s okay. You breathe, take the time you need, and we’ll be here when you’re ready.  Every day is a battle. On some, you demolish whatever’s ahead of you. On others, you just have to hang on for dear life. Either way, you’re a warrior. Don’t forget it. 

[icantdrawbutdontcare]

You’re supposed to stop before you are at your wits’ end. You need to know your limits.

[Green, black and red text that reads: Doing your best does not mean working yourself to a mental breakdown]

[soc-nmnf]

Studying with a Chronic Illness

I have had a few people ask for some tips for studying with a chronic illness however some of these could apply to anyone. 

Some broad tips I have are:

·         Have a Strong Support Network: This is really important as they will be able to help and support you through the bad times. This can include family, friends, doctors, teachers or other staff. With the doctors it is ok to ask for help, I know I wouldn’t have made it to university if it wasn’t for my psychologist.

·         Try Different Study Techniques: It wasn’t until this year that I found a study technique that suited me and that I enjoyed. Look around tumblr and during your break try a few until you find one that you like. You can even combine a few to make your own unique study method. When I am in a period of severe procrastination I use the google chrome extension Strict Workflow that uses the pomodoro technique and blocks social media sites which is really helpful. Check my references section for more study techniques and tips.

·         Start Early: Make sure that you start to study early that way if you have some bad days there is not as much to catch up on and it won’t be as stressful at the end. For assignments this might just be a bit of research every day, it doesn’t mean you have to start writing straight away. For exams prep it may be just looking over your work at the end of the week or summarising it so that there is less to do during exams.

·         Spread Out Assessment: Speak with your school and teachers to see if it would be possible to make sure that your assessment is spread out not clumped together so you are not as stressed. This is also good as if you are having bad days it might not impact on all your subjects and you have less to catch up on.

·         Tidy Space: I use to be absolutely terrible at this, my desk use to be completely covered with papers, books and all sorts of other stuff. Now however I set about 5 minutes aside every day to clean it up and there has been a significant improvement. After the first major clean if you tidy it every day it doesn’t actually take that much time or effort. I found I also concentrate better with it tidy.

·         Treaty Yourself: Set yourself some goals, they can be small or large, and when you reach them treat yourself. For small goals this might be 5 extra minutes watching movies or a piece of chocolate and for larger goals you could get something that you have wanted for a while like a book or clothes. This gives you an incentive to study.

·         It is ok to Take a Break: The weekend before my exam session of this semester I didn’t study for a few days as I was just feeling so sick. This is ok as in the long run it is better to take the break then than push through it and make yourself worse. Also make sure to take the time to relax on your break so that you are refreshed for the start of the new school year.

When Looking for Colleges/universities:

·         Check if it has Disability Support Services: When you have a chronic illness this is vital as they can give you special exam conditions, access to software, help with extensions on assessment and make your time at college as easy as possible. Check beforehand what their requirements are in terms of documentation. My university also has a student association for students with a disability/chronic illness and they are really helpful and nice. I meet up with them every week and it is good to be able to speak to others who get it.

·         Does the College/ University Have Special Consideration?: I know that in Australia at least a lot of the universities give those with disabilities or chronic illnesses that have impacted on their study special consideration. For me this meant bonus points and pushed my rank up high enough to get into the course I wanted.

·         Check What Health Services are Available on Campus: At my university we have a free health center and counselling available to all students as well as a pharmacy on campus. For me this has been invaluable as I tried a private doctor who turned me away saying my stomach pain was just stress but the doctor on campus took me seriously and sent me to a specialist who found it was a re-occurrence of a previous illness.

·         If Moving Into a Dorm: Is it self-catered or catered? Will you have time to cook if it is not catered? What support services are available to residents?  What do they do for residents with disabilities/chronic illness?

Remember that your health is the most important thing and that you don’t have to be super organised (I know I’m not) or have expensive stationery to be a studyblr it is a community of people who share their studying. 

Hope this helps some people.

Sending gentle hugs and spoons to all the spoonie students out there x

[erinstudiesthings-deactivated20]

Really.

You can fail an assignment, a test, a class, a grade level. You can drop out of school entirely. And it’s okay. It sucks and it’s hard and it’s messy, absolutely. But it’s okay.

It doesn’t make you any less of a valuable, worthy person and isn’t an indication of your intelligence. 

You’re doing just fine. Even when you aren’t. <3

[erinstudiesthings-deactivated20]

How to study when you’re feeling (extra) shitty

If you’re chronically ill and in school, you may have already figured out a system that works for you on most days. Even if that’s the case, sometimes a flare comes out of left field and you’re left scrambling. These are a few things that I’ve found helpful in surviving extra bad days during the school year. A lot of this also applies to acute illness whether you’re chronically ill or not.

Maybe don’t study

Are you going to make yourself feel worse if you study now? Is pushing through going to jeopardize your health? Are you just feeling too awful? If so, it’s okay to let things go for an hour, a day, a week, or longer.

You come first. Always.

Medicate

Do you have PRN or OTC medications that can help with symptom management? Have you taken your daily meds? Do that before you try to do anything else. You’re going to be able to get a lot more done (not to mention the fact that you just plain won’t feel as miserable) if you take whatever medication you have available to you rather than trying to tough it out.

Check in with yourself

Have you gotten some sort of nutrition? Are you sufficiently hydrated? Do you need to close your eyes for a few? Do whatever is accessible to you in the moment to take care of yourself.

Prioritize

What absolutely has to be done now and what can wait until you’re closer to your baseline?  Are there things that you can get an extension on? Professors that are more lenient with grading? Classes you have opportunities for extra credit in? Does it make sense to skip class and use those spoons to get work done? On the assignments that you have to get done now, is there anything that you feel comfortable doing a mediocre job on just to get it done?  Figure out what’s the most important and go from there.

Communicate

If you’re going to turn things in late, miss class, need an extension, or just want to give your professor a heads up that you’re not feeling great and X may happen as a result, shoot them an email. The sooner the better, but it’s infinitely preferable to send a last second email asking for an extension (or to send one after the fact) than not to send one at all. If you can, I’d also really recommend talking with your professor before there’s a problem, but if that’s not a possibility, don’t stress it.

If you feel like this is going to be a longer term issue, it’s a good idea to communicate with disability services and/or your advisor to see what your options are.

Get comfy (ish)

Find a study spot that you can work in effectively and make yourself as comfortable as possible. When my pain levels are high, I don’t like to work it public spaces where I have to sit upright and deal with the extra sensory input, so I usually get set up on my couch with a heating pad, my maternity pillow (these things are the best), and a lap desk. 

Maybe for you it makes sense to set yourself up in the bathroom so you don’t have to run back and forth every two seconds. Or maybe you need to work somewhere dark and quiet. There’s really no way to do this wrong, so play around and figure out what works for you.

Take breaks

A 10-2 system often works well for me, but this is another one where you really can’t do it wrong. Take as many breaks as you need for as long as you need them. Play around to find something that feels comfortable for you.

Be gentle with yourself

Didn’t get everything you wanted to done? That’s okay. Didn’t get anything at all done? That’s okay too. It’s okay to rest. Your well being is always the most important thing.

Happy studying!

[rubyetc]

I found these gifs I made a while back for a site that’s not running anymore, so I thought I’d post them here. It’s a description of psychiatric symptoms and states of mind using a pink box and some other stuff. 

[apriljanee5]

These are so accurate

[psych2go]

Interesting! Just thought I’d share! 

[keeponkeepingon13-blog1]

Received this gem in the mail today 💕✨🙏🏼 thank you so much @wordsneversaidx Was in need of a visual affirmation to get me through those tough days and this is perfect 😭😍

[id-rather-be-studying]

Some tips for chronically ill students

So I’ve been sick since I was nine, and over the years I have definitely picked up some great tips for keeping on top of your work.

Tell your teachers/professors. I know it’s embarrassing. You don’t want them to think of you differently, or to feel pity for you. I get that, and I did that for years while barely scraping by when it came to missed work. Send them an email, see them after class. You don’t have to give your entire medical history; just let them know that you have an illness that requires you to miss a lot of school.

Get a 504 Plan if you can. In the United States, K-12 and college students with disabilities are eligible for a 504 plan. This just means that this school is required to give you accommodations. Honestly, it IS a huge hassle, but it was the best thing I’ve done. Before, teachers didn’t think I was serious about my illness, but once I had the 504 plan, they were required to extend my due dates and allow extra absences. I’m not sure if other countries have something similar, but definitely look into it. I have a 504 meeting next month where I will be discussing my accommodations with my new teachers.

Sleep. I know that schools tend to think that students should always be doing work and never resting, but chronically-ill students NEED to rest. Personally, I come home from school and take a nap when I don’t have to be in the theater. I know a lot of people who do their homework as soon as they get home, and then go to bed early. I take lots of naps instead of sleeping longer, but it’s up to your body to decide what is best. 

Eat healthy. Now, I know this isn’t always possible. When I’m working a musical, I live off of McDonald’s and Subway. I know that it’s hard, but try to eat well whenever possible. Pack some nuts and raisins in your bag for whenever you are feeling hungry. That way, you won’t be tempted to head to the snack machine. If you take a lot of medications, you may like to eat smaller meals multiple times a day so that you can eat every time you take your meds. If you do this, try to make your meals things like apples and peanut butter or a salad. Again, I know this isn’t always possible, especially if you’re a poor college student, but try to have at least one healthy meal a day.

Stick to a schedule. With doctor’s appointments and unexpected sick days, it can definitely be hard to stick to any type of schedule when you’re a sick student. I’m not one of those people to plan my entire day out, but I like to write on a little sticky note the most important things I need to get done that day. Eating meals at the same time each day is also really good, but when nausea strikes at random, it can be difficult to have an appetite at the same time each day. Instead, you may plan out time each day, throughout the day, to sit and relax. You can eat during this time, check social media, watch an episode of your favorite Netflix show. If you’re in college, you may also find it easier if your classes are around the same time each day. 

So this was totally a rant-y post that I thought about and figured I should make, but feel free to add your own tips! I know that being a chronically ill student is hard, and we definitely don’t get the credit we deserve sometimes. Stay strong, and please always remember that your health ALWAYS comes before school.

[erinstudiesthings-deactivated20]

How to catch back up when you’ve fallen behind

I’ve done that thing again. The thing I promise myself won’t happen every single semester, but every semester it happens. I’m behind. 

I’ve had a couple of rough weeks in a row where I’ve let things pile up and now I’m swamped with late work on top of my usual assignments which in turn makes me want to bury my head in the sand and avoid my professors and never to go to class again. Probably not a great strategy.

So, game plan.

Make a to do list. Before you do anything else, sit down and write down everything that’s overdue and everything that’s coming up. Prioritize my due date, class, points, late work policy, whatever you need to do.

Create new deadlines. Using whatever planner type system works for you, figure out when each assignment will be turned in by and block out some extra chunks of time to study.

Communicate with your professors. Even if you have literally no excuse for being behind, you just are, communicate with your professors. If there are extenuating circumstances, this is doubly important as a lot of professors are willing to bend late work policies in these instances. See what your options are for making work up, or, if this isn’t an option, at least touch base to make sure that you’re understanding the material. It’s a good way for them to see that you’re taking the course seriously and a good way for you to get back on track.

If it comes down to it, it’s totally okay to drop or withdraw from a class, but before you do that, make an appointment to talk with the professor and/or your departmental advisor to see if you have any other options (like taking an incomplete).

Take care of yourself. Remember that studying and grades do not define you or your worth. Take time to socialize, get some fresh air, eat, sleep, and whatever else you need to do to take care of yourself. You always come first.

Happy studying!