Join My Mentally Ill Gang

My name is Florence! I have Bipolar 2, and PTSD. Im a CSA survivor, dyslexic, and a fighter! while I cant offer much in the way of advice (im not a professional) I'd love to chat with you. Avatar from Nedroid fun times.

[mentalhealthwarrior]

Hello, dear Florence. I have an offer of cooperation for people suffering from a chronic illness. If you find my proposal interesting, will you publish the text describing it in your blog?

Hi! I dont understand what this means.

[wilwheaton]

Hey Wil. I'm having a rough time right now. But depression lies right?

Depression lies, and you are stronger than you think.

I’m so sorry you’re having a rough time. If you haven’t, maybe think about doing one or more of these things:

1. Take a shower.

2. Go for a short walk.

3. Eat a nutritious meal.

4. Snuggle a dog or a cat.

5. Sit in a quiet place, and count ten breaths. Count to 5 on each breath in, and count to ten on each breath out.

Check in with me in a day or so and let me know how you’re doing, okay? We’re gonna get through the rough days.

[mentalhealthwarrior]

I feel like a burden and I think it would be better for everyone If I died. I’m so tired of everything,... do u have any advice?

I’ve been on hiatus for so long, I don’t know how old this is. 

When this happened to me, I checked into an outpatient program that saved my life. I took a week off, and got to hand over my troubles to professionals for a little while. 

SO, I recommend seeing a professional if you aren’t already. 

I can almost guarantee that the people in your life do not think of you as a burden, that’s just the depression talking. 

Lastly, it really will get better. I know you probably think you’re one of those lost causes. I thought that for a long time. But it actually did get better. I am actually happy. I promise, because I have experienced it. 

I wish you the best. much love, Florence. 

[lifeafterpsychiatry]

Self-care Cheat Sheet - a guide for people who can’t do exactly what they’re supposed to

Exercise:

If you can, go to the gym or go for a run or a bike ride. I know you don’t feel like it, but you’ll feel better afterwards both physically and mentally.

If you can’t go to the gym, exercise in your room. Maybe follow a simple Youtube video or do some exercises you know well with whatever tools you have - and if that’s all too hard, simply move a bit to some of your favorite songs for a while.

If you can’t go for a run, go for a walk. Take your headphones on and listen to music or a podcast while walking to make it less boring, or maybe bring one of your friends! It doesn’t have to be a long walk. Even if you’re only outside for 10 minutes the fresh air and movement will do you good and clear your mind.

If you can’t go for a walk or exercise otherwise, stand up and do some stretches and walk around your room for a little while. Your body will appreciate a break from sitting at your desk or lying in your bed even if it’s a short one.

If you can’t move that much, just open your window and enjoy some fresh air.

Personal hygiene:

If you can take a shower (even though it’s hard!), do it. You will feel so much better when your hair is not greasy and when you aren’t smelly and sweaty. If you can force the energy, it will be worth the effort.

If you can’t do a full shower routine, simply step into the shower and wash your crotch, ass and armpits. Forget about your hair and forget about shaving. Just quickly wash the most smelly parts. You’ll feel a lot better afterwards.

If you can’t take a shower, wipe your crotch, ass and armpits with wet vibes and then apply deodorant and dry shampoo. It’ll take the worst of the smell and will make you look and feel significantly cleaner.

If you can’t clean yourself at all, at least change out of your dirty clothes and put something comfortable and clean on. It’ll help you feel better.

Dental hygiene:

If you can, brush your teeth for 2 minutes twice a day. I know it’s hard to find the energy and the motivation, but you need to do everything in your power to take care of your teeth. They won’t care whether you have a good reason not to brush them and dental care is often expensive.

Doing it once a day is not a failure and is still a whole lot better than not brushing them! But if you struggle to brush as often as recommended, I recommend investing in an electric toothbrush to make each brushing more effective.

If you can’t brush your teeth for two minutes, brush them for 1 minute or 30 seconds. A short brushing is also still a lot better than nothing!

If you don’t like tooth paste, brushing your teeth without it is still better than not brushing them.

If you don’t like the texture of the tooth brush, look into tooth brushes for kids or surgical tooth brushes which are a lot softer.

If you can’t brush your teeth at all, use a wet wash cloth whenever you can to gently wipe the worst plague build up off your teeth.

If you can’t do that, invest in some mouth wash and gurgle it once a day or buy some of the gum which helps cleaning your teeth and keeping your breath fresh.

If you currently don’t have the energy to do anything for your teeth, at least try to limit your soda and sugar intake so that your lack of brushing won’t be too dangerous.

Eating:

If you can, cook a proper meal. Your body will appreciate you for providing it with the energy it needs to function optimally. If cooking is boring, but on a podcast, a show or some music - or maybe call or invite a friend.

If you can’t cook and you can afford it, order some takeaway. It may feel like a waste of money, but feeding yourself is never a waste and you will feel better once your body gets some nutrients. It doesn’t even have to be the healthiest option. Any food is better than no food.

If you can’t cook or order takeaway, make something very simple. A boring sandwich or instant noodles or a toast will provide you with some energy even if it isn’t that fun or enjoyable to eat.

If you can’t make a sandwich, just eat some bread or some deli meats or maybe some fruit or vegetables separately. You don’t have to actually make the sandwich in order for the meal to count.

If you can’t make a sandwich, eat whatever you have. An apple is better than nothing. A couple slices of cheese are better than nothing. An old chocolate bar is still a lot better than nothing. A dry slice of bread isn’t fun to eat but it is STILL better than nothing. So is a bag of chips.

If you can’t make yourself eat just anything, eat whatever you have (or are able of acquiring and capable of eating). Yes, even if it’s chocolate or ice cream or chips. It’s good to eat healthy when you can, but when it’s a question between not eating at all or eating something unhealthy, unhealthy food always beats an empty stomach. Yes, even if it’s the same things you ate yesterday and the day before.

If you consistently struggle to get enough food down, look into meal replacement shakes/bars and dietary supplements of various kinds. Maybe get some blood work done by your doctor to see what vitamins your diet might be lacking.

(If you have a friend, a partner or a family member who you know likes cooking or who you know has a lot of money don’t be afraid to ask them for help. I’m sure they wouldn’t mind bringing you some leftovers, cooking for you or borrowing you some money for something you’d actually be able to eat if you’re out of other options.)

Sleeping:

If you’re tired and you can, go to bed. Especially if it’s late. Especially if you’re feeling particularly unwell. You cannot function optimally if you do not get a decent amount of sleep, so instead of staying up all night feeling shitty about yourself, put your phone down and get some rest.

If you can’t go to bed, have a nap. Set a timer for when you need to get back on track and allow yourself some rest. You do not have to power through the whole day just because you technically could. It’s okay to take 20 minutes or two hours to catch up on sleep if you’re feeling exhausted, especially if you didn’t get enough sleep last night.

If you can’t sleep at all, just lie down and close your eyes and rest for as long as you can. Studies have shown that even if you don’t sleep, lying down and letting your body and brain rest for a while helps you a lot. If it’s too boring, put on a podcast or music or something. But lie down. Close your eyes. Allow yourself to do nothing.

If you can’t sleep at all for several days, see a doctor and look into options for medical treatment. Sleep is important and if you consistently can’t get any, you need to act on it and try out various treatment options.

Socializing and connecting:

If you can, invite a friend, a partner, a family member, an acquaintance or anyone you like over. Have a nice talk with them or simply do something together. You may feel like isolating yourself is easier, but us humans are social beings and most of us need regular social interaction to thrive. (Maybe ask for a hug if you want one, physical contact can help a lot on your mood!)

If you live with someone, spend some time with them. Even if they’re not your favorite person and you’re not that close, having a conversation about something superficial is still a lot better than having no conversations. Who knows - maybe they can actually be pretty good company if you take the time to talk to them for more than two minutes! If talking is too hard, maybe ask them to play a game or watch a movie with you - or simply spend some time in the same room as them while doing your separate things. (Obviously you can disregard this tip if you live with toxic or abusive people!)

If you live alone and can’t get anyone to come over right now, give someone a call. Video chat if phone calls make you too anxious.

If that is too much, send someone you care about a text/message. Ask them what they’re doing. Tell them that you miss them. While talking to someone online or through texts isn’t exactly the same as actually talking to them, it will still help remind you that you aren’t alone and that there’s people who care about you.

If you don’t know who to text and don’t have a lot of friends, look into what opportunities you have for meeting new people. Maybe there’s a discord server for people who you have something important in common with. Maybe there’s a support group for people with the same mental or physical health issues as you nearby. Maybe you can find some lessons or meet ups for people who share your interests. Look into it.

If you need to talk to someone, anyone, don’t be afraid to reach out. Call that help line. Text that person you miss. Send an ask or a DM to that tumblr blogger you like. I promise you that even if you aren’t close to a lot of people right now, someone will be willing to listen and care. You just have to reach out.

(If you have a pet, cuddle it and play with it! Physical affection is physical affection regardless of whether it’s coming from a human or a dog. Friendship is still friendship if the two beings sharing it aren’t from the same species!)

[frenchfrysword]

Because every eating moment is tough as fuck and it feels like fight after fight after fight with no room to breathe.

But, spoiler alert: It will get easier & full recovery is possible.

[velvetmysoul]

for more content follow my instagram: velvet_mysoul

[mental-health-recovery]

Here’s some ways to kick your anxiety’s ass

[kaasbolletje]

[mentalhealthwarrior]

Before i knew of my mental illness I did and said some pretty terrible things to try to find excuses for the way I feel. I lied about some big things... and now a few years on I feel terrible guilt for the monster I was. Is this normal?

You shouldn't feel guilty for past mistakes like this. Is it normal? Yes. Is it healthy? No. Forgive yourself so that you can move forward. You can always come out the other side of these things and say "ive changed. That isnt me anymore and im going to move on from that version of myself." I had to do the same in order to start healing. I wish you the best of luck ❤

[thelatestkate]

Here’s the second part of mindfulness I learned in therapy that helped me to function after a breakdown. If you, like me, were taught growing up that some emotions were unacceptable, you may need to learn to handle them now as an adult in order to be healthy. All emotions are important indicators that are there to help you. Mindfulness 101 Comic °˖✧*•  Shop, Patreon, Book, Mailing List *•. ✧˖°`

[mentalhealthwarrior]

Trying Tapping

I'm starting to get desperate with getting rid of my binge eating problem. It's been SUCH a long time, I'm exhausted.

Anybody else tried tapping? That's my next attempt, and frankly I dont know how I feel about it.

[pajamasecrets]

just watched The Good Place and now I can make this dank bipolar meme

[smiles-advice]

Distractions for when you need them

⭐️Take a long shower

⭐️Or run yourself a warm bubble bath

⭐️Do some colouring

⭐️Blow some bubbles

⭐️Light some candles

⭐️Read a book from your childhood

⭐️Go for a walk

⭐️Change your bed

⭐️Play some music/sing a song

⭐️Design your dream house

[dailypsychologyfacts]

14 Unexpected Symptoms of Anxiety – Have You Experienced Any?

While some of the most well known symptoms of anxiety are feeling fearful and nervous, there is more to it. We gathered some reader experiences with unexpected symptoms of anxiety, and added some of our own to help people get an even more complete image of what it can encompass. There might even be more unexpected symptoms of anxiety (otherwise they wouldn’t be unexpected), so feel free to add your own! As an added note: please be kind and respectful. Some people might find some of these symptoms logical or straightforward, but for the people who sent in their contributions they were more unexpected. Please stay aware that anxiety is different for everyone. What might be unexpected symptoms of anxiety for some, might be expected for others. Some contributors preferred to stay anonymous, which is totally fine!

It’s not just fear…

“One of the most unexpected things about having anxiety, at least for me, is that I will become incredibly sad and cry over nothing. When I have an anxiety attack I will get nervous which makes the attack even worse…”

CONTINUE READING HERE

[queerbrownfeminist]

[anxietyproblem]

[snorlax-and-co]