Mental Matters

We are Mental Matters, a group of young people dedicated to busting myths and breaking stigma around mental illness. Listen to us Saturdays 12-2PM on SYN 90.7.

[haleystudies-deactivated2017062]

This is a matter very close to my heart. I have bipolar I disorder and ADHD as a result of bipolar. There aren’t many big posts about studying with mental illnesses so I figured I would compile a huge list of tips and posts! I’m going to be making a video about this very soon. I hope for all of you struggling that this can help or at least remind you that mental health is more important than school sometimes. Take care of yourself in any way you can. lets get started…

Studying with Mental Illness

Take things slowly. Don’t be afraid to take a week doing one assignment. Making sure that you can focus on assignments can be draining so breaking them down day by day can truly help you. Make a task list with each portion of an assignment mapped out so that you can see exactly what you need to do. I know that i get overwhelmed very easily and seeing smaller things is less daunting then having a list full of HUGE things like research papers and midterms. Seeing it as “write paragraph one” or “review unit one vocab” makes everything less scary. 

Nothing has to be pretty. Notes don’t, papers don’t have to be perfect, study guides don’t need to be colorful and cute. What really matters is getting things done. My mom always tells me “even an F is better than a zero” which is so true. Turning things in late is not shameful because you are still turning it in. You still did it and that is something to be proud of. 

Study somewhere other than your room or your house. Make sure there are people there. Surrounding yourself with others will allow you to feel less isolated and sometimes more motivated to do things. You can’t take naps when you’re at a Panera or Starbucks either. People can be motivating, they can remind you that you are not alone, they can hold you accountable for what you have to do. Get out of your bed where you can sit and stare at the wall and go to a coffee shop or the library where other people are doing work. This always helps me get on track. 

Study in short bursts. Don’t wear yourself out with work. Find out when your concentration peaks and go with that. I usually work the best around 2pm so I have to make sure that I have eaten and showered before then so that I can capture that time to focus on my studies. 

Don’t beat yourself up. Studying just takes a lot more effort other days when depression hits you the worst. There might be days when you can barely get yourself out of bed but know that you do have the ability to succeed and that depression just has to suck sometimes. 

Get yourself out of bed. Shower. Change your clothes. Read a single page. Look at only one thing you have to do so you aren’t overwhelmed. That is something to be proud of and know that I am proud of what you did!

Study in a routine style. Let yourself have a routine that you can fall into. Try pomodoros or study games, Create a routine that you can stick to

If you don’t feel like doing anything… work for 5 minutes. You may feel more motivated or up, or you will at least be able to say that you have done something. 

HYDRATE. I’m really awful at drinking a lot of water, but it helps so much with both anxiety and depression. Water keeps you moving and awake. SO drink that H2O guys

Helpful Links

Staying Sane on Campus

Tips to stay mentally and emotionally healthy while you study

How to school when mentally Ill

A student’s guide to coping with PTSD

Study and Mental Health 

Back to School with Mental Illness

Depression

Studying with Depression

Depression study tips

Studying through Depression

6 Tips To Get Motivated When You’re Feeling Depressed

Five Ways To Deal With Depression During Exams

Anxiety

Anxiety in Grad school

Dealing with Stress and Anxiety

Studying with Anxiety

Get Ready for School If You Suffer From Anxiety

Living & Studying with Anxiety

Tips on studying with Anxiety

Exams & Anxiety

ADHD

How to succeed with ADHD

10 Study tips for ADHD students

ADHD Studyblr masterpost

Apps for ADHD Students

I couldn’t find any resources about OCD, BPD, PTSD (found one jk), or bipolar for that fact so keep on the lookout for any additions to this post if I find anything more! If all else fails, just google things. That always helps me. Message me personally if you have any questions about my struggles or need some specific advice! I love you all so much and I am so proud of you!! xx Haley

UPDATE: I’ve added quite a few new links!!! 

[recoveryisbeautiful]

[scratchingpad]

[dustily-archive-deactivated2015]

this changed my life

[thestateofyourheart-deactivated]

I spent 10 minutes mentally preparing myself for this video and I still wasn’t ready.

[psteeezy]

i think it’s about time tumblr saw the other side of demi lovato

[inheavensmind-deactivated201812]

Sources?

[psteeezy]

literally i shouldnt even need this but here (x/x/x/x/x/x/x/x/x/x)

[mentalmatterssyn]

MENTAL MATTERS IS BACK! We’re on SYN Nation at 4pm Melbourne time!

Listen in at www.syn.org.au

[ladyshinga]

You know when you’re watching a movie how INCREDIBLY tense the scene becomes when the music becomes THAT MUSIC? Like a person walking down a hallway isn’t a big deal on its own, but because of the music you KNOW shit’s about to go down.

That’s basically anxiety in a nutshell.

Seriously though. Imagine if real life had background music. You’re going about your day and then suddenly, for no reason whatsoever (because your brain is in charge of your background music and in this case anxiety means its timing is completely fucked up), the tense “shit’s about to go down” music starts. And you’re standing there in a paranoid panic going “WHAT THE FUCK I’M JUST MAKING TOAST HOW THE HELL AM I ABOUT TO DIE WHAT’S ABOUT TO HAPPEN FUCK FUCK FUCK”… and the answer is “nothing”. Nothing’s about to happen. That goddamn background music is lying. But it’s still going to make you tense because that’s what it DOES.

Fuckin’ background music.

[nyshadidntbreakit]

Such a perfect description of anxiety.

[mentalmatterssyn]

Mental Matters is back for 2016!

Hello all! Mod Selene here with great news! Mental Matters is going to be back for Season 1 of 2016! We start on Saturday 6th and we are on 4pm-5pm on SYN Nation which you can listen to online! We’re also starting this tumblr back up and posting more so watch this space! <3 Stay safe all!

[beyondbluebrain]

Brains are weird. If yours is making life difficult, find out why at youthbeyondblue.com

[baerga-deactivated20151010]

[mentalmatterssyn]

Going to see a therapist like

[ms-demeanor]

Comorbidity is the medical term for two (or more) diseases existing at the same time in the same patient either independently or regardless of the casual relationship.

There is a lot of debate as to whether “comorbid” is an appropriate way to describe psychiatric illnesses (like depression and agoraphobia that exist at the same time) or whether labeling them comorbid might miss a different diagnosis (sometimes the presentation of multiple mental illnesses leads to a diagnosis of a more comprehensive mental illness, so PTSD occurring at the same time as anxiety may be symptomatic of OCD if certain other symptoms are also present) and perpetuate misdiagnosis. But I don’t think you’d find either a GP or a psychiatrist who would argue that comorbidity of mental and physical illnesses should be disregarded: some asthma medications cause anxiety, which should be kept in mind when you’re being treated for either asthma OR anxiety; beta-blockers treat migraines but can also cause depression.

I live with celiac disease, osteoarthritis, and allergies, among other problems. Being prescribed pain or allergy medications that use gluten-containing fillers is my version of bouncing while balancing an egg.

YES, I know that “that’s a lot to have wrong with you.” YES, I know I totally won the genetic lottery. YES, my doctors DO love me. YES, I do have actual medical diagnoses from people with MDs. YES, I’ve even considered that I might be a hypochondriac and NO, I am not actually a hypochondriac. I’m just a person living with comorbid illnesses.

So please, don’t be jerks. Be cool, be nice, be polite, but recognize that you probably don’t know what someone’s dealing with unless you’ve walked around inside their head for a while.

Cheers. 

[tumblr]

[of-nodus-tollens]

cranquis: something of interest for your tumblr?

[cranquis]

Yes, it is. Thanks!

[technolojeeesus-blog]

Your mental illness is lying to you.

You are not stupid. You are not ugly. You are not worthless. You are not weak. You are not a burden. Your mental illness is lying to you.

[baileyarber-deactivated20180111]

Fuck.

[fatandfabulousmermaid]

thank you

[cmetom]

Reblog this always and forever

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[pinksalmons]

[gifbro]

[4gifs]

I am the captain meow. [video]

[vulcandroid]

why does mental illness have to be so exhausting? what a shitty side effect. almost anything would be better. for example: sudden, unexpected teleportation. surprise! now you’re depressed in peru

[gayjuly-deactivated20170927]

OITNB SPEAKING OUT ON MENTAL ILLNESS HELL YES

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