MENTAL HEALTH TIPS FOR FIRST-TIMERS FROM AN OLD-TIMER.
I occasionally see the bloke below right in my bathroom mirror at 3am when my bipolar 1 and I aren’t getting on. He’s a good bloke, but I never let him out in public without his smiley mask (pictured below left).
Normally there are 20% of people just like me suffering from mental health issues every year. But since social isolation and uncertainty are perfect breeding grounds for mental illness, I think there might be quite a few more this year.
So, if you start to feel a bit crook, remember this:
1. Poor mental health is not a life sentence. Odds are, you will recover, but only if you….
2. Raise your arm and say, “I don’t feel so good”. Preferably to your GP.
3. Mental illness is insidious and can take time to take grip. You don’t just wake up one morning and think to yourself, “Yep that’s an anxiety disorder for sure”. Be on your toes.
4. Similarly, mental illnesses can take time to get over. Be patient.
5. Finally, being embarrassed about mental health issues is a waste of precious energy. And you can take that from a bloke who’s done some pretty crazy shit in 40-years of manic highs.
Take care kids.
Construction management professional with a focus on quality.
4 年Amate, You are so brave to come out and tell a story about how your fears overcame you. It sounds like that is your first panic attack. The most important advice anyone can give you is to see a professional psychologist. Even if it never happens again, this is a tough time and you should be taking additional precautions to protect your mental health. Start with your GP and they can set you up with a mental health plan. I've been on this for 7 years. I don't know if this will help you, but I have a friend who has regular (sometimes daily) panic attacks and she says she copes with them by calming her senses - she keeps a sweet in her pocket, that's for taste - she tries to get to a spot that has a view of trees or grass, that's sight - you might play some soothing music on your phone etc. Of course, you have to work quickly when you feel it coming on. I've thought that workplaces could incorporate this idea into a panic attack kit and fix them on the wall like first aid kits. Have a look at an article by the American Psychological Association regarding dealing with your stressors. https://www.apa.org/topics/stress-tips There is a Facebook page called 'finding you' that might assist.
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4 年I got a panic attack last weekend. :) It was horrible. I thought my spiritual leader is in some sort of conspiracy and his life is in danger and I can't get to him because of this COVID 19. I know what a bizarre thought but the feeling heightened because of isolation since no one knows what's happening to anyone and we are only limited to technology to know all are okay. For the first time, I felt, really scared of COVID and what can happen because of it. :( I was feeling invincible until that thought literally reminded me of vulnerability. It seems my power lies in him being okay! I am okay now.
Construction management professional with a focus on quality.
4 年Hey David, Listening to your post, I have to agree that insomnia, night after night, was very tough. But that was when I was unmedicated. And while getting a diagnosis is the first part of getting through a mental illness (many illnesses can have similar symptoms). Getting to the point where your meds completely stabilise you also takes time. With that said, it's definitely achievable for bipolar. I know because I've done it and I just want to give some hope to anyone who has had a bipolar diagnosis. As my doctor said when he gave me the diagnosis - it's the best diagnosis I could have got because it's very treatable. I've now had 7 years with a psychologist and that equiped me to learn about my triggers and what to do about them - self care. Personally I worry more right now about people who have never had to go through mental adversity of some kind. I think a great untapped resource right now is people who have recovered from a mental illness - particularly stress and anxiety. I think if they feel safe to do so, then they could share their coping mechanisms openly and make a real connection with those not coping with COVID.