A majority of my life has been spent learning how to deal with anxiety and depression. It has been a long process of discovering what works for me. It was at times frustrating and I had feelings of hopelessness.
Both anxiety and depression run in my family line which makes me easily prone to it. I started to have feelings of depression after my first year of junior high. Entering my eight grade year of school I felt alone and sad all the time. I would cry and feel upset over things that a regular healthy minded person wouldn't.
I found myself having break downs almost every night and not wanting to go to school. I would express to my mom how I was feeling but I just felt like she didn't completely understand. My mom felt hopeless on how to help me and offered to get me medical help. I refused at first feeling embarrassed but eventually took the idea to heart.
Today I want to share with you my best advice on conquering anxiety and depression. Everyone is very different and sometimes the things that work for one person might not work for another. If you are struggling with this, be patient. It's a unique journey centered around you and no one else.
1. Express How You Feel
Being open with your friends and family is a very important step in learning how to cope with anxiety and depression. When you hold in your feelings it can make you feel even worse. Emotions are OKAY!! This is a hard concept people have to learn. It is okay to cry. It is okay to feel angry. It is okay to feel sad. You don't have to hide your feelings and emotions because you are worried about what others will think.
When you share with others how you are feelings they are more understanding and sensitive. Being open and vulnerable is the key to any healthy relationship. For a long time I was very closed off to everyone and wouldn't explain to them how I was feeling. Many times this can make things a lot worse. I saw my relationships with people spiraling downward and I was losing close loved ones because of the way I reacted to things. Once I opened up to my friends and family they were able to help me and be more understanding.
2. Getting Help is GOOD
A big problem in the world today is that people think getting help is not okay. But I am here to tell you that getting help is more than okay, it's the best thing you can do for yourself. Getting help can mean a lot of different things for people. Sometimes it might just be talking to a close friend or family member. Other times it may mean seeking medical attention.
When I was first offered help I felt embarrassed and angry. I was so offended that my mom thought I needed medical help. I kept telling myself that nothing was wrong and I wasn't sick. But I was sick, mentally. When I finally decided to get help I felt so much better and wished that I had taken my mom's offer sooner. Don't be too prideful to ask or take help from people.
3. Therapy and Counseling
When I went to the doctor they prescribed me a medication and directed me to a therapist. And once again my pride kicked in. "I shouldn't have to tell a stranger all my problems" I kept thinking. I tired my best to keep an open mind about going to counseling. It was hard to walk in that first day to my counseling session, but I learned to love it with time.
Many people don't understand that therapy goes beyond just ranting about your struggles. These therapist are professionally trained to help you look at things with a different perspective. They give you tools to help you retrain your brain. Ways to cope and calm down in times of stress and sadness. It helps you relax so much and is totally confidential.
4. Balance in All Things
When you are struggling with mental illness, balancing different areas of your life becomes difficult. Some of these areas include emotional health, physical health, and spirituality. My physical health was lacking when I was struggling bad with anxiety and depression. I had no motivation to take care of myself. I wouldn't exercise or eat healthy. I would find myself getting sick a lot due to stress and poor self care habits.
I eventually forced myself to make a chart of all the things that I needed to do to have a balanced life-style. I even made myself go to the gym and it made me feel a lot better. I wasn't doing all the things I needed to have a healthy balanced life-style. But when I started to give more focus to things that were lacking, my mental health improved a lot.
Mental illness is a real problem that many people face today. If you are suffering from this please talk to someone. Reach out for help. I still have my bad days and struggles with my anxiety and depression. I am still learning and growing. I am happy to talk to any of you if you need help. You can direct message me on Instagram (@shaye.johnson) if you ever are feeling down and feel that no one wants to talk to you. I hope you enjoyed reading this post!! Love you all with my heart. Don't forget to subscribe to my mailing list to keep up on my latest blog post:)
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