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Intimate relationships often hold a mirror to us so that we may see the unhealthiest parts of ourselves. I have recently made an important connection to my codependent behaviors and my self-worth, thus unearthing a new phase in my personal wellness journey. As a therapist, it can be difficult to share my mental health and relational struggles, but I think it's important to remember that therapists are people trying to navigate our lives the best we can, just like everyone else. That said, here is what I've been learning about the connection between codependency and self-worth, from my personal struggle with both.
According to Action Alliance, the suicide death rate in the first week after patients leave inpatient psychiatric care is 300 times higher than the general population. This doesn't mean that hospitalization isn't effective: it means that hospitalization is not meant to be the sole treatment for mental illness. I wish mental hospitals were like car washes and we all magically emerge sparkling sane upon reentry to the world, but my hardest days have always been the first few days after discharge.
On October 10, World Mental Health Day, my husband Tom, my mother, and I embarked on a National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) Walk. We had raised almost $1,000 for NAMI. We’d certainly raised more than we ever had in the past. So that was great. But this walk was different than any other NAMI Walk. It was a virtual walk. Allow me to explain what that means.
Finding out that someone you love has a secret is always shocking, but few secrets are as devastating as self-harm. Helping a self-harming friend open up about their struggle may be beneficial for you both, but how do you tackle such a sensitive subject without damaging your relationship?
Self-care is highly recommended for managing and treating anxiety. Practicing self-care can indeed be very effective, allowing us to step away from stress and other anxiety-provoking situations to give ourselves a much-need break. Stepping away from the rush of daily life to reset can shift anxious thoughts and settle roiling emotions, allowing us to revitalize both physically and mentally--in theory, anyway. In practice, for many people with anxiety, engaging in self-care activities can actually cause more anxiety. What happens then?
Depression has a lot of ripple effects -- and crippling self-doubt is one of them. Feeling like you are not good enough at your job, that any professional accomplishments are due to luck is officially known as imposter syndrome. While one does not need to have depression to feel like an imposter, I sometimes feel like one when my depression intensifies. Here are some signs to help you identify if you have this issue.
When self-esteem is low, we often think we need to work harder and get more done to be a valued person, but the truth is, your self-esteem will grow when you find the beauty of doing less. When I learned this lesson, nobody suffered from me doing less and my self-esteem blossomed because I was more likely to successfully fulfill my commitments.
Just recently, I noticed something beautiful unfold within myself: eating disorder recovery taught me to love my inner child after decades of rejecting her. This did not materialize overnight, but now it feels like coming home to a version of me who remembers a time before anorexia first lurked onto the scene.
If you love someone with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) like I do, then you probably already know what "ADHD superpowers" are. People with ADHD think differently, and being close to them can be a unique experience full of laughter and unexpected blessings. So what exactly are the benefits of ADHD, and what do they mean in terms of raising a child with the condition?
Virtual support is a much-needed option as loneliness and mood disorders are tough to cope with, especially during the pandemic. The good news is that we have the technology to keep us connected at this time. I found an application (app) called Wisdo to be very helpful in giving me a supportive, virtual community. In this article, I will explain how you can benefit from Wisdo, as well as what you should keep in mind when using the app.
Please let go of the doubt about yourself. People that are ill and in denial will destroy others lives before admitting their own illness. My BF of 25 years hid his illness ( entire family is beyond ill ) very well. I knew there was something different about he and his family but thought it was just a different culture behavior as they are african american. Once i revealed that I was aware of the odd behavior being bipolar, schizophrenic, among other illnesses, he and family began abusing me terribly. They enjoyed the game playing for so long, they would laugh at how I didnt see it. I almost wish i did not reveal knowing,as i am battling a chronic illness and depend on him 100 % financially. I believe his intent was to use and abuse a whit woman at the direction of his evil mother.He has begged me a few times to forgive him and his family and then denies that he did. He has convinced my entire family that I have a mental illness because he is a great actor and is thriving on the fact that everyone believes him and noone believes me w the absolute truth. I now have him recorded doing strange things and have told him that if he does not seek help, I will expose him.He says he will commit suicide if I do, and then denies saying that too. Its truly madness and I know I've been intertwined in HIS crazy, its almost unavoidable. I will most likely be Homeless and I'm sure he and his family designed it that way as well. At least I will have Peace of mind tho ! I've been reading the bible and have learned that the root cause of mental illness is the 'torment' that results from agreeing with something that is contrary to how God thinks, speaks and acts. I believe it is also caused by childhood trauma. There should not be shame in mental illness , Only shame in the denial,as it harms others in tramatic ways. thanks for hearing my story, I absolutely have Noone other than Jesus believing me and its very stressful.♥ God bless You ♥