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When I think of the word 'help,' I think about how hard it is to ask for and accept help. It is usually the most difficult when we are first diagnosed with a mental illness. Unfortunately, that's when those who live with mental illness need help the most. This blog will explore why asking for help can be so hard and the steps we can take to make the process easier.
By now, I would hope that you all have heard about the Stand Up for Mental Health campaign that is running here on HealthyPlace. But, what do we really mean when we say ‘stand up’ and what can you do today to make this project a success?
Time-out - that time honored tradition that hasn't been around very long, but used in schools and homes everywhere (though not by everyone) is a blessing in disguise for me.
Bob has been too old for time-out for quite some time. I don't even remember the last time I used it with him or why. But, I do know that it has a very unusual effect when used in a different way.
I get asked about the sex life of the bipolar on a regular basis. People want to know what’s “normal” or can they have that mythical “normal” sex life. Some of these people are partners of people with bipolar and others are the people with bipolar themselves. It seems we’re all a bit mystified as to how this mental illness affects our sex lives.
Well, I can’t say what is normal for you, but I can tell you what I know about bipolar and sex.
Isolation and mental illness go hand in hand. They sort of breathe the same air--stifling and hot and when we live with a mental illness, sometimes we just want to be alone (Mental Illness, Isolation, and Loneliness). After all, if we are alone our pain is hidden. Our pain is hidden but exemplified by our silence. Isolating ourselves makes recovering from mental illness more difficult. Let's explore why.
One of the things any good therapist or dietitian will ask you when you seek treatment for your eating disorder is, “What goals do you have for our time together?”
I’ve done the treatment rodeo enough times to know that this question is coming, but I still stumble over words and fumble trying to find the “right” answer to this age-old question. To be clear, there is no “right” answer – only you can decide what things you are ready to tackle in your recovery. However, when you determine what those things are, there is a way to make effective goals that will further your recovery.
If you're insecure about your beauty, remember that the media often portrays perfected, altered images of idealized beauty to play on our insecurities. The lies about what beauty looks like leads to anxiety and low self-esteem. Low beauty confidence can even play a role in many mental health disorders, as it sets up an unrealistic ideals and creates feelings of ‘I’m not good enough.’ Don't let the media make you insecure about your beauty--here's how.
A little hope can go a long way. In my parenting journey with Bob, there were many times when I lost hope. On days when all I wanted to do was cry - cry for Bob who was brilliant, but couldn't focus long enough to complete a test; cry because it took him three to four hours a day to complete homework. Or cry simply because I was his mother and felt helpless.
In regard to PTSD, I've heard so many times - from both survivors and clinicians - once you're broken you can't be fixed (Three Ways Trauma Affects Your Brain). Really? I find that hard to believe.
And now, there's proof that's all a bunch of baloney.
A few weeks ago, I invited people to write a goodbye letter to fear using my own letter as an example.
At the end I challenged readers:
Write a goodbye letter to fear.
Start with, “Dear Fear,” and let ‘em have it. Name your fears, tell what you have sacrificed, name its tricks and tactics, list your skills and knowledges, tell it what you’d rather do with your life if it no longer held you back. And then hang it in a place where you can see it, so you can read it everyday until the fear is gone.
Readers, what would you like to say? Dear Fear…..
Here are some of the responses. Watch me read a powerful goodbye letter to fear in this video.