Remember! It is okay to have a mental illness. No one is born fully healthy and don’t blame yourself for having mental illness. Though living with mental illness can sometimes make it feel like you’re falling behind or struggling more than others, it’s important to remember that you control the path you’re on and no one will make any decision for you.
Having a mental illness can make it hard to see your own progress and effort, just like you are fighting a battle that not everyone understands. But that does not mean your effort is nothing. We, and everyone, always silently embrace your bravery for continuing, even when it’s tough. Be gentle with yourself, you’re doing the best you can, and that’s enough.
WHAT TO DO IN A MENTAL BREAKDOWN?
Sometimes you will get a mental breakdown and that is not a bad sign. That means you are facing chronic stress, anxiety, or burnout and make sure to treat yourself right in this situation. Here are some tips we recommended for you to do which we believe will minimize both psychological and physical pain while mental breakdown:
Pause and take a deep breath
Focus on your breathing and try to keep your breaths slow and deep. Remember this “4 seconds method”: Inhales for 4 seconds, keeps it for 4 seconds, and exhales it for 4 seconds. Another simple exercise is to focus on what you can see, touch, hear, smell, and taste to bring yourself into the present moment.
Find your safe place
Move to a place where you feel safe and trustworthy whether that’s a quiet room, outdoors, or somewhere comforting to you. Grab a comforting object like a blanket or stuffed animal to help soothe yourself. Your “safe place” can be a physical place or just any place that is near the person you feel safe around like your partner or friends.
Express your feelings
Cry, scream, do anything you want. It is okay to express your feelings and don’t be suppressing yourself. Allow yourself to release emotions in the way you want. You can express your feelings, writing them down, or talking about how you’re feeling.
Remain calm and contact people that you trust.
They can be your friend, or counselor if you do not feel comfortable sharing with your parents. Talk to them so you can express what you are feeling while they get to know more about your problem. Sharing what you’re going through can help you feel less alone.
But notice, if these steps are not working, contact a mental health professional for further help. This is when your mental breakdown gets severe and need outside help, so don’t be shy or worried to ask for help.
IMPROVE MENTAL HEALTH AFTER BREAKDOWN
After the mental breakdown, you can do these to help improve your mental illness:
Distract your mind with a hobby you like
Engage in activities that bring you peace or joy, such as drawing, cooking, walking, or listening to music. Try to invite your friend to do these with you, it can help you with your mental illness as well as enhance friendship and bonding between friends.
Take small steps first
Try not to overwhelm yourself with big decisions. Focus on one small task at a time and remain calm when facing a challenge. This will encourage you to improve further when you have enough trust in yourself.
Dealing with mental illness is a part of life that many of us face, and it’s okay to take things one step at a time. Healing is a journey, and it’s okay to move forward at your own pace. Be kind to yourself, love yourself more day by day, and celebrate the little victories along the way!
