Think of your mental health as a big fat d cell battery. As I kid they could power a cd player for hours when the power cut out. However, if you listen to the radio, record songs and playback all on those wonderous power cells, the batteries deplete. And playback is so slow a snail could hear it perfectly.
That's what happens to your mental health when you let yourself run down.
There is a world full of contributing factors to the decrease of a mama's mental health. Most are first world problems you can deal with, like the monotonous routine of making lunches and housework. Then there are the little things that can have detrimental effects, habits that you need to kick to benefit yourself.
So here are the habits I've kicked or cut back on to help recharge my internal battery
#1 Social Media Blackout
We get so caught up in the world of social media, comparing our lives, reading articles that are triggering, and a whole lot of negative blah blah blah. In January last year, after a mini mental overload, my husband told me I needed to take a social media break. I, of course, did NOT want to do that. I didn't have a problem, I could stop whenever I wanted... said every addict ever.
But I did it, and for all of last year, I was on a Facebook cleanse. It was difficult initially, being "cut off" from my family and friends. But still having access to Messenger was a way of dealing with that, and I was able to share and chat with them without having to go on to Facebook.
I don't go on to scroll through everyone else lives anymore. I just pop on for blog posts and answering questions, and then off again.
#2 Booze
Ahh, the life liquid of parenting. The golden ray of sunshine at the end of a long draining day. Ice cold Moscato, Kahlua and Coke, oh yummy. Though we find it relaxing and a "fun" way to unwind, we forget that alcohol is a depressant. Alcohol isn't a problem on occasions, its when we misuse it that it becomes the problem. And I was doing just that, drinking almost every day. Which was not helping my mood. So fair well beautiful sweet life nectar, our daily meetings are not once in a blue moon meetings.
#3 Caffeine
Yes, you did just read that word right. Caffeine gets you going, gets you moving. But sometimes, if you're having trouble with your anxiety, your body might not notice the difference between the caffeine hr increase and a panic attack hr increase. It can be a little difficult to tell your body it's fine when your body is yelling at your brain about caffeine.
How to get around the coffee withdrawals? De-caf. Placebo yourself ladies. Turns out I just wanted to taste of coffee and not the actual caffeine.
#4 Negativity
I try (and that is the optimum word) to cut out negativity. Sometimes it still finds me in the end, but it's not there as much, shaking its booty in my face.
I try to find the good in everyone, I try to think of a more important reason people are behaving the way they are. Because after developing depression, I realised that there is always a bigger picture, and talking negatively about others doesn't help anyone.
Is that mum's shitty attitude actually because she's just had a terrible fucking time today? There is always a reason, so by trying to look on the brighter side of things, it opens a whole new way of thinking of others.
#5 Projecting on to others
Because of the way I was feeling, I project those thoughts on to others. Everything was someone else's fault. "He's making me feel this way", when in fact, I was making myself feel that way. You can't blame others for your feelings and your thoughts. They are your own, and you need to own them and move on from then.
#6 Assumption
Also assuming what other people think of you is a bit NO NO. As above, everyone's thoughts and feelings are their own. If you assume how others are feeling about you, that they're talking about you, you just get in a negative cycle of the world being against you. When in actual truth it isn't. That lady laughing was probably laughing at a picture she received from her boyfriend, of their dog wearing a tie. And even if she was laughing at you, who gives a fuck. She doesn't know you, or how awesome you are.
There are many many things that can trigger an individual's mental health issues. I personally can't take any gym supps with adrenaline, because I feel like anxious constantly. No No Body, its just adrenalin from what I just took, it is NOT a threat, there is no sabre tooth tiger about to eat me. CALM YOUR TITS!
Working out what to cut is a process of elimination. You find something that isn't helping and cut it or cut back on it. It's as simple as that. Take a deep breath and hop to it, you've got nothing to lose, and happiness to gain.
That's what happens to your mental health when you let yourself run down.
There is a world full of contributing factors to the decrease of a mama's mental health. Most are first world problems you can deal with, like the monotonous routine of making lunches and housework. Then there are the little things that can have detrimental effects, habits that you need to kick to benefit yourself.
So here are the habits I've kicked or cut back on to help recharge my internal battery
#1 Social Media Blackout
We get so caught up in the world of social media, comparing our lives, reading articles that are triggering, and a whole lot of negative blah blah blah. In January last year, after a mini mental overload, my husband told me I needed to take a social media break. I, of course, did NOT want to do that. I didn't have a problem, I could stop whenever I wanted... said every addict ever.
But I did it, and for all of last year, I was on a Facebook cleanse. It was difficult initially, being "cut off" from my family and friends. But still having access to Messenger was a way of dealing with that, and I was able to share and chat with them without having to go on to Facebook.
I don't go on to scroll through everyone else lives anymore. I just pop on for blog posts and answering questions, and then off again.
#2 Booze
Ahh, the life liquid of parenting. The golden ray of sunshine at the end of a long draining day. Ice cold Moscato, Kahlua and Coke, oh yummy. Though we find it relaxing and a "fun" way to unwind, we forget that alcohol is a depressant. Alcohol isn't a problem on occasions, its when we misuse it that it becomes the problem. And I was doing just that, drinking almost every day. Which was not helping my mood. So fair well beautiful sweet life nectar, our daily meetings are not once in a blue moon meetings.
#3 Caffeine
Yes, you did just read that word right. Caffeine gets you going, gets you moving. But sometimes, if you're having trouble with your anxiety, your body might not notice the difference between the caffeine hr increase and a panic attack hr increase. It can be a little difficult to tell your body it's fine when your body is yelling at your brain about caffeine.
How to get around the coffee withdrawals? De-caf. Placebo yourself ladies. Turns out I just wanted to taste of coffee and not the actual caffeine.
#4 Negativity
I try (and that is the optimum word) to cut out negativity. Sometimes it still finds me in the end, but it's not there as much, shaking its booty in my face.
I try to find the good in everyone, I try to think of a more important reason people are behaving the way they are. Because after developing depression, I realised that there is always a bigger picture, and talking negatively about others doesn't help anyone.
Is that mum's shitty attitude actually because she's just had a terrible fucking time today? There is always a reason, so by trying to look on the brighter side of things, it opens a whole new way of thinking of others.
#5 Projecting on to others
Because of the way I was feeling, I project those thoughts on to others. Everything was someone else's fault. "He's making me feel this way", when in fact, I was making myself feel that way. You can't blame others for your feelings and your thoughts. They are your own, and you need to own them and move on from then.
#6 Assumption
Also assuming what other people think of you is a bit NO NO. As above, everyone's thoughts and feelings are their own. If you assume how others are feeling about you, that they're talking about you, you just get in a negative cycle of the world being against you. When in actual truth it isn't. That lady laughing was probably laughing at a picture she received from her boyfriend, of their dog wearing a tie. And even if she was laughing at you, who gives a fuck. She doesn't know you, or how awesome you are.
There are many many things that can trigger an individual's mental health issues. I personally can't take any gym supps with adrenaline, because I feel like anxious constantly. No No Body, its just adrenalin from what I just took, it is NOT a threat, there is no sabre tooth tiger about to eat me. CALM YOUR TITS!
Working out what to cut is a process of elimination. You find something that isn't helping and cut it or cut back on it. It's as simple as that. Take a deep breath and hop to it, you've got nothing to lose, and happiness to gain.
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