I thought it would be a nice idea to tell you about my favourite things I use to manage my mental health. Some I use for my anxiety, some for my depression, and some for both.
Create a schedule: Sometimes my mental health gets worse when I feel out of control, when I feel like my life is unfolding and I have no idea how to hold on or how to put it together. Setting yourself a fully manageable schedule helps me all the time, but especially on days where my depression and anxiety are the worst. If I don’t set a schedule, my mind turns to jelly and it staggers everywhere.
I imagine a huge list that I can’t do in a day, and then I don’t want to do anything. So I schedule one to two important things a day (it’s very important to me because I work from home but it also works for homework, self-care, and whatever you want to do). It’s easy for me to do them, and when I do, ticking them off is a huge achievement.
I think keeping the routine right helps my mental health in multiple ways. It helps me get better sleep at night, helps me make sure I eat the right foods and ensures I make time for myself!
Music: Spotify is my best friend. I couldn’t live without it. I listen to music first thing in the morning, it helps me get out of bed. Especially the advanced music that helps me dance in the shower and puts me in a good mood. Music is also for me when I’m anxious because it can calm me down. I listen to music when I’m cooking, doing housework, editing my photos, exercising, or walking outside.
Take care of yourself: Life sometimes gets a little too much, and having too much on my plate can put a strain on my mental health, especially if I have a lot to worry about. Being a wedding photographer means that summer can be extremely stressful for me. I get anxious before every wedding, so taking lots of pictures in a short time becomes mentally exhausting. This is the time when self-care is mainly important.
My favourite things while practicing self-care are taking a nice hot bath, relaxing to the music, eating lots of dairy milk giant buttons, and seeing a nice box-set under my duvet.
Reflection: When my mental health is bad or I find myself going back to anxious/negative thoughts. I want to gently remind myself of the things I have been able to accomplish despite all the obstacles in my way. Reflecting on the positive things I’ve done helps build a belief that I can do it again or that I can go through anything.
Supplementary part: I use a mix of supplements to give me energy and often improve my mood when needed. My favourite supplement is Life Extension – Vitamin D3, 1000IU, 250 Capsules since I work mostly at home, which means I don’t get too much exposure to the sun, and well, being in the UK doesn’t mean I get a lot when I’m outdoors! Vitamin D supplements give me only the energy I need to help with both my mental health and my chronic illness.
I recently started taking 5-HTP for my mood and it is a big help. I can feel myself going back to depression, and these have helped me to come back from it.
