Last week was R U OK Day

This is a cause really close to my heart as I have been on my own mental health journey over the last two years.

Mental health struggles are not new to me, many members of my family struggle with it so I have seen first hand the impact it can have on lives but what was new was that I was struggling with my mental health.

I have always prided myself on being really strong mentally but a bad business decision ended up plunging me into severe anxiety, not being able to sleep or make decisions, having panic attacks and literally feeling like I was on the verge of a full blown break down at any second.

This really took me by surprise and I tried to hide it for a couple of months and convince myself and those around me that I was actually ok.

It became pretty apparent I wasn’t and that started my journey back from not being ok.

This is a rough road and I’m not telling you this today for sympathy I am telling you this so that if anyone is feeling even slightly not ok here are some of the things I did that helped me get back to being ok.

Speak to experts:

I went to see my local GP initially and was then referred onto a psychologist. Talking through what is going on is sooooo important. I did CBT treatment.

Consider medication:

Now before you come at me, I am not pushing drugs BUT Zoloft has literally changed my life. I didn’t think I had mental health issues but it turns out it’s not normal to be on the edge of panic at all times. I know drugs aren’t for everyone but they were the single biggest thing I did to get me to a point where I could implement the other options.

Exercise:

My exercise of choice is pilates but do whatever works for you. Not only is it a distraction for your brain but the movement helps tremendiously.

Don’t watch/read the news:

This sounds a little crazy but stopping all the noise and negativity really helped me not get into a downward spiral.

Remove toxicity:

Anyone or anything that didn’t make me feel good I removed. I unfollowed people on social media (or muted them), I stopped seeing people who drained me or were negative. You really need ton guard yourself against negativity.

Journalling:

Writing down my thoughts was really helpful to see how silly some of them were and it also helped me process some of the other thoughts.

Breathing:

I consciously stopped multiple times through the day to take deep breathes. I also meditated morning, night and throughout the day if I could to just quieten my nervous system.

Share your worries:

Have trusted people you can share your feelings with and be honest. Give them permission to pull you up if you become too ‘poor me’ or not doing the things that will help you.

Eat properly:

When I am anxious I can’t focus on making decisions so I will just eat crap or not eat anything and that just makes you feel worse. Prioritise healthy and nutritious food to keep you fuelled.

Limit alcohol:

I love a wine and a margarita more than anyone but when I am feeling really anxious it is the worst thing for me and ALWAYS makes me feel worse.

I know these tips all sound basic but combined they really will consistently done get you back to feeling ok.

If ANYONE isn’t feeling ok please feel free to reach out. I am not an expert but I know how awful that feeling is and I will happily listen and help in anyway I can.

Make sure you check in on your loved ones xx