How mental health was perceived in the past?

We often underestimate how deeply our world is affected by Mental illness.

 Mental illness has been around since the beginning of time. Ages ago many would say that if someone was mentally ill that they were “mad” or even “ possessed by spirits”. 

Back in the day around the 1930’s many were treated with Electroconvulsive therapy.  You may know Electroconvulsive therapy as “shock therapy”.

 Before that, in the mid-1800s the mentally ill would essentially be sedated or restrained in overcrowded asylums. 

The majority of the schools of thought also came from back in the early 1800s & 1900s. 

Mental Health History 

Now I promise not to turn this blog post into a history lesson but the back story on psychology as a whole is a very interesting one.

(Please pinky swear you will go and read some information about the etiology of mental health and psychology) 

There are probably a few things that you may have a misconception about when it comes to mental health.

 It’s my goal to dispel some of the beliefs and share how much mental health has grown over the years. 

 We are beginning to speak about mental health now like it is a priority. It should have always been a priority but we can’t do much to change the past right.

 It is a priority of mine and I will explain exactly why you should make it a priority of yours too whether you suffer from mental illness or not.

What You Should Know About Mental Health?

Have you ever found yourself calling another person crazy, because they may have done something that wasn’t what you considered normal? 

 You know stuff like walking down the street with no clothes on or fighting the air? 

 We have all seen it right? Maybe in real life or perhaps on television. 

What Kind of Movies That Talk About Mental Health?

 Many movies like Sybil, Girl Interrupted, Beautiful mind, etc… display characters who suffer from mental illness.

 You may have watched the movies for mere entertainment……or you could have finished the movies with a plethora of questions that went unanswered. 

The first time you may have experienced some form of someone with mental illness, you may have been fairly young.  

Young enough to know that something was different but also young enough not to understand what that could have meant. 

 Sometimes parents could have it explained as “ don’t mind her/him she’s just special!  Well, we are special right!

 I mean what does “special” even mean?  I’m going to venture to guess that whatever information you did receive about mental illness it was probably not a very detailed one. 

What do you need to do?

So, whatever your belief was about mental health back then you more than likely have some of those same beliefs now in 2020. 

 Now don’t beat yourself up we all have been misinformed on many things. Being misinformed doesn’t make us bad people.

 The fact that you are reading this allows me to know that you want to clear up any misconceptions and you’re ready to share what you learn with others right?

Let’s Dive in a little and come to an understanding of what mental illness really is.

What is mental illness? (Glad you asked)

Now that we’ve pretty much accepted that the definition you have about mental health is not the best one let’s clear it up. 

Mental Health Definition 

Mental Illness is a wide range of conditions that affect mood, thinking, and behaviors.  so you may be thinking to yourself so that sounds a lot like what happens when you use drugs. 

 Well, you right! drugs can also affect your mood, thinking, and behaviors.

 Generally, people who have substance use disorders along with mental health disorders are diagnosed as having a co-occurring.  

You may also here is sometimes called a dual or substance disorder which includes alcohol or drug abuse.  

Where did mental illness Even come from?

This is probably the most asked question related to mental illness.

  There are different beliefs about why people have a mental illness.

  There have been multiple studies on changes in the brain, changes in chemical imbalances and you can read a few of the studies that I follow actively here. 

As well as well-respected researchers around the world who have dedicated the majority of their lives to finding a breakthrough on mental illness.

 Others may argue that it was passed down by a family member.

You can learn the diagnosis who are believed to have genetic components here. 

 Mental Health Matters because mental illness can be a part of your family for generations to come.

What affects mental health?

Below I will share a list of studies that have been shown to have genetic components. Scientists have recognized that the following psychiatric disorders tend to run in families according to the National Institutes of Health. (www.nih.gov)

 You can also search many other articles to learn more about these.

Major Depressive Disorder 

Autism

Attention Deficit Hyperactivity (ADHD)

Bi-Polar Disorder

Schizophrenia

One thing you can do to help narrow down if your family has ties to mental illness is to have your therapist do a genogram for you. 

The genogram is like a family tree although much more detailed. A genogram is a pictorial display of a person’s family relationships and medical history.

 It goes beyond a traditional family tree by allowing the user to visualize hereditary patterns and psychological factors that punctuate relationships.

Is there a cure for Mental Illness?

There is no magic pill or anything proven that will allow your mental illness to magically disappear. 

So, unfortunately, there is no cure! However, you can learn more about the latest research on topics related to a cure from a simple search. There are plenty of treatment options to choose from. 

 There are also holistic methods of treatments as well as medications that work extremely well especially with certain diagnoses. 

Medication along with psychotherapy work amazingly well together. 

 Mental Health Matters!

Now a question often comes up and that is

People can’t have a “normal life” with mental illness?

You can have a normal life if you have a mental illness. 

 Whatever your definition of normal you can still have that with a mental illness. Read my blog post on how to combat mental illness. 

 You will be faced with challenges if you have a mental illness. News flash……… we all will be faced with challenges.

 You may have to work a little harder, a little longer to make sure that you have what you need to cope. 

Read more >> How to combat mental illness >>

What if my culture does not believe in treating mental illness? 

There are tons of cultures that are not so fond of mental health services.  

Not saying that you should go against your beliefs, values, or culture but mental health is a personal journey. 

 Although mental health can affect the entire family it truly is taking a step in your progress as an individual.

Have a conversation 

 Having a conversation about what you believe is right for you is very important when taking your journey. 

 You have full control of who you allow in your circle of support.

See a therapist. 

Overall deciding to see a therapist is your personal choice.

  >> Read my blog post on how to find a new therapist here.>>

Why does mental health Matter?

Mental health includes our emotional, psychological, and social well-being.

 It affects how we think, feel, and act. It also helps determine how we handle stress, relate to others, and make choices. 

Mental health is important at every stage of life, from childhood and adolescence through adulthood. 

Mental health matters because we matter.  Our lives matter, our well-being, and our choices matter.

What can I do to be a part of the change?

 We have the right to be seen and heard in the light instead of suffering in the dark.  Those who suffer from mental health deserve to be able to walk outside and not be called crazy.

  Those who suffer from mental health deserve to go ask for help without being called crazy. 

Those who suffer from mental health should not be discriminated against because they have a diagnosis. 

 Mental health matters because our mothers, brothers, fathers, sisters, nieces, nephews, cousins, uncles, aunts, grandmothers, grandfathers, and our friends matter. Make sharing your knowledge about mental health a priority. Cause your voice matters.

 The more you know the more you share. 

Your mental health is important to be sure to make it a priority!

Pin me!

Final Note

Mental health should be prioritized and should be taught more often.

If you feel you’re struggling with mental health, then please consult a professional.

Related article about mental health:

• How to find a new therapist
• How to combat mental health
• What to do when you have mental health

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So, your thinking about possibly dating! Or you may or know someone who is suffering from mental illness!  Have you begun to think rather or not you should engage in a relationship?  Perhaps you may think your not even deserving of a relationship.

 Heck you may even say that my mental illness is too much and I couldn’t possibly be in a relationship. 

Well…. the truth is, you can! YOU….. can be in a perfectly healthy relationship with someone!

Of course, just like any good relationship, it will require patience, understanding, communication, and dedication. 

I have outlined a few things that I feel are important when debating if a relationship is right for you.

1. Take care of yourself first! That’s why people always use the phrase “you can’t love someone else if you don’t first love yourself” because while we can care for others, and love them, if we don’t put ourselves first, that love and care isn’t coming from a healthy or secure place. You may find it very difficult to still remain attentive in the relationship if you find yourself needing more for yourself.  When you feel overwhelmed or needy be sure to have a conversation with your partner about your needs as well. 

Mental Illness is one of those things that others can not always see. Some symptoms may not always be apparent, and your spouse will often assume that everything is okay.  Have conversations with your spouse frequently when you are feeling great and even when you are not so great.  Doing so will help prevent unnecessary arguments.  All relationships will have its challenges but if you can keep the peace  by  being sensitive to the needs of others ….why not try! 

2. Process through your past! 

We can inadvertently use this relationship to try and work through our own struggles instead of taking the time to figure out what’s upsetting us.  We could also use it as a scapegoat and avoid our own problems. Let me say it again…. process through YOUR past, and try to act in a more healthy way. It’s normal to have bad habits in relationships – we all were raised, and adopted some bad habits overtime. This could be not talking openly about how we feel (most of us can relate to that), or we could have come from a home with addiction, so we struggle with enabling/codependent behavior, or we could have come from a home where we yelled and fought about everything whether we were even really upset. Whatever the behavior, it takes time outside of a relationship to figure it out and work to act in a more healthy and happy way. If we just jump from one relationship to another we are never forced to be alone with ourselves, our thoughts, our behaviors, and really work on them. 

There are several ways to work through your past.  You can see a therapist and learn more things about yourself and how to cope.  Your therapist would be happy to share more ways that you could explore processing through your past. Another way could be just really getting to know yourself and begin to deal with some past skeletons.  Dealing with skeletons alone is never easy so put yourself up for the challenge. Opt to get some help so you can be fully prepared.

3. Giving yourself “ME” time & Healthy boundaries – 

You shouldn’t ever be at someone’s beck and call. Make time for yourself, your friends, and your hobbies.  Being readily available to someone else is not a healthy choice.  The more you give…..naturally most people would expect more from you. When managing your mental illness it will take a great deal of your time to learn more about triggers, coping skills, perhaps medications, and things that could possibly directly affect you. 

Teach them or have them teach you about their illness and seek to fully understand. If you actually take the time to learn more about your partner it can work wonders in your relationship.  It will allow your partner to understand exactly what you are going through. The more they know about your illness the more they will be able to help identify your triggers. They may also be able to monitor behaviors and moods associated with your mental illness (for example if you are bipolar you would want them to know that one of the symptoms could be mania). 

5. GO SLOW!!!!!!

 Give yourself time to get to know someone, ensure they are trustworthy, and let them in a little. Moving too fast can leave you feeling more vulnerable than you might want.  In most cases people with mental illness can often be taken advantage of and be a target for many things. Make sure you take your time, because any relationship worth having will slowly grow and develop over time.  It will be important to outline your values and make sure that your partners values align with yours as well.  You of course would want to find the right person to date bases on your beliefs and values.

A healthy life is about keeping things in balance. I believe that personal boundaries are at the core of being happy.  

Below are 5 things to consider when treating others properly.

 Step 1: Notice when we reinforce the bad behavior of others.  If someone is doing something that is not healthy.  Be sure to hold them accountable for their actions.  Bad behavior shouldn’t be encouraged and accept the same from your partner. 

Step 2: Recognizing that we have the right to walk away from others- Don’t get upset when someone doesn’t want to talk at the moment. They may figure that this relationship may not be for them.  That’s okay !  People break up all the time and people are entitled to simply move on.  Just think of it has that relationship not being the one for you.  If they offer closure then great! If not then simply move on. 

Step 3: Understanding that we have the right to say NO if something is not in our best interest- Don’t fall for peer pressure.  Let your NO mean NO and your YES mean YES.  Just because you have a mental illness does not mean allow others to walk all over you.  Your strong and you can be assertive.

 Step 4: Recognizing that we have insight on unhealthy relationships and acting upon that knowledge- If you are in a relationship and some things are just not going right. Then speak up…. Don’t assume that others can read your mind.  Be vocal about your feelings, and concerns.  Communication in a relationship is crucial.  So, be sure not to just settle for things if you are not happy.  

Step 5: Sticking with it. Reinforcing our beliefs and acting consistently will help us to achieve our goals of being treated the way we want to be.

Smiling, when I’m not happy? 

I thought this was such an interesting topic, and something I truly hadn’t put that much thought into. I guess I just always thought it was a sort of maladaptive response to stress. But as it turns out, this odd response actually has a name. Inappropriate affect. Now affect itself is the way that we express externally how we are feeling internally. So by definition inappropriate affect is displaying emotion, behavior, and/or demeanor that is not appropriate for the event, situation, or thought that is occurring or being expressed. Meaning we may smile or even laugh when we talk about terrible or traumatizing things. Now there are many reasons we could struggle with inappropriate affect.

When things are not okay be sure to express that they are not okay.  Don’t just settle or smile through the pain.  Have conversations… OFTEN! 

SHOULD I TELL MY PARTNER?

The biggest question I get is should I tell my partner that I have a mental illness!

This is a huge question that I get because there are soooo…………..many misunderstandings surrounding mental illness that people don’t necessary feel comfortable telling anyone especially their partner. You may think you will be able to keep your mental illness a secret.  If you truly suffer from mental illness then the odds of you having a health crisis are pretty high.  The crisis or episode may not last very long but you can almost be certain that it will have some form of impact on how your partner perceives it.  Now to the actual question.  Should i tell my partner…… ?

Well that decision is solely up to you.  I believe that it is important to be honest  with whomever you decide to be in a relationship with. Many people tell their partners right away and others tell them after an episode. However, if you are ready to commit to a long term relationship then it would probably be a wise decision to share sooner than later. If you decide to tell your partner right away, be sure to dispel any beliefs that they may have about mental illness that aren’t true. There are so many misconceptions about mental illness we collectively have to educate those who are unaware. 

Just an FYI I know plenty of people with mental illness who have strong relationships.  Also, know that your partner likes you for a reason. They are already a shoe in and you just need to paint the picture for them. Be honest! You may have your mental illness completely under control or it may be a work in progress. Share with them how you handle your mental illness and most of all share your strengths. Also, include your concerns about sharing this information with them and fears you have surrounding it. You may think sharing your disability/illness will make you vulnerable!  I think it takes one of the strongest people in the world to share. 

Some people will respond that they don’t see you any different for sharing and your mental illness is not a big deal.

Another might say it may be too much to handle and they may want to end the relationship.

Another might say well i don’t know much about mental illness but teach me more about yours. 

There are plenty of responses that you may get 

WHAT IF MY PARTNER HAS A MENTAL ILLNESS AND I’M NOT SURE?

Many people may have a really hard time telling the difference between expected behaviors and what might be truly signs of mental illness unless your are a trained professional. Unfortunately, there is no magical test.  Every single illness has its own set of symptoms. NAMI has listed a few common symptoms that include what I have listed below (but are not limited to).

• Excessive worrying or fear
• Feeling excessively sad or low
• Confused thinking or problems concentrating and learning
• Extreme mood changes, including uncontrollable “highs” or feelings or euphoria
• Prolonged or strong feelings or irritability or anger
• Avoiding friends and social activities
• Difficulties understanding or relating to other people
• Changes in sleeping habits or feeling tired and low energy
• Changes in eating habits such as increased hunger or lack of appetite 
• Changes in sex drive
• Difficulty perceiving reality ( delusions or hallucinations, in which a person experiences and senses things that don’t exist in objective reality)
• Inability to perceive changes in one’s own feelings,behavior or personality ( “lack of insight” or anosognosia)
• Overuse of substances like alcohol or drugs
• Multiple physical ailments without obvious causes ( such as headaches, stomach aches, vague and ongoing “ aches and pains”)
• Thinking about suicide
• Inability to carry out daily activities or handle daily problems and stress 
• An intense fear of weight gain or concern with appearance

* source* https://www.nami.org

If you or someone you may know needs help you can reach out to the NAMI helpline  800-950-6264 .  If you are in a crisis you could also text NAMI to 741741

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How to find joy in life?

Let’s start off by saying that happiness is an inside job.

 It is solely up to you to decide what happiness means to you. You may need to do a little self-exploration. 

Finding joy in life can be achieved with self explorations. 

Read more >> How to find yourself as a woman

What does self explorations mean?

The first thing it will take is for you to take ownership. Taking ownership means no more pointing fingers.

 No more blaming others when things don’t go in your favor.

 Ask yourself do you have a hard time apologizing? If the answer is yes then it is probably likely that there are plenty of things that you still may have not taken ownership of.

 No worries you have time to start now!

First, we have to talk about what does happiness means anyway. 

What does it mean to you to be happy?

• Does it mean being married?
•  Having the perfect job? Having a lot of money?

Once you figure out what does it mean for you to be happy then you can decide what it is that you need to do to get it.

The first question that might come to you is Why do I find it difficult to be happy?

Let’s take a look at few reasons why you find it difficult to be happy.

Why do I find it difficult to be happy?

-Reasons why You can’t Find Happiness

1- You don’t know what you want

For you to feel happiness in life, you should know what you really want? 

Do you find yourself being picky about general things?

Things such as when trying to find the perfect spouse. 

Remember the whole tall, dark, and handsome spiel back when our parents used to watch soap operas.

 Surprisingly, many still watch soaps! Nothing is wrong with Soaps but the men on there are pretty close to perfect. You refuse to give up your 100 item list of must-haves.  

2- You don’t know your values

It’s important to have values and stay true to them.  So, if someone does not meet your core values then you deserve to paddle on past them.

How to fix that?

Take the word “perfect” and remove it from your vocabulary.  

 One of my favorite ways to find out more about what I am missing in life is to use Reality Therapy. Reality Therapy was founded by William Glasser M.D. back in the 1960s where he explored the unsuccessful attainment of basic needs. 

 Fulfilling essential needs is a part of a person’s present life and it does not focus on your past, just the here and now which I like!

 Learn more about Reality Therapy Here. 

 Side note: In no way shape or form am I saying that you need a spouse to feel complete but a life partner can definitely aid in your journey in finding happiness. 

2.  You Overthink

   Have you ever just sat in your own thoughts.  I mean like in complete silence to determine what you really want out of life.

 What will it take to really make you find joy?

  Some people really have challenges with being alone and really despise the thought of being in their own sole presence.

How to fix that?

One thing to help you in this problem is to journal and let out your thoughts to just flow without judging them.

And if you hate journaling, try to go on a rant with yourself and then decide to let it go. 

3.  You compare yourself to others

Turn the TV off and ditch the magazines for a second.  Social media and Reality Television have given us this false narrative that we need to have all these things to feel complete.

 Many of us can’t afford their suggestions and oddly enough we will still try to keep up with others.

 Many people including those on television are only showing us a small portion of their lives. 

How to fix that?

Remember it’s hard to see the picture if you’re always in the frame. 

You don’t need to cut on social media at the beginning but what you can do is to only watch and follow other women or people who make you feel good about yourself.

This way you won’t fall into the trap of comparing yourself to women who make you feel low. 

4- You don’t know how to love yourself.

This might seem pretty simple, but how can you expect to be completely happy when you don’t love yourself?

How to fix that?

 Loving yourself consists of learning to accept every flaw that you can think of.  Even those flaws that you don’t want to think about the need to be included.  This is when you dive deep into all the things that you don’t like about yourself and accept them. 

Ask yourself the reasons why you don’t like these things about yourself. 

Although in your eyes your opinion of yourself may be valid it does not mean that you are not deserving of the things that you want in life. 

And lastly, 

5- You take yourself so seriously 

If you want to be happy you just need to know how to Chill.

Chill, relax, take a load off, etc. …  Seriously,  why take yourself so seriously. 

How to fix that?

 True enough you may need to take some things seriously in life but not all things.  We indeed have the ability to pick and choose our battles, and over the years you will learn all battles aren’t even worth the fight.

 So next time you find your panties in a bunch quickly redirect your thoughts to a lesser challenge. 

Do a little soul searching, Self Exploration, and Re-create the perfect version of yourself.  You can even check out my ebook. 

Finding joy in life can be hectic but it doesn’t necessarily need to be. 

Here are 2 ways that you can use to find joy

How can I find happiness?

 1- Create A Theme

Get out the frame and draw your own picture. What does happiness mean to you and better yet what does it look like, what does it taste like, what does it feel like. 

 These are all of the things that you are going to want to know.

 You want to know these things so that you can visualize exactly how you want them to be. 

2- Create A Vision Board 

 A few things that I like to do is to create vision boards. Visions Boards help me stay focused on my goals and it also serves as a constant reminder of what I want so I don’t lose track.

 I also am a firm believer in the laws of attractions. One of my favorite movies and books to read, when I was first introduced to the LOA, is the “Secret”.

 You can probably find it on a streaming service or you can purchase it here.  Another good read is the Four Agreements.

Final Note 

If you still struggle on how to find joy in life there might be another issue outside of your control that makes you feel this way. 

Regardless of what’s causing your unhappiness know that there is always a way to fix it.

Related post:

• How to find yourself as a woman
• 9 Ways to Make You Feel Like A Empowered Woman in 2021
• Self awareness activities to find yourself as a woman 

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Negative thinking can take a toll on your body cause it can equate to what many would consider stress or anxiety.  There is a big difference between stress,anxiety, and negative thinking.  However, we will focus on negative thinking today.

Let’s say that you only believe you are deserving if you meet particular accomplishments or achievements. You may feel the constant need to do things in order to temporarily make yourself feel good. Think about how long those moments last for you.  Do you have instant gratification, are you on cloud 9 when things go right.  What about when they go wrong.. How long do you find yourself upset for?

A few things that may happen if you have negative thinking

Thought Rumination- Ruminating over one particular thinking or a few over and over. 

Always thinking the worst case scenario

Restless sleeping

Losing focus 

Self-Blaming

Self-Esteem issues

Depression

You might find yourself self-isolating from successful friends or family, and getting along better with those who may also have negative thinking. 

Think about your thinking patterns, but be honest with yourself. Are you often a negative thinker? Do you find yourself being more negative at things that happen in your own life, the life of others or even both?  Honesty goes a long when trying to repair your train of thought. So be truthful with yourself.  Your thoughts are safe with you.

Good news ! Overcoming these negative thoughts are repairable.  However, like anything else in life you have to practice.  I mean practice regularly.   Just think,you have years and years of these negative behaviors. Those thoughts are not just going to turn into positive ones overnight.  The very first thing that needs to happen is self-awareness. Know exactly where you stand with your beliefs. Ask yourself these questions to find out just how negative they are and who they affect.  If you have children you better believe that your negative thinking can also bounce right off you onto them.  

If your negative thinking is more closely related to anxiety, be kind to yourself.  No one asks to have a mental illness and it’s not your fault if you suffer from anxiety.  So, also know the difference in where your negative thinking is coming from.  It is coming from a long history of negative thinking, being around negative people in a toxic environment, or could it be stemmed from stress and anxiety. Once you realize where your negative thinking is stemmed from you will  have a much better way of how you should go about repairing it. 

One thing that is important for you to realize is to understand that you are deserving.  Just because you think negative doesn’t mean that you are a bad person. Trust yourself, you’ve done something right in life! Don’t discount all the things that you have done in life that made you proud of yourself.  Sure you may not be exactly where you want to be in life, it doesn’t mean just because you are not there that you will never get there. 

It would not surprise me if the people who you frequently gather with have shared their feelings about your behavior by now. Perhaps, they have shared with you that you’re negative or have shared their opinion with other people. They may have even begun to distance themselves from you. People who may have been a part of your biggest support system may no longer want to be around you.  We have to be careful not to run away people who mean us well in life. Do yourself a favor at some point when you’re ready to realize that you are truly a negative thinker, and  can actually say it outloud then share your belief.  Share your belief  to those who still decided to stick around. Ask them to hold you accountable for your negativity.  Trying to change your mindset will constantly require you to redirect your thoughts as soon as you become aware.   For example, if you say there is no point in me going to the grocery store cause they will be out of milk.  You might consider let me go to the store to see if they have my favorite milk back in stock. I can grab some other things while i’m there.  I am sure that your negative thinking will be in much more depth than just going to the store for milk.  However, something simple as that milk thought, just shows how even the simplest things might be affected by your thoughts. 

1. Redirect your thoughts! All of them, even the simplest ones. 
2. If you have a hard time redirecting your thoughts, validate your self belief.  If you say “ I am the biggest loser and I never do anything right, I am just stupid”  Validate it!  Break down the sentence.  Let’s rewrite it. 

Negative : I am the biggest loser, and I never do anything right, I am just stupid.

Positive :  I don’t always win but I have won before, I’m smart I can do it again. 

You will need to continue to dispute your beliefs and your cognitive distortions, and replace them all with more realistic positive ones. When you begin to confront your negative thinking you will begin to notice how many of those thoughts are so far from the truth.  Once you validate your negative  beliefs are not true, accept the new positive belief.  It would be unwise to constantly revisit those negative thoughts.  Remember to trust yourself.  You have been right before in the past.  

Then remember how much control do you really have over the outcome?  You have absolutely no control of how things turn out.  None of us do.  We put ourselves in positions to have things go the way that we want  but we no there are no guarantees.  We just have to trust that things will go right, we just have to believe that they will.

Learn more about manifestation and the laws of attraction if you want.  The laws of attractions say that even our idle thoughts have an impact on how things may turn out.

Are you in touch with your negative thinking?  

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Overthinking is linked to psychological problems, like depression and anxiety. It’s likely that overthinking causes mental health to decline and as your mental health declines, the more likely you are to overthink.

Overthinking, does not necessarily mean that you have a mental health diagnosis. However, it can mean that your process things differently than most people. Overthinking can be linked to anxiety and is something that can be treated with the proper treatment and coping skills. One of my favorite treatments to use for Anxiety is Cognitive Behavioral Therapy.

Anxiety is a normal and often healthy emotion. However, when a person regularly feels disproportionate levels of anxiety, it might become a medical disorder. Anxiety disorders form a category of mental health diagnoses that lead to excessive nervousness, fear, apprehension, and worry.

1. Try to identify your triggers! What sets you off the most is it going to work, spending time with certain people, parents, a spouse?
2. Get plenty of sleep- try to start a bed time routine perhaps sleepy time tea or lavender bubble bath.
3. Limit your caffeine and alcohol intake. These two will be sure to help aggravate your overthinking.
4. Try meditation – Not sure how to mediate try guided meditation it tells you exactly what to do. There are tons of Youtube videos. My favorite is the mindfulness movement on Youtube. Start with 5 or 10 mins and gradually increase overtime.
5. Try Tai-Ci or Yoga – both are very relaxing and can be either vigorous or low impact
6. Invite a little humor into your life! Life doesn’t have to be so serious all the time.
7. Accept that you don’t have total control of the outcome. Sure we want all things to go our way but that’s just unrealistic.
8. Talk to someone! Talking to a therapist is not such a horrible thing find someone that you can relate to and it can be life changing. If your still not ready to see a therapist then share thoughts with a close friend.
9. Your enough…. Know that! Don’t be so hard on yourself. Instead of aiming for perfection, aim for the target that is right in front of you. Baby steps… There’s levels to this!
10. Try some deep breathing… I have heard some say that this is kind of corny but trust me it works inhale 8 seconds exhale 5 seconds.

A few facts about anxiety!

• National prevalence data indicate that nearly 40 million people in the United States (18%) experience an anxiety disorder in any given year. 
• Approximately 8% of children and teenagers experience an anxiety disorder with most people developing symptoms before age 21.
• Only about one-third of those suffering from an anxiety disorder receive treatment, even though the disorders are highly treatable.
• In addition, according to the World Health Organization (WHO), 1 in 13 globally suffers from anxiety. The WHO reports that anxiety disorders are the most common mental disorders worldwide with specific phobia, major depressive disorder and social phobia being the most common anxiety disorders.

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Tear Soup by Chuck DeKlyen ( child friendly)

When Things Fall Apart by Pema Chondron

Necessary Losses by Judith Viorst

The way Men Heal by Thomas R. Golden

The Invisible String

The Next Place

COCO

Ordinary People

PS I Love You

The Year of Magical Thinking by Joan Didion

Collateral Beauty

Breathe

After Life

Podcast Terrible, Thanks for asking

One Last Hug: Three Days at Grief Camp

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