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by dancingthroughlife

Mental Health Podcasts

September 7, 2018 in LINKS

apple earpods music headphones iphone ios white minimal technology mobile device

Lately, I’ve become a bit of a podcast fiend. My first podcast was the popular fictional radio show Welcome to Night Vale, and over the years – particularly in the last few months – I’ve subscribed to all kinds of podcast feeds, including serial fiction, news shows, and writing advice. Mental health is also very important to me, and I listen to quite a few shows that discuss the workings of the mind and how to address the challenges we face regarding our mental and emotional wellbeing. Here are a few examples:

  • Hidden Brain This is more of a general psychology podcast that covers all sorts of fascinating topics about human behavior. Some episodes delve into sociology, while others share little tips on how to introduce helpful thoughts and behaviors into your life. Several episodes have even been re-released as part of a “You 2.0” series. These episodes offer more direct advice on how to improve your mental wellbeing.
  • Happier with Gretchen Rubin Gretchen has written several books about happiness, and she shares a variety of ways to make your life a little more joyful in this podcast. In between full-length episodes, the feed also releases mini episodes that are only a couple minutes long, yet provide great points to ponder.
  • The Struggle Bus In this podcast, two women who have endured their own mental health struggles give non-clinical advice to listeners who write to them in search of support. Their insights and encouragement have helped me feel more hopeful that recovery is possible.
  • The Bright Sessions This fictional podcast can be summarized as “X-Men go to therapy.” Dr. Bright offers therapy to people with strange abilities, helping them to gain control over their powers and cope with the effects their abilities have on their personal lives. This show really emphasizes that mental health is important and that treatment is a powerful tool for learning how to regulate your thoughts and emotions. The main storyline concluded a few months ago, but bonus episodes are still being released occasionally.

Bonus: Dear Hank and John and DELETE THIS are great if you need a laugh 🙂

Do you listen to podcasts? How do you think podcasts, whether the focus is on wellbeing or not, can help improve mental health?

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by dancingthroughlife

Discussing Mental Health Through… Memes?

August 9, 2018 in Social Media Guide

CharlieMemes are an undeniable staple of Internet culture. If you browse around many websites and social media platforms, you will almost certainly come across image macros, Tumblr posts, viral tweets, and other content that has been circulating the web.

The majority of modern memes are captioned photos that are intended to be funny, “often as a way to publicly ridicule human behavior.”

Memes have become a method of describing different experiences and aspects of our lives in a humorous way—including mental health. In fact, mental health is one of the most common meme subjects that I’ve seen on the Internet.

On the surface, making jokes regarding mental health may sound distasteful. But when someone with a mental illness creates a meme about their condition, it may add a little laughter to their own day or even help others to understand what goes on in their mind.

Like many other teens and young adults, I shamelessly enjoy and share some of the memes that appear on my social media feeds. The whole phenomenon of memes is really intriguing to me—it’s fascinating that so many people will laugh at or relate to a quotation or picture and then add their own content to keep the humor going.

I see memes as a creative, low-pressure way of expressing our perspectives. Yes, some memes are made solely for levity, but others can convey deeper trains of thought. Memes allow us to share observations, feelings, and social commentary in a way that others are more likely to understand and find interesting

So, how is mental health discussed through memes? I think memes are a sort of coping mechanism that allows one to laugh at oneself. They make me smile and think, “Haha, I can totally see myself in that picture!” And apparently many other people do as well, considering the prevalence of posts like these.

potterOf course, it’s fair to say that mental-illness memes trivialize serious conditions, and some people may find them oversimplifying or offensive. But nearly all of the memes I’ve come across are pretty relatable, and effective humor often has a considerable degree of truth. Describing my struggles in humorous terms is a way to laugh a little.

Additionally, since memes are a sort of language of their own, they can be a useful way to tell others how your illness affects you. It can be difficult or uncomfortable to tell others how you feel, but a meme might be able to illustrate a feeling or experience in a way that others can understand. This can even be the first step to having more open conversations about your mental health—it can help you ease into a difficult topic.

29f8792618bb12281e4eeccb02f92f88A final word of advice: as with all Internet content, it’s easy to fall into the bottomless pit of mindlessly surfing the web for hours and hours, which is not conducive to good mental health. Self-care is essential for all Internet activities, which includes spending time away from the screen and taking a break if you come across something that makes you uncomfortable or upset. And while memes can bring a laugh every now and then, it’s important to remember that you are not defined by the attitudes expressed in them, just as you are not defined by your illness. Memes aren’t a well-rounded way of describing a mental illness. Real life is more complex than a few words copied onto a picture, and it’s important to be honest with yourself and others about how you’re feeling, rather than trying to project the entirety of your illness into a simple several-word meme.

What is your experience with memes? Do you think they’re helpful and relieve tension, or do you think they shame people with mental illness—or both? Let us know in the comments!

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by dancingthroughlife

The Pros and Cons of Keeping Multiple Journals

July 11, 2018 in Be Positive, Educate Yourself

bulletjournal

An example of a bullet journal.

Journaling is a highly effective way to reflect on your thoughts, feelings, and surroundings. It’s a great tool for staying mindful and learning more about yourself. And since journaling is what you make of it, you can record however much or little you want—or even keep multiple journals!

Right now, I have four journals: a bullet journal for planning purposes, a journal in which I record things to share with my therapist, a food journal to help me stay on track in my eating disorder recovery, and a theatre journal, where I keep track of the plays I read, potential audition materials, and other goals for my theatrical studies.

I’ve found great organizational advantages in keeping multiple journals, but it’s a somewhat hefty undertaking, and it may not be helpful for everyone. So, what might be the benefits of keeping several journals?

  • Keep track of multiple areas of interest. If you want to write extensively about your day-to-day life, your exercise goals, the movies you see, and the places you visit, you might feel more organized if you have a separate place to write about each topic. If you reread your journals in search of a specific topic, it might be easier to find what you’re looking for!
  • Journal in multiple locations. If you’re always on the go, it might be handy to keep journals in several places, such as your home, your bag, or your phone, so you always have a place to record your thoughts. I store my food journal in an app on my phone, so I can add entries wherever I am. My theatre journal is also pocket-sized, so I can take it with me and add to it whenever inspiration strikes!
  • Experiment with different formats. Trying multiple journaling techniques, even on a temporary basis, can help you narrow down the most effective methods for you. I make bulleted lists in my theatre journal and bullet journal (of course), and I write more detailed entries in my food and therapy journals. You can also use multiple journals to explore different media in an organized way, such as drawing and photography!

Of course, there are several downsides to keeping more than one journal, mostly due to the time and effort of recording your thoughts multiple times.

  • Multiple journals can be overwhelming. Journal burnout is real! I admit that sometimes I feel as though writing in my journals is more of an obligation than a hobby, a feeling that’s probably made worse by having several journals in the first place. Writing in multiple places can be pretty exhausting at times—it can make journaling feel like hard work, which is kind of not the purpose of journaling in the first place.
  • Entries across journals can sometimes feel redundant. I write about my nutrition in my food journal and in my therapy journal, and sometimes I find myself writing the same things. This can happen if two or more of your journals overlap in their purposes.
  • Stretching your commitment across multiple journals may affect their depth. If you devote your energy to writing multiple journals, you may feel less inclined to add more details or deep inquiry to each entry. Sometimes my goal is to simply complete an entry in my journals, which then can result in my just skimming the surface of my thoughts. If you prefer to dig deeper into your thoughts and feelings, it may be easier to concentrate on a single journal.

The bottom line? Everyone has a unique journaling process, and depending on their lifestyles and personalities, different people may find it useful to keep multiple journals or to stick with just one. For me, although it can feel overwhelming at times, I’ve found it convenient to have separate spaces to keep track of different topics are important in my life. But keep in mind that there is no “right” or “wrong” way to journal, so feel free to use whatever techniques bring you the most benefits from your journaling experience!

What kinds of journals have you kept? What have been the benefits and difficulties of each kind?

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by dancingthroughlife

How to Manage Summer Loneliness

June 6, 2018 in Be Positive, Educate Yourself

summerschedule01Summer vacation is here! It’s a time to take a break from the stress of school and enjoy the long, sunny days ahead. But I have found that summer can also be a lonely time. I may not see my friends every day—they might be on vacation, working, or participating in an ongoing summer activity that makes it hard to meet up with them.

Coupled with the increased free time during the day, it can be very easy for us to retreat into ourselves and isolate. But with planning and variety, we can have a fun and engaging summer, even if we’re alone sometimes! Here are some ways I handle summer loneliness:

  • Add some structure to my day. While it can be nice to have a break from the long hours spent at school, the sudden change in my schedule can leave me feeling as if I have nothing to do. If I’m spending the day at home, I think about what activities I like to do or tasks I need to accomplish, and try setting up a little schedule for when I’ll do each task or activity. If you try this, remember that the schedule doesn’t have to be set in stone—if you feel like you want to do something that’s not scheduled for the present moment, that’s perfectly okay! If you’re not sure where to start, try working on a creative project, such as crafts or writing. This gives you something visible to focus on, and it’s a great way to express yourself!
  • Plan an outing. It’s amazing what a change of scenery can do for my mind! Visiting a public place is a great way for me to feel closer to the world. You can visit a coffee shop, take a walk in the park, or go anywhere that makes you feel comfortable and connected.
  • Keep in touch with friends! If making time to hang out in-person is difficult, you can always call or text each other.
  • Find a job or volunteer opportunities. Working and volunteer are great ways to step into the world while meeting new people and learning new skills. Working towards a common goal with others is an incredibly effective way to feel connected with others! If you like animals, for example, an animal shelter is a good place to start—spending time with animals can ease your loneliness!
  • Know that you are not alone. No matter how distant you may feel from others, there is always someone to whom you can reach out. Being physically alone for a time does not mean that you will be alone forever.

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by dancingthroughlife

Give Yourself Credit!

April 30, 2018 in Be Positive

to-do-listTowards the end of the semester, the stress level of every student skyrockets. So many papers, exams, quizzes, and projects are thrown at every student all at once. With only 24 hours in a day, it may seem impossible to students to get everything done.

Students may start the day with a mental list of all the things they have to get done in that day. It may feel frustrating not to be able to achieve everything on their list by the end of the day.

I know this is true for myself. As I approach the final weeks of the semester, I notice that I mentally beat myself up when I don’t cross everything off my to-do list. I sometimes call myself “lazy” or “slow,” even though I’d been productive all day, working on all the things on my to-do list. This mental name-calling would discourage me and make me feel really down about myself.

Over the past couple days, I’ve noticed that I was being overly critical toward myself—so I’ve made it a point to be nicer to myself. I’ve learned to give myself credit for what I have done.

thumbs-upJust because you did not achieve everything on your to-do list does not mean you are a failure. Maybe you set unrealistic goals for that day, which is something that I do quite often. What you do is enough! Focus on what you did get done. You will feel a lot better about yourself and feel very accomplished!

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by dancingthroughlife

How To Practice Preventive Self-Care

April 24, 2018 in Be Positive, Educate Yourself

always take care of yourself firstI took a Pilates class this past semester at school, and in our last class our instructor posed us a question: What does self-care mean to us?

I thought about how I’ve used self-care throughout the semester, and most of the examples I came up with involved finding little things to lift my spirits and allowing myself to relax when I felt stressed or overwhelmed. Then I heard my instructor point out a distinction that I had never thought of before: there is a difference between corrective and preventive self-care. Suddenly, I realized that most of my self-care involves coping with problems in a healthy way—but I tend to abandon these practices when I’m not actively facing intense emotions.

Mostly, I’ve been engaging in corrective self-care. I would like to add some of the preventive kind.

Corrective and preventive self-care are both important for our physical and mental well-being. The goal of corrective self-care is to ease pain and difficulties in the moment—for instance, going to bed if you’re feeling sick or tired.

Preventive self-care, on the other hand, might involve going to bed at a decent time each night so you feel energized each day. This type of self-care is intended to maintain a state of wellness in our everyday lives. It involves cultivating healthy habits, listening to your needs, and looking for simple moments of joy. This can include things like:

  • eating a nutritious yet satisfying diet
  • scheduling some time each week for an enjoyable activity
  • keeping a gratitude journal.

gratitudeBy doing what’s best for your mind and body on a regular basis, you can mitigate some of the tension in your life and feel even more ready to take on each day.

The term “self-care” is often associated with stress relief, and while it is certainly helpful for dealing with overwhelming and acute pressure and emotions, it’s helpful to practice self-care in less stressful times as well. As its name implies, preventive self-care is designed to prevent or mitigate pain and distress before it fully develops. Any action that brings comfort and positive feelings in your life could be defined in this way.

What kinds of corrective and preventive self-care do you practice? Where did you learn these methods? And in what ways do you think you might already be practicing preventive self-care without realizing it? Share with us in the comments!

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by dancingthroughlife

The World Needs More Love Letters

April 6, 2018 in LINKS

loveletter01One of the simplest random acts of kindness you can perform is writing an encouraging note for someone. This can be done in a number of ways, such as delivering a letter to someone in person or anonymously leaving an inspirational quotation for someone to find. And there is actually an organization, More Love Letters, that brings kind and loving words to people in need all over the world.

Hannah Brencher, the founder of More Love Letters, had moved to New York City for her first job and fell into depression and loneliness. She began writing love letters, and she left them around New York City for people to find. She then began taking online requests for love letters, and the response was so powerful that it grew into an international movement. Listen to Brencher’s TED talk about how More Love Letters came into existence and the message she hopes to deliver.

Every month, More Love Letters posts several letter requests on its website along with a mailing address. At the end of each month, the letters are bundled and sent to a facilitator, who will then deliver the letters to the intended recipient.

The organization also has college chapters called Campus Cursive, in which students write positive notes and leave them around their campuses for others to find. My school established a chapter last semester, and after learning more about their parent organization, I’m planning on joining them and spreading some love around my school!

More Love Letters does a wonderful job of providing hope and encouragement to those in need, and there are many ways to share in this beautiful mission! You can visit their website to learn how to send letters, nominate a recipient, or establish a Campus Cursive chapter.

Have fun sharing the love!

When you imagine writing a love letter to an anonymous person, what do you imagine writing? When you imagine receiving one, what would you most like to hear? (We can also write love letters to ourselves!) Share your ideas in the comments!

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by dancingthroughlife

Spring Cleaning Your Life

March 5, 2018 in Be Positive

crocus

Warm weather and longer days are just around the corner, which means it’s almost time for spring cleaning! We hear a lot about dusting all corners of the house and organizing your desk, but you can apply the same principles to your own life to restructure your surroundings and actions with the intention of creating some peace of mind.

While this may seem like a daunting task, here are some ways, both large and small, that you can bring more balance and order to your day-to-day activities and improve your overall well-being:

  • De-clutter your schedule. Do you have too much on your plate? How are you spending most of your time? What events and activities in your life bring you the most joy? Is there anything that seems to be doing you more harm than good? Review your schedule and prioritize the things that are the most important to you. Reduce or eliminate the things that seem to be less beneficial.
  • Give yourself some room to breathe. Once you’ve assessed your schedule, check to see if you’re giving yourself enough time to relax. If the weather is nice, perhaps you could go for a walk or sit outside for a bit and take in the spring air!
  • Evaluate your relationships. Just like with your schedule, you can assess which people in your life makes you the happiest and which tend to bring you down. Spend more time with those who make you feel your best!
  • Develop a more positive attitude. The sunshine and warmth of spring are a great reminder that there is so much beauty in life, and there are so many things to be grateful for. Try looking for beauty and goodness in every situation that you face, and surround yourself with positive influences that fill you with hope.
  • Minimize distractions. If you find yourself multitasking frequently or can’t hold your attention when you’re trying to focus on something, think about what’s causing your mind to wander and take actions to reduce or remove these distractions.
  • Do some actual cleaning! Living in a neat and tidy environment can help you focus and create a sense of harmony. This article explains some of the mental benefits of organization and provides some tips for getting started.

How do you like to “clean up,” optimize, and simplify your life? Tell us your own tips in the comments.

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by dancingthroughlife

Writing Letters

February 5, 2018 in Be Positive

letters

When I was going through intensive treatment for my eating disorder, we had one group session where we discussed the powerful impacts of writing letters to ourselves or the people in our lives. These types of letters can be a great way to remember all the positive aspects of your life, express gratitude, or release emotions that may be causing you distress. Writing letters can be an incredibly effective journaling prompt, since it allows you to express your thoughts and concerns regarding a specific area of your life.

Writing also helps people to organize thoughts and give meaning to experiences. And sometimes when people open up about an event by writing about it, they are more likely to talk with others about it – leading to social support, which can be very helpful in healing.

There are different kinds of letters you can write, depending on what you want to gain from this practice. Here are a few examples:

  • Write a letter to yourself. Write down your talents, accomplishments, good qualities, things you enjoy, or anything else that makes you feel good about yourself. Congratulate yourself for making it through difficult times and reflect on how strong you are. Keep this letter in a safe place and look at it whenever you’re feeling down or need a reminder of the amazing things you’ve done or how far you’ve come in your mental health journey.
  • Write a letter to a supportive friend or family member. Tell this person how much their love and encouragement has meant to you. You may choose to send the letter to this person, or you may keep it as a reminder that you have people on your side who love and support you.
  • Write a letter to someone with whom you have unresolved issues. If a troubled relationship is weighing heavily on your mind, writing an unsent letter to this person may help you sort out your thoughts and feelings in a risk-free way. You can write out your concerns and how you hope to resolve things, which can help you release emotional pain and figure out what you might do for the next step.
  • Write a letter to your illness. If you’re frustrated with all the pain your mental illness has caused, you can write a letter to it saying how you will not let it define you. List all the ways you are stronger than your illness and describe the strides you have made in overcoming it. This type of letter is a great motivator for recovery. It can remind you of how powerful and unique you are and that your illness does not constitute your identity.

Have you ever written a letter like this? Did you find it helpful? Did you ever send a letter to someone and if so, how did it work out? We’d love to hear in the Comments section below!  

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by dancingthroughlife

Making Your Activities Count

January 8, 2018 in Be Positive

When you’re struggling with mental illness, it can be very useful to have certain activities where you can divert your attention from unpleasant thoughts and focus on something you enjoy. This could be anything from reading to making crafts to playing games. Fun activities are a great way for lifting your spirits and relieving stress, but there may come a point where the benefits begin to fade.

activities

Many times I’ve found myself taking up an activity that I usually enjoy only to realize that in doing so I’ve missed an opportunity to have meaningful experiences with others, try something new, or learn something about myself. I also began to notice that I wasn’t as enthusiastic about what I was doing. For instance, I love to read, but over time I noticed that I was reading because I felt obligated to do so, which was my way of avoiding other responsibilities or situations. I also wasn’t as immersed in what I was reading. It became a habit rather than a hobby. Fortunately, I’ve worked out the best times of the day to read that won’t prevent me from experiencing other things that could enrich my life, and I’m beginning to find joy in this activity once again.

If you feel that your hobbies or activities aren’t as effective as they used to be, here are some ways to get the most out of them:

  • Practice mindfulness. Being fully present makes your activities so much more enjoyable!
  • Think about your motivation. What are your reasons for doing this activity, and what do you hope to get out of it? Do you really want to watch a movie or listen to music, or are you doing the activity because you can’t think of anything else to do? Are you avoiding something through the activity?
  • Mix it up! If you feel like you’re stuck in a rut, take up a new activity! Maybe you want to learn how to knit or play an instrument, or you might take a walk to a new location. Since you haven’t developed a routine for this activity, chances are you’ll stay more engaged instead of simply moving through a familiar set of motions.
  • Pay attention to your feelings. How do you feel when you do this activity? Do you usually feel content, or are you sometimes distracted or numb? Your emotions are one of the biggest indicators of how effective your activities are, and they can also guide you toward the activity that is right for you in each particular moment.

How do you make your activities and experiences meaningful? What is your favorite activity? We would love for you to share in the comments section below!

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