SOVA Blog

by starshine19

Finding Happiness in Yourself

September 12, 2022 in Be Positive

You probably read the title of this article and had some thoughts on your own. If you’re anything like me, you had thoughts of disbelief. Life is too hard to begin with. It has so many different challenges and struggles. It feels like you’re pushing a boulder up a long and never-ending hill. How could I possibly be happy?

This is possible, though. Even though it might seem impossible, you too can start feeling relief and like you’re making progress towards your many goals, whether that’s personal or professional. Best of all, that feeling of happiness will stick around for a while and won’t be just a temporary thing. Here are some things that helped me.

  1. Be grateful! – Realize that everything happens for a reason and that someone might have it worse than you. Write down three different things that you’re happy for everyday. You’ll start to see a difference in your life soon enough!
  2. Practice mindfulness! – It helps you be in the present moment and not focus too much on the past or the future. I use the Insight Timer app available on Apple and Android as part of my daily routine.
  3. Realize your strengths! – Instead of focusing on your weaknesses, realize where you’re strong. Use this to help you make progress towards your happiness.

What do you do to find happiness in yourself? Have you tried the above tips?

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by starshine19

When Is It Time to Change Your Mental Healthcare Provider?

August 15, 2022 in Be Positive

Have you been in a rut recently? Have you been unsure if your mental healthcare provider is the right fit for you? Maybe, you have been working with them for some time and you don’t feel like you have a good fit. Or maybe they are not specialized in your specific area of need or concern.

If so, I’ve been in the exact same situation as you. It feels like a breakup, especially since you feel like you might hurt their feelings or let them down because you don’t feel the same way. Here are some ways in which you can go about this process:

  1. Have an honest talk with your provider. – Rather than text or email, it’s best to do this in-person so that there is no miscommunication and that you can have an open dialogue.
  2. Have a new provider already lined up before you leave. – Due to the current nature of the world, it might take two months or more to line up a new psychiatrist, counselor, or other kind of provider. Get this in line before leaving to not lose coverage.
  3. Be confident. – Stick by your decision and be strong! No matter how the other person reacts, you’re doing the best for you.

Have you done this before? If so, what are your tips and strategies for it?

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by starshine19

Working Through Medication Changes

May 17, 2022 in Educate Yourself

Have you ever had a bad reaction to a medicine? Or maybe it took you a bit while longer to get adjusted to a medicine that you needed to take to make your life seemingly normal? If so, you’re not alone. This has been my struggle for the last month as I have dealt with a new diagnosis and a handful of new medications.

Some made me sleepy. Others made me gain weight. And even more made me feel a combination of both of those feelings for days and weeks on end. What has become a challenge is becoming a strength in time. I’ve learned to value my time more and to take advantage of those periods where I do not feel groggy. I feel more empowered to talk to my doctors and to be honest about my feelings and the changes going on mentally and physically in my body. And most importantly, I feel ready to make as many changes and tweaks as I need to make in order to feel better and even at my best.

 

Have you went through a series of medication changes before? How did you handle this? Do you have any tips to share with others?

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by starshine19

Guilt Around Productivity

March 29, 2022 in Educate Yourself

Have you ever had a day where you can’t get out of bed? You wake up sleepily then drag on throughout the long, dreary day without getting anything done, and feel bad because of this. If so, you aren’t alone. I’ve struggled with guilt around productivity constantly for many years, hoping for things to change. I’ll have days where I can do anything in the world at once and then other days where nothing on my list of to-dos seems to get accomplished.

Recently, I’ve struggled with this quite a bit because I have not been able to work due to a medical diagnosis that requires me to have an urgent treatment plan. As a result, I’ve been super sleepy and anxious. To fight these feelings, I try to think of the long term and the fact that this will not matter in a few months. Also, I’ll be a better employee, housemate, and friend getting the help I need. Thinking into the future like this helps me feel less guilty about not being visibly productive at every moment. 

Have you ever had guilt surrounding your productivity? What do you do to fix this? Comment below!

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by starshine19

A Misdiagnosis: What’s Next?

March 16, 2022 in Be Positive, Educate Yourself

This past week, I experienced one of the darkest periods of my life which has left me in a pile of medical bills, lost friends, and rash behavior. It had been going off and on for years but was never bad enough to the point where it affected each and every part of my life negatively. I was not able to go to work, my friends were getting tired of my antics, and I lost way more than I ever could have imagined. As a result of this, I consulted a new doctor who told me the news: I had been misdiagnosed for years and was in fact bipolar.

So what comes next? At first, I was really shocked about everything. I had a range of emotions from guilt of how I treated others during my manic episode to relief that I finally had something that worked for me. I started thinking of how other medications had not worked or had made my condition worse. All of that made sense to me now. I started thinking of the future and what I could accomplish now.

Have you ever been misdiagnosed before? If so, what steps did you take? Are there cases in which a diagnosis may be good or bad?

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by starshine19

New Year, New Me?

February 15, 2022 in Educate Yourself

It’s 2022. A new year filled with what seems to be a sea of endless opportunities and challenges to come. I was never a fan of New Year’s resolutions, staying up late when I’d rather be sleeping, and the loud parties. With that being said, I try to take the time to reflect on my life and what I can do to make it better in the new year.

However, this sometimes gives me a lot of anxiety—thinking about making a change, whether big or small. How do I get started? What shows that I completed the goal? How will I stay accountable and not fall off the bandwagon, not matter how hard I try? The doubts linger and then I realize that I never even started the change I wanted and it’s the middle or even the end of the year.

So, how do I manage to roll out of bed and do my goals? One of the most important things that I’ve realized that it’s important to start. No, this goal isn’t for tomorrow, next week, next month, or next year. You need to start as soon as you can before you forget what your goal is in the first place! Another tip I have is having small, manageable chunks of your goals. One of my goals is to find a new hobby; therefore, I am trying to do a new thing at least twice a month until I find something that fits my goals and interests. Finally, please don’t put too much pressure on yourself! Don’t worry if it doesn’t work all at once, just enjoy the process.

What are your goals for the New Year? How do you stay accountable and track your progress?

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by starshine19

Life Change Jitters

August 23, 2021 in Be Positive

Have you ever had a big, sudden change in your life? Maybe it’s a move, going back to school, or other change? Regardless of what it is or how it happens, it can cause a lot of stress in your life. I myself have two huge challenges ahead of me in moving across the country to the Seattle area as well as going for my Master’s degree in Computer Science later this month. It has caused a great deal of nervousness and anxiety as I work to juggle multiple shifts at once. However, here are some of the things that help me:

Turning nervousness into excitement!

I have learned that there are many different ways that you can look at a situation. You can see it as positive or negative, helpful or annoying, or anything else that you can come up with. For situations that put me in a difficult situation, I try to view it as exciting and fun instead so that the challenges don’t seem as daunting.

See opportunities as pushing outside of your comfort zone!

You never learn anything new or challenge yourself if you don’t leave the comfort that you know, so push yourself! It’s the beginning of a new chapter and a new chance to show yourself that you can do more than you ever thought possible.

Have fun!

Lastly, don’t put too much pressure on yourself during the life change. Even though it’s hard to avoid (I’ve done it myself at least a thousand times), enjoy the process and its ups and downs.

Do you have any big life changes in your life either happening now or coming soon? How do you manage the changes?

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by starshine19

Making Friends After College

July 21, 2021 in Educate Yourself

Growing up, I always struggled with making acquaintances, let alone friends. I would get nervous and start panicking at the thought of looking like a fool or doing something embarrassing. Through some hard work of getting more used to talking to people at school and work (exposure therapy anyone?), I eventually got over the fear but the lingering effects are still there. In short, I don’t really have any friends besides two or three people I still speak to from my undergrad days that ended almost two years ago. Due to the recent end of the pandemic restrictions, I decided that this was going to change. I was tired of always feeling alone and having no lasting social friendships.

This was only solidified by my previous experience in Intensive Outpatient Therapy this year at one of my lowest lows of the past few years. I realized that sometimes I needed more support than my significant other could provide at times and that friends might be helpful. Therefore, I took some action steps. First, I joined meetup.com via an app on my smartphone and signed up for some events. I then did the same thing on some relevant Facebook groups about topics that interested me. And then I waited. And waited some more.

Initially, the first few of these events that I went to did not work out as planned. Some of the events were located too far away, or I happened to feel after attending that I would not go to something similar again. However, I ended up finding a few diamonds in the rough; I attended some meetups and felt included and connected for once.

Do you struggle with making friends? If so, what has worked for you?

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by starshine19

Taking Short-Term Disability at Work

June 9, 2021 in Educate Yourself

Over the first few months of this year, my mental health was taking a heavy toll due to many stressors, including those at work and at home. As a result, I knew that I needed to make some changes, but I was not too confident or sure that I could make all of the necessary lifestyle changes and health things while I was still working.

Fortunately, I was able to take STD (or otherwise known as Short-Term Disability) from my job, which was generous to have an insurance policy on employees to help them with financial assistance should they be out of the office for an extended period of time (up to 6 months) for a medical reason. The whole process took about a week and a half and was pretty straightforward. It required filling out some forms and then getting the doctor’s permission to release my records to the insurance company. It was quickly reviewed and I received both a phone call and email when it was approved.

During my leave, I engaged in the IOP (Intensive Outpatient Program) again and also kept my employer and the insurance company updated about my situation. When I needed an extension, the process was super similar to what I had done previously. When I finished IOP, I let both parties (my work and insurance company) know and updated the patient portal accordingly for the insurance site.

Overall, I am super happy to have this benefit and have had the ability to use it effectively. I wish the circumstances were not so bad as to be using it, but I am grateful for the opportunity to take time off without having to worry about my finances.

Have you ever needed to take time off of school or work for your mental health? Did your school or work know your reason? How do your jobs or school react to mental health issues in their employees and students?

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by starshine19

My Experience at RE:SOLVE Residential Program

March 24, 2021 in Educate Yourself

Over the past few weeks and months, like many others, I have been struggling immensely with my mental health. A series of panic attacks, depressive episodes, and anxiety-filled breakdowns have really spiraled out of control due to a mix of stressors from work, family, and more. It got to a tipping point earlier this month when I felt uncomfortable being alone, and that’s when I knew that I needed more help.

As a result, I had called upon a resource that I have used in the past called RE:SOLVE, a clinic focused on mental health crises that offers telephone, walk-in, and mobile health services. I had my partner call the telephone number, and they then had the mobile team come to my apartment. After a 30-minute discussion where I recounted my story and increasing mental health symptoms, they advised me to do the residential program, which they said usually takes about one to two weeks and allows you to rest while taking part in various activities. What makes this different from the hospital is the fact that you can leave for up to 8 hours at a time, which I liked. So, I decided to go and try this out.

During the week, I partook in the different activities. There was “group” every afternoon, which consisted of speaking with others that were inpatient about things like gratitude, meditation, and more. There were peer supports there that you could speak to one-on-one about things and get advice from others who were going through similar experiences. Clinicians checked with you a few times a day just to see how things were going and track your progress. Finally, there was a doctor or nurse that I could meet with to discuss adjusting my medication as needed. All in all, the team really made me feel at home and really assisted in my recovery process.

Have you heard about these kinds of treatments before? What surprised you the most?

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