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Inside Our Minds

January 20, 2017 in LINKS

Insideourminds.org features personal interviews with individuals that have mental health diagnoses. It is a sharing of anonymous experiences that these people have lived through.

Photo Credit: Robin Hutton via Compfight cc

Here are some excerpts:

My Illness is My Responsibility

“I think what a lot of people don’t understand about recovery is that it is hard work. I had to spend years working at this stuff to get to where I am. I worry that some people conceive of recovery as you do something, then it’s a switch flip. Suddenly you’re better! No, it’s more like… I remember reading this book about the difference between good swimmers and great swimmers. It’s not really raw talent, but rather the accumulation of many small behaviors. How long you can hold your breath, the angle of your legs, the aerodynamics of your body. All these slight alterations to do better. Recovery is similar: changing all of these small habits, then seeing an improvement.”

Battling With My Mind

“Sometimes I read Inside Our Minds interviews… and I’m like, “My problems are nothing compared to those things… Why do I even stress about this?” But, then I realize that none of it is in my control. I get perspective… how it can really get bad. It reminds me that I’m actually happy with what I have… and that’s what’s most frustrating. I know the solution to the problem, but I can’t just focus on that. My mind is constantly battling with itself.”

These are just a few interviews with individuals sharing their ups and down, knowing they are imperfect (as all humans are) and laying out their experiences in the hopes it might help someone going through something similar. In a way it is displaying how we all have to work through and deal with different problems but at the end of the day we are all just people trying to live the best lives we can.

If someone was interviewing you about your experiences, what would be important for them to know? Check out Inside Our Minds and tell us what you think!

Tags: inspiration, positive thinking, resources, shared experience 2 Comments »

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When in doubt, “OM” it out.

January 18, 2017 in Educate Yourself

Photo credit: Leslie Schweitzer via Flickr

“Downward facing cat. Nailed it.”

There are many yoga poses that individually can be helpful, but an integrated, regular yoga practice, including meditation, can reconnect you with your true essence and your inherent wholeness. In that space of “being,” there is a release of attachment to our worries, problems, fears, or circumstances.

From Huffington Post

Here are five poses that can specifically help with depression:

Forward fold (Uttanasana). In Light on Yoga, B.K.S. Iyengar says about Uttanasana, “Any depression felt in the mind is removed if one holds the pose for two minutes or more.”

Head-to-Knee Forward Bend (Janu Sirsasana). This seated forward fold is calming for the mind, stretches the hamstrings and groin, and stimulates the liver and kidneys.

Cobra (Bhujangasana). This back bend can be done in stages. It expands the chest and gives elasticity to the lungs.

Bridge (Setu Bandha Sarvangasana) . Bridge pose is a back bend that strengthens the legs, opens the chest, and stimulates the abdominal organs, lungs, and thyroid. Supported bridge, done with a block under your sacrum, is a nourishing restorative version.

Supported Headstand (Salamba Sirsasana). Sirsasana is called the “king of all asanas.” Inversions turn your world upside down and give your brain cells a fresh supply of blood. Attention and presence are essential in this pose and thus a great way to pause your thoughts and renew your perspective. Restorative versions of sirsasansa, done with props, are an option as well.

Have you tried any other yoga positions that help with depression? Let us know!

Tags: calm, depression, excericse, help, mindbody, mindfulness, om, what to do in a bad mood, yoga Comments Off on When in doubt, “OM” it out.

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The Stand Together Initiative

January 17, 2017 in Educate Yourself

For young people with mental health concerns, school can be a negative space. Individuals with mental health concerns, like anxiety and depression, can come up against stigma from their classmates, and maybe even the faculty. There’s much that can be done to change the stigma that can be a part of schooling. We’ve mentioned before that learning and talking about mental health can be a powerful way to reduce stigma. Luckily, there are people working within schools to make change from the inside out.

http://standtogether.againststigma.org/

One program that the SOVA team has had the opportunity to learn more about is the Stand Together initiative. This Pittsburgh-area program is working in local schools to decrease stigma associated with mental illness and substance use disorders. The middle and high schoolers participate in workshops to “reduce negative attitudes, beliefs, and social distance between youth with behavioral health challenges and their peers.” The Standing Together website it full of wonderful resources related to mental health, including an awesome blog! Check out their website and let us know what you think! Keep an eye out for future articles (including staff interviews) about the Stand Together program!

In what ways could your high school benefit from an initiative like this? If you’ve graduated already, how would your high school experience been different without stigma?

Tags: positive, stigma, wellbeing Comments Off on The Stand Together Initiative

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Try to Not to Crack a Smile

January 16, 2017 in Be Positive

It’s difficult not to while watching this video compilation by America’s Funniest Home Videos. Enjoy!

Have any other video suggestions for those in need of a pick-me-up? Let us know in the comments!

Tags: happiness, laughter, positive thinking, what to do in a bad mood Comments Off on Try to Not to Crack a Smile

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Social Media and Self-Esteem

January 12, 2017 in Social Media Guide

The urge to maintain an online presence can be exhausting. Sure, social media isn’t always negative, but there are important things to keep in mind about using social media that can prevent it from being a bad experience. For example, monitoring your self-esteem as you use social media. It’s important to be self-aware about the way social media makes us feel. If you use a particular social media site and you come away feeling worse about yourself because of it, it might be time to reconsider the use of that platform. If I log onto Facebook and become frustrated and unhappy about my life because I compare it to others, it’s important that I consider changing the way I use the site. This might mean changing how long I use Facebook, or who I am interacting with, maybe even considering if it’s worthwhile to use the site at all.

Social media can have a lasting impact on our self-esteem. Bustle.com posted an article explaining the ways that social media affects our self-esteem. Their list includes items like:

1) Social media can lead us to disengage from our real experiences. When we’re too busy worried

Photo Credit: Visual Content Flickr via Compfight cc

about getting the perfect pic of the view, we can end up missing the view itself.

2) Social media can bring about false connections with others. Because online interactions are not grounded in real-life, this can mean they lack the power that face-to-face exchanges have. This lacking can affect the way we view ourselves. Bustle points out that this doesn’t mean we can’t make valuable connections online, it just means we’re at risk of building false connections when there’s no face-to-face contact.

3) Social media can bring on a battle for likes. It’s very hard to not compare the amount of likes across people and content. It’s also hard not to makes those likes into a reflection of self-worth. The more likes, the better we feel. But what kind of affect does it have on you when you don’t get the number of likes you wanted?

All of these points are important to keep in mind while using social media. Is the reward worth the cost? Social media is a complicated thing. It’s important to be mindful of the way it makes us feel, and to make changes to be sure social media isn’t taking a hit on self-esteem.

What do you do to avoid social media hurting your self-esteem?

Tags: communicating, happiness, relationships, social media Comments Off on Social Media and Self-Esteem

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Balancing Work and Mental Health

January 10, 2017 in Educate Yourself

A major part of adolescence and young adulthood is finding and keeping a job. When struggling with anxiety or depression, this can create obstacles to being successful in your work. Many questions can arise: What is needed to support your mental health? Should you tell your employer? If so, how much should I disclose? Recently, Time Magazine posted an article outlining tips for finding a balance between your mental health and your job:

To start, it is important that you know your rights! They state, “If you can do your job but need some flexibility or specific accommodations, you’re most likely entitled to receive them.” Psychological disabilities are covered under the Americans With Disabilities Act. Requests for accommodations can usually be made to the company’s Human Resources department. The article links to a sample letter to start this process.
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The article also recommends considering the work environment before disclosing mental health concerns. Unfortunately, stigma exists in work environments. It is important to protect yourself from any harm that might be caused by speaking on your mental health concerns. If it turns out you think more harm than good would come of talking about your mental health, it might be best to find another place to work that is more respectful of mental health.
Lastly, the article recommends some flexibility. It’s important to find that balance between meeting the needs of the job without sacrificing your wellbeing. This might require some discussion between you and your employer, so it’s important to be flexible and find a compromise that fits the needs on both sides.

If you’re interested in reading more tips, take a look at the article!

Do you have any experience with juggling a mental health concern and work? We’d love to hear any tips you have in the comments below!

Tags: balance, employment, stigma, treatment, wellbeing Comments Off on Balancing Work and Mental Health

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10 Positive Places on the Internet

January 9, 2017 in Be Positive

Photo Credit: Its.MJ Flickr via Compfight cc

The internet can get a bad rap for being a place that spreads negativity. But that’s not always the case! Check out this compilation by Huffington Post about 10 positive places on the internet.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/01/30/positive-thinking-the-10-_n_2582102.html?slideshow=true#gallery/277778/0

Some of the websites include calm.com and hooplaha.com .

Let us know what you think in the comments below!

Tags: calm, distractions, happiness, stress Comments Off on 10 Positive Places on the Internet

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5 reasons why feeling depressed might make you not get help

January 4, 2017 in Educate Yourself

It is hard saying that its time to get help for how you feel for a lot of different reasons. One of the most common reasons is because the actual symptoms of depression can make it tough to want to get help.

1. Guilt — Depression can make you feel like everything that goes wrong is your fault. You also feel bad for all kinds of different things. Some young people feel bad that they would have to get treatment for depression, too. They think only if they could take care of their problems on their own, they wouldn’t have to ask for help or trouble their parents to take them to the doctor or therapist. The fact is that depression is not your fault – just like any other illness or disease is not your fault either.

2. Not feeling motivated — Part of depression is not feeling up to doing much of anything. You would rather stay in bed or in the house than face the world. Going to see a therapist or a doctor about an emotional problem is tough for anyone, but especially if you don’t feel like even doing things you used to think were fun. It can help to have a friend or family member go with you and try to help you get to your appointments so you can get better.

3. Having a hard time concentrating — Even if you do get to a therapist, participating in therapy appointments can be a lot of work. You need to really think about how you think and how you have dealt with different experiences in the past so you can learn from them. When you are depressed, you can have a hard time focusing and concentrating on things. Your brain can feel worn out and like mush – that can make participating in therapy hard. Be open with your therapist. If you feel like you can’t focus, they can change or slow down their strategy – or talk to your doctor about whether adding medications would help.

4. Lack of energy — Being depressed can be a draining process. You might feel like you would rather be sleeping or just like you have no energy to do anything. Even if you were motivated, you’d have no energy to get yourself to actually do anything. This is another reason having a support person can be really helpful.

5. Sleep disturbances — Not being able to sleep well can really take a toll on anyone, but especially if you are already experiencing other symptoms of depression. Talk to your doctor or therapist about the problems you have with sleeping. Keep a sleep diary to help you let them know exactly what is going on. Everyone is different, but usually there are different strategies that can help. Getting good sleep can make a world of difference in how you feel. Here are some strategies which may help you.

Tags: guilt, no energy, not able to concentrate, not motivated, sleep problems No Comments »

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