Have you ever experienced an upset stomach, a tight chest, clammy hands, or any other physical reaction when you’re stressed or depressed? The mind and body have an incredibly strong connection, and when you’re feeling an overwhelming amount of emotion, your brain can process it as being in danger even if the situation isn’t life-threatening, and initiates the fight-flight-freeze response.
This is called somatization, or the way your body reacts to what it thinks is danger, even though nothing seems to be physically wrong with you. The video below, produced by the Kelty Mental Health Resource Center in British Columbia, Canada, explains this in more detail. Reading about the science behind it can be a little overwhelming, including how the nervous system is divided into the sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous system (it can feel a little bit like biology class), but the 7 minute video breaks it down, with cute animations and animals to keep you entertained.
The video shows different situations where people can experience somatization: pressure from an upcoming test or game and the feeling of rejection from people you care about. While these aren’t places where things are necessarily life-threatening, they can have an intense effect on you, especially if these are things that cause you stress or are particularly emotional about. This intensity is what makes your brain see this situations as dangerous to you, and that’s how your body reacts.
Learn more below!
Do you experience physical reactions when you’re feeling upset or depressed? What kinds are they? What do you do to help them, if anything?
Video games have become much more interactive than they used to be. If you wanted to play with others, they would have to physically be there, with up to four players sharing the same console connected to the TV, each having their own controller. Two people with Game Boys could connect to each other using a cable, and some games allowed them to play against each other that way. Looking back, all of it seems a bit excessive, especially now that we can connect to anyone around the world in an instant with a simple Internet connection.
Just like the graphics, storylines, and animation have significantly improved in gaming, so has the way that we can communicate with each other. Often times, the social media aspect of gaming can be dangerous: situations like Gamergate come to mind, and the anonymity of gaming can make players prone to cyberbullying, dealing with situations like trolling and harassment, death threats, and hacking. The more drastic and harsh comments made while gaming can lead to severe effects, especially mentally. This is something important to consider too, especially since about 72% of teenagers game (and 84% of teenage boys), and there has been an increase of mental illness diagnoses in teenagers.
However, just like every other form of social media, there are positives that can come with online gaming and talking to others as you play. One study back in 2007 surveyed people who played MMORPGs (massively multiple online role-playing games), with a majority saying that they enjoyed the social aspect. According to them, playing online in a place where others have similar interests helped them to develop lifelong friends. These similar interests and the anonymity also makes players feel like they can be more open about who they are and express themselves in ways that they cannot do in real life.
So, just like any other form of social media, the way we communicate with others while gaming has its positives and negatives. The situations are a little different here though, because what better way to talk to people than doing so while defeating zombies or looking for treasure?
Do you participate in online gaming? What kind of games do you enjoy playing? How do you feel about the social part and how people interact with others when gaming?
We all have different things that bring us joy – animals, good food, the weather, your favorite clothes – the list can go on forever.
These things can happen on different levels. You may own a pet, for example, or you may simply get excited by walking outside and seeing all the cute dogs being taken out on walks. Today you might have tried a new restaurant and really enjoyed it, or you made that frozen meal you bought on a whim ended up tasting way better than you had expected. Other things can include making it to the gym that day, doing well on a test, or getting a funny meme from a friend.
Gratitude journals are a great way of keeping track of this, and because it’s almost 2020, there are ways to log the little things on your phone too. Check out the two apps below that are dedicated to easily put down the good things that have happened to you that day.
365 Gratitude As the name states, 365 Gratitude is meant for everyday use, giving daily challenges and opportunities to talk about the little but good things that have happened that day. They feature a scale of smiley faces for you to measure how you feel that day, and it’s also a social network that connects you to others using the app and you can scroll through a feed to see what things that others are grateful for that day. They also have a “gratitude jar” that fills up as you add more things, and can act as a game, unlocking rewards as you use the app.
Grateful This app is part of a bundle that’s subscription based, which includes a number of similar apps to help improve your well-being and promoting self-worth. However, you can still download Grateful individually. It’s customizable, and like 365 Gratitude, if a blank page seems intimidating, Grateful provides prompts like “What made you smile today?” to help get you started. Unlike 365 Gratitude, Grateful is private, personal, and doesn’t require a login. You can also add photos to each good thing that happened, so when you look back, you get a visual as well.
These apps were designed to be more than just a space to write down your good things, but to promote overall well-being through things like seeing what others are grateful for, adding photos to help you reminisce, and helping you track your progress.
Do you keep track of positive things that happen to you? If so, how? Do you think it’s a good idea to do so on your phone?
There are always common types of resolutions that are made as the new year begins. One such resolution is to usesocial media less (ironically, you may have seen someone say this on social media). Going through social media cleanses and detoxes can give people the time to explore other sorts of activities, and taking a step back from social media can have a positive impact on mental health. Because it’s the new year, now is a great opportunity to take a step back and reevaluate your social media habits, possibly even trying to change them throughout the year.
If using less social media is something that you’re also trying to do in 2020, you can figure out what’s best for you to monitor and control the time you use on your phone and computer. You can set limits on Screen Time, create blacklists for certain websites if you want to cut them out completely, or even delete apps off your phone altogether.
You can still factor in social media into your new year’s resolutions, even if you can’t, or don’t want to, reduce the amount of time you spend online. There are ways to take advantage of social media use instead of feeling like you’re not accomplishing much by scrolling through feeds and wondering if that one post you made got enough likes.
One way you can engage in social media in a more positive way is through activism. Social media has become a large and accessible platform for many to get their voices out and speak up about matters that are important to them.
While it’s easy to engage in arguments with people you disagree with online or simply contribute to a cause by using a hashtag, the Internet also has a ton of resources where you can actively engage in causes and contribute to those that you care about in a more effective manner. You can create a list of movements you’re more passionate about, and once you’ve decided which ones you want to focus on, you can look online to see if there are any activities near you that you can participate in. Social media is great for finding these sorts of events: websites like Facebook will show you events happening near you specifically, for example.
If you can’t attend meetings or protests, you can also use social media to share articles and stories that matter to you. You can either use social media to find articles that others have posted and share those through reblogs or retweets, or post the links you find on your own accounts.
Social media can be difficult to completely cut out, but you can still take control in how you want to use it, especially now when it’s the perfect time for a fresh start.
Do you plan on changing your social media habits in 2020? What other ways do you think you can use social media in a beneficial way?
There are going to be a lot of chances to reflect and give back during the holiday season. While reflecting and giving back can be done on a very personal level, such as evaluating how the past year has gone and what can change in the upcoming new year, or participating in local food and gift drives at school or work.
There’s plenty of options and organizations to donate to (some more popular and available than others), and it can get pretty overwhelming to decide which ones to choose (of course, if being able to donate is something you can do). Each organization is different, and everyone has issues that are more personal to them and have respective charities that they’re drawn to, but if you still want some options to consider, we’ve listed a few mental health organizations below. You can directly donate, buy merchandise where the proceeds go to the group, find volunteer opportunities, or even just share the resources on social media to get the word out.
The blog post includes mentions of suicide, death, and drug addiction. Please read with caution if any of these items triggers or upsets you.
Social media has made it so that we can feel even closer to influencers, idols, celebrities, and other famous figures, no matter where they land on the fame spectrum. They use the same platforms we do, play around with the same filters, and post little (or a lot of) snippets and vlogs through their phones about the mundane, relatively average things they do during their day.
The relationship people develop when they feel particularly attached to a celebrity is known as a parasocial relationship. In short, these are one-sided relationships: the celebrity very likely does not know you exist, but you still feel some sort of connection, almost to the point of seeing them as a friend. It’s why you feel so defensive when someone makes fun of them or criticizes their work and why you get so excited when they release new content. Social media making it so that they give you a peek into their lives has intensified this relationship, because it’s like you’re literally their friend getting to hang out with them in their home, for example.
So when a celebrity you really, really like, follow, and feel engaged with passes away, you may find yourself reacting a lot more emotionally than you may have thought.
Celebrity deaths, of course, aren’t uncommon, and can have a great effect. Think about the public’s (and possibly your own) reactions when celebrities such as Carrie Fisher, Anthony Bourdain, Prince and Alan Rickman passed away. Adults who likely grew up with their works may have shown emotion that you didn’t expect them to have, but these reactions may have stemmed from memories they have of their movies and music as a child and the influences those people had on them.
The same feeling can occur when a young celebrity you like passes away. But in some regards, these celebrity deaths can feel worse, especially if they’re closer to your age. It’s a reminder that human life is finite and can remind you of your own mortality. It can even trigger fears of death and the reminder that it can happen at any age, and it can be hard and scary to navigate and cope with the feelings surrounding that. Consider the reactions that you, or others, may have had with the recent passing of Juice WRLD and Cameron Boyce earlier this year.
And then there’s the social media aspect of it all. Not only are you never going to get any more content from them (whether it be videos, music, movies, or anything else), but that parasocial relationship can result in similar feelings if someone closer to you, like a friend, suddenly passed away.
It can get even more upsetting when mental illness comes into play, too. It can be both devastating and triggering if someone you looked up to and whose content you used as a coping mechanism had their own personal struggles, like K-pop idol Sulli who committed suicide a few months ago and Mac Miller, who had been open about his depression, substance abuse, and the relationship between the two, passed away from an overdose last year.
Everyone has their own way of grieving and processing death; the way we process celebrity deaths is no exception. It’s completely valid to feel emotional, cry, and be upset when someone you admire passes. You may want to look back at their old profiles and the archive they left behind, or you might look at posts about that celebrity by either their friends or other fans who also enjoyed their work and relate to their grief. It might be healthy for you to unfollow the person altogether, but some may want to keep following them as their own way of respecting them. YouTube likely has compilations of moments of them if you ever want to look back on the more personal moments they had too. If the death is triggering because of how they passed away, try reaching out to a close friend, family member, or anyone else you see as a support system. Journaling and working through your thoughts and how you’re feeling can also help.
Ultimately, grief is still grief. No matter how close you were to someone, even if you didn’t know them at all, even if you weren’t their biggest fan, the pain of experiencing a loss is real. Though the relationship may have only been through the screen and by a couple of “following” buttons, you had someone in your life that made you happy, and trying to return to that happiness when they’re gone may take some time.
Are there any celebrities that you care a lot about? Have there been any that have passed away? How did you cope with, or react to it?
One of the less commonly talked about aspects of mental illness is maintaining personal hygiene—more specifically, the inabilityto do so. This topic can be embarrassing for many people which is what contributes to the lack of conversation surrounding it.
Depression virtually drains you of all your energy which can make it difficult to function on many different levels. Sometimes it can be hard to even get out of bed, much less take a shower and brush your teeth. The little bit of energy that you may have often gets used to do “more important” things, such as going to class or work. In a society that shames those that don’t maintain their hygiene (think of the accusations of assumptions of grossness and laziness), worrying about being judged or ignored can make depressive symptoms worse, and the cycle continues.
There is no need to feel embarrassed, though. You would not be lamed if you were physically ill and did not have the energy to do these daily tasks. Mental illness is the same thing. The fatigue, lack of energy, and lack of motivation is no different.
You are not gross. You are not lazy. You are not less than those who do not struggle.
It is important to take even little steps to maintain your personal hygiene. This is not only for your physical health but keeping yourself clean can help boost your confidence. Here are some tips you can take to stay clean on even the hardest days:
Use Dry Shampoo and Deep Conditioner
Using dry
shampoo will help get rid of the oils in your hair, giving you a “just washed”
look—and it smells good too! If you have not been able to brush your hair for a while, and it’s beginning to matte, use a deep conditioner to loosen up the tangles.
Sink Baths and Baby Wipes
Using a washcloth and some soap in your sink to hit the “hot” areas like your armpits before applying more deodorant is a way to clean up a bit. If your sink is deep enough, you can even wash your hair under the faucet. You can also use baby wipes instead of using a wash cloth. This is even quicker and can be done while you’re still in bed.
Take a bath instead of a shower, or get a shower chair
Sometimes just the thought of standing that long in the shower is what deters people the most. Taking a bath is a way that you can get clean without having to stand so long. If you do not have a bath tub, you can also buy a shower chair.
Use Mouthwash and Carry Gum and/or Mints
Carrying a travel bottle of mouthwash can help on those days where you just couldn’t get up to get ready before leaving the house. You can use it in the bathroom at work or school. Gum, mints, or breath spray can help on those days where you forgot to brush.
Deodorant and Sprays
When using body sprays, make sure to use sparingly so as to not have a super overwhelming scent. Febreeze can be used to lightly mist shirts or pants that you are unable to wash, and there are products designed to give clothes a refresh if you haven’t been able to wash them. Using deodorant at night as well as in the morning can help to contain body odor.
Ask for help
If you have someone who is willing to help you, ask them to run a bath or even brush your hair for you. Not only will it help you relax, but it can be a bonding experience with a loved one.
Invest in a nice hygiene product
Buying
fancy bubble bath, lotions, or shampoo can be a way to spoil yourself and give
you motivation to try out your new products!
It’s important to be proud of the small steps you take and to make realistic expectations for yourself. Sometimes just hopping in the shower to let the warm water run over you is enough for that day. Be proud of accomplishing even the simplest of tasks!
Have you ever had any difficulties in doing any “simple” tasks, including maintaining personal hygiene, when you’re going through a particularly hard time or episode? What other tips do you have?
DBSA lets you find local support groups that they run as well as an option to create an account for online support
According to the Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance (DBSA), over 21 million Americans are affected by mood disorders including depression and bipolar disorder. Through it’s large network, the organization aims to create a community in over 600 support groups and make extensive resources accessible to help those coping with these disorders.
The site means it when they say their resources are extensive. There’s advice on how to set and achieve goals (since this can be difficult for those with a mood disorder, according to the website), a worksheet, handbook, and videos about wellness and “living successfully,” and a complete breakdown about depression and bipolar disorder.
DBSA really shines through however with its support tools. We want to specifically highlight their section for young adults. They have handouts that talk about wellness in relationships and wellness in school, a weekly online support group, and their own podcasthosted by fellow young adults on topics such as budgeting and insurance with a mood disorder, dealing with relapse, and faith and mental health.
We’ve only touched the surface about the kinds of resources that the DBSA contains, so if you want to learn more, you can explore here!
Do you use any online resources to learn more about mental illness symptoms that you experience? What are your experiences with bipolar disorder?
We’ve discussed before how being 100% happy during the holiday season is just not realistic. In fact, feelings of anxietycan spike (especially those taking finals), the holiday blues is a real phenomenon, and as the days get shorter and the weather gets colder, those experiencing seasonal affective disorder may start experiencing symptoms.
Social media, to no surprise, likely paints a different image on your feed. Financial anxieties likely increase with the pressure to buy gifts for loved ones, and continuously getting ads about what to buy as presents probably don’t help. As a season of activities (think Christmas tree lighting, ice skating, winter festivals, and holiday parties), you may experience FOMO, if not at least pressured to go out to find events of your own to attend. For those who may have experienced a recent loss or have strained relationships with family members, seeing images of families together can also trigger negative feelings and depressive symptoms.
Managing how you navigate social media during the holidays is similar to basically any time of the year. The thing is though, FOMO, the pressure to get out and do something, even just taking #aesthetic photos of yourself are all heightened right now. It’s not selfish and you’re not being a Grinch if you don’t want to post anything or go on social media at all during this time, nor are you a Scrooge if you scroll past all the ads and wishlists people are posting. You can use these posts as motivation to call or message a friend or family member to catch up with instead of spending time scrolling through your feeds. You can even put your phone on “do not disturb” and indulge in some cheesy holiday movies if you still want to enjoy the season without being bombarded by how your peers are celebrating.
Everyone has their own way of celebrating the holidays. This isn’t to suggest that posting about the holidays on social media is a bad thing – if it brings you joy, go for it! – but for others, it can get overwhelming and triggering. Social media isn’t the only way to celebrate this time of year, and hopefully you can find a way that’s beneficial and positive for you.
How do you like celebrating the holidays? Do you post about it online? How do you feel about people posting about the holidays on social media?
Some of the more common symptoms associated with depression include fatigue, a loss of interest in things one usually enjoys, and hopelessness. Anxiety symptoms are usually thought to be restlessness, nervousness, and a rapid heart rate. Another symptom that can come with both, however, is anger.
At first, it doesn’t seem like anger should be a part of anxiety or depression. We often think that depression looks like emptiness, and if an emotion is ever felt, it’s likely going to be sadness. With anxiety, where the body is high-strung, we think that people on-edge are more likely going to be on-edge on a breakdown. That being said, irritability (and the anger associated with it) are core symptoms of mental illness.
No one likes being angry, though. It can suck feeling like that’s the only emotion you have in that moment, and with mental illness, that anger can feel that much stronger even if it’s over the smallest thing. Experiencing anger during depressive and/or anxiety episodes feel like they’re coming out of nowhere, but there’s been some research that shows that it can come from those extremely critical voices that put down everything the person is doing. If we believe these voices, we may think that others – especially those that we are close to – are saying these same, hurtful things about us, and therefore lash out as a result. The extreme feelings of stress and worry that come with anxiety that puts us on edge may also make us activate our “fight” response (instead of “flight”) if we think we’re being provoked and if something doesn’t go the way we don’t want it to.
It can be hard to push back heightened emotions as you’re experiencing them, especially with anger. However, if you can feel your temper start to rise, taking just a second to take a step back, breathe, and asking yourself why you’re feeling this way can help calm you down. Keeping items like a stress ball or something small and accessible to squeeze down on can harmlessly transfer your anger onto another object. And in cases that you do lash out, you don’t have to explain why you did or that it’s because of depression and/or anxiety, but simply acknowledging that you didn’t mean to and apologizing can make a huge difference.
Have you ever experienced anger during a depressive or anxious episode? Did you ever take it out on someone as a result? Why did you feel the way you did, and if you did lash out, how did you handle it?
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