SOVA Blog

by PAstudent7

Daily Mantras

November 7, 2022 in Be Positive

I have been seeing more discussion about the use of daily mantras and decided to use them for myself over the past few weeks. A daily mantra is a phrase or sentence that you use and repeat to help focus, confidence and improve your mood. Most people use these Mantras when they wake up and throughout the day as a mood booster or a phrase to help you concentrate on your goals. I have been using the Mantra “I am strong and I am worthy”. I use this phrase when I am getting ready in the morning and tell myself this mantra in the mirror. I have found it is a uplifting part of my routine that helps me feel ready for the day.

Some examples of other mantras may include:

  • “I am enough, I have enough and I am doing enough”
  • “This too shall pass”
  • “I matter”
  • “I will accept the things I cannot control”

The great thing about mantras is that you can have one or you can have 1,000 and they can all be applied to your life in the specific ways that you need them. Choose a mantra or a few and say it a few times before leaving bed in the morning or tell yourself in the mirror. I have noticed it helps me feel confident and ready for whatever the day will throw at me. It is a part of my routine I have really enjoyed doing!

 

Do you have a mantra? When do you like to use it?

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by PAstudent7

Mental Health Day 2022

October 10, 2022 in Be Positive

Mental health day is coming up on October 10th, 2022. Mental Health Day is an international day for mental health education, awareness and advocacy. The holiday was first started in 1992 by an initiative of the World Federation for Mental Health. The day is meant to raise awareness about mental health issues, reduce stigmas surrounding mental illness, and encourage workplaces, institutions, and individuals to prioritize their mental health.

Even though the national holiday is celebrated in October, everyday should be a day to be aware and advocate for mental health! I personally like to take the time during Mental Health Day to reflect on how I am doing as well as check in on family and friends. It is a good day to remind everyone that you care! For more information on Mental Health Day 2022, the link to the world health website is below.

https://www.who.int/campaigns/world-mental-health-day

Are you going to celebrate world mental health day? Do you recognize your own mental health daily?

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by PAstudent7

Tension Headaches

September 8, 2022 in Educate Yourself

 

Have you ever had the headache where it feels like your head is just being squeezed by a million rubber bands? If you have, this is a tension headache and they are most commonly caused by stress, anxiety and poor sleep. They are the most common type of headache. These headaches are often described as feeling “like a band is squeezing around my head“. Tension headaches are not associated with nausea, vomiting or light sensitivity like migraines are.

These are some techniques to helping prevent and ease Tension headaches:

  • work on good stress relieving techniques such as breathing or going for a walk
  • have a cup of hot tea or drink a glass of water
  • put peppermint oil on the temples or under the nose and take deep breaths
  • ice pack/hot towel on the forehead or the back of the neck

I am someone who suffers from tension headaches when I am feeling stressed and I use these techniques to help prevent them!

Sources:

https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/tension-headache/symptoms-causes/syc-20353977

https://www.healthline.com/health/tension-headache

Do you get frequent headaches while stressed? What are some of your remedies that work?

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by PAstudent7

When To Be Done With Therapy

June 13, 2022 in Be Positive

There are two big questions when discussing therapy: when do I start and when am I done. Most people start therapy when they feel the need to talk to someone and get an unbiased opinion. Therapy can help us get an outside view of our situations and options to work through those situations. I personally have had great results when talking to a therapist since they bring me out of my own head to realize the full picture. Once I got into therapy and have been working through my problems, my focus then switched to knowing when you are done with therapy. I do think that you are never fully done with therapy since you can learn different techniques to help yourself after being seen with your therapist.

Here are some signs you are ready to be done seeing a therapist and take your own therapy into your hands!

  • you are having more positive thoughts and behaviors
  • you can recognize the problem areas and actively think how to work through them
  • you have effective coping strategies
  • you don’t have much to talk about with your therapist anymore
  • you feel good about the process and are ready to move forward

Again, when you are done with a therapist, it is never a goodbye! They are always there to help when they are needed, but it is important to recognize and celebrate that progress when you are able to help yourself.

What are some ways you maintain progress with therapy? Have you ever completed therapy or wrapped up seeing a therapist? If so, what was that experience like?

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by PAstudent7

Monthly Mental Health Quote

May 16, 2022 in Be Positive

I wanted to share my monthly mental health quote. I like to pick different quotes and inspirational sayings and make them my “mantra” for a month. They help remind me what I am dealing with and to keep positive. This month’s quote is from celebrity, Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson.

“I found that with depression, one of the most important things you could realize is that you’re not alone. You’re not the first to go through it; you’re not the last to go through it”

This quote helped remind me that I am not alone and what I am experiencing is not “weird” or “different”. It reminds me that we have a great community on this platform where we can talk about things like this and get support from each other.

 

What are some of your favorite mental health quotes or inspirational quotes?

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by PAstudent7

Okay with Being Alone

March 28, 2022 in Be Positive

Recently my roommate moved. After living in the same apartment together for about a year, I am alone. The apartment is now quiet and I have had to adjust. I used to do everything with my roommate. We would cook dinners together, go shopping together, and watch tv on the couch at the end of the night. Now that I am alone in a city where I don’t know many people, I am relying on myself more. I am a social person and have noticed that I feel pretty lonely since they have left. I have tried to get outside and keep myself occupied but it just feels different.

But I have been using this time to work on myself. I am going to the gym, eating healthier, and trying to get good rest. I have made a pledge to consistently read a few pages of a book and pick up a new hobby. I want to be a person that is okay with doing things alone and being comfortable by myself. I have had really bad anxiety in the past about doing things on my own but recently I went to eat by myself and even saw a movie by myself. I am learning to enjoy my time alone and work on myself as an individual. This may be one of my most important learning opportunities and I am going to embrace it.

Have you ever had to adjust to being more alone than you’re used to? Or, have you ever had to adjust to being more social than normal? In such situations, how can you reframe your thinking to be more positive and growth oriented?

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by PAstudent7

Light Therapy for SAD

March 23, 2022 in Educate Yourself

During the winter months, depending on where you live, moods can change. You may feel sad and down during the winter months. Seasonal Affective Disorder is a common type of depression that can happen during the cold, dark winter months. Being from Pennsylvania, I have almost 4-5 months of frigid and dark days each year. I never knew why I felt more down, tired, and fatigued during these months. Knowing what I know now, I most likely experience Seasonal Affective Disorder or SAD. SAD is thought to be related to the lack of light during the winter months.

A few things that help me cope with SAD are exercise and trying new hobbies. I am able to get out of my room and experience new things. Light therapy is one effective treatment for SAD. Light therapy mimics the natural light that we get from the sun, which boosts our energy and mood. Light therapy is safe and effective for SAD*. Research has noted chemical changes in the brain when exposed to these lights that reflect clinical improvement. Light therapy can be done in the form of light boxes or phototherapy boxes. These can be purchased at places like Amazon. These light boxes should be as little UV light as possible and have up to 10,000 lux of light. Light therapy is most effective when done as soon as you wake up for about 30-40 minutes. Light therapy helped me want to be more productive in the morning and I could tell that I felt better within 20 minutes of using it. I still use my light box often, especially with the gloomy days here! I would highly recommend trying this technique if experiencing Seasonal Affective Disorder.

*it is always important to talk to your doctor BEFORE trying any new treatment approaches, light therapy for SAD is no different 

Have you ever tried light therapy? Did it help with SAD for you? What other things help you cope with seasonal depression?

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by PAstudent7

Being Comfortable Being Uncomfortable

November 30, 2021 in Be Positive, Educate Yourself

If you have seen some of my posts, you know I recently moved across the country, graduated from a Master’s program and started a new job all in about one month. This was really overwhelming for me and was a lot of change.

I, unfortunately, don’t always take change with grace. It takes me awhile to adjust and become familiar with my surroundings and my new life. This whole experience has really made me think about how I handle new situations and problems. I now understand that I was really uncomfortable with being uncomfortable. I was very set in the way my life was and I didn’t openly invite change since it made me feel anxious. I don’t like the unknown and being out of my routine. This experience has taught me that I need to work to become comfortable with being uncomfortable.

Even though I was anxious and uneasy about my new job, new apartment and new city, I think it really forced me to grow as a person. I understand now that I will never grow or learn if I am constantly in situations where I don’t challenge myself. Sometimes being uncomfortable is good and it really helps you learn about who you are and how you handle these difficult situations. I think being uncomfortable over these past few months has made me a more independent person. I am figuring out things on my own, exploring on my own and giving myself the time to adjust. I really appreciate this whole experience for helping me grow as a person.

Was there a time in your life that was really challenging but, you grew when it was over? Are you comfortable being in uncomfortable situations?

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by PAstudent7

My Mental Health Quote of the Week

October 18, 2021 in Be Positive

I have been dealing with a lot of stress and anxiety lately with a new move and new job that I have posted about previously. When I am having some rough mental health days, (or recently for me, mental health weeks), I often look to quotes. I write these quotes in places I can see them as a reminder. I write them on my whiteboard in my room, in my planner and sometimes even change my phone background to a quote I really like.

I wanted to share this weeks Mental Health Quote that I have been writing down for myself:

“My dark days made me stronger. Or maybe I already was strong, and they made me prove it.” — Emery Lord

What are some of your favorite mental health quotes? Do you put them places as a constant reminder? Share them below!

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by PAstudent7

A New Chapter

September 14, 2021 in Educate Yourself

I have had A LOT going on the past month. All within a couple weeks, I graduated from my Master’s program, took and passed my medical boards, moved across the country and started a new adult job! To say I am a little overwhelmed is an understatement.

Even though I am excited about these new opportunities, I find them really challenging and overwhelming. I am so anxious about being in a new place without my friends or family and starting a really important new job. I eventually know that I will make friends and catch on to my job, but right now I am anxious and frustrated.

I am someone who is organized and I like to plan things out. It is hard for me to not feel a little overwhelmed when I am outside my comfort zone. I don’t know where I am going when I need to go to the grocery store, the bank or even work some days. These little things can cause me a lot of unwanted anxiety and it has been building up. I have been trying a couple things in my daily routine to help slow myself down and not feel so overwhelmed.

I have been trying to focus on every single day and the tasks I need to do that day. That little change has helped me not get too overwhelmed about the things I need to do in the future. I have also tried just spending time relaxing with myself and away from my phone and computer. This has also helped me relax a little when I am feeling stressed out.

Does anyone else have any advice on how to adjust to moving really far from your friends and family and starting a new job all in a couple days?

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