SOVA Blog

When Mental Health Affects Your Job 0

When Mental Health Affects Your Job

Over the past few months, the numerous life changes that have happened to me (moving across the country back home, losing not one but two different jobs, and starting a new position thousands of miles away from the rest of my team) has been incredibly challenging. I thought I had it under control – I had a team of doctors working with me to get a better plan for managing my anxiety and depression. Unfortunately, a few slight changes to my health insurance plan and I’m back to the starting place where I was a few months back prior to all of these crazy events.

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Holiday Season Done Differently

This holiday season has already been one like no other. With family not allowed to leave their state and having older grandparents/family members who are more vulnerable, I sometimes get a rush of sadness that I will not be able to spend the holidays with all my family.

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Sleep Hygiene

The amount of sleep I’ve had in any given night is the single most important determinant in how my day is going to go. This is because sleep correlates with emotional well-being, physical health and ability to concentrate and function adequately throughout the day. I find myself especially cranky and kind of insufferable to be around on days that I haven’t had enough sleep – I’m one of those “don’t talk to me until I’ve had coffee” kind of people.

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Loss and the Holidays

The holiday season this year looks very different for everyone, and in particular there may be people like myself dealing with the first holiday season without a loved one. In February, my grandpa passed away. With the pandemic hitting shortly after, I have struggled to come to terms with the reality of it and believe at times I haven’t been able to fully grieve having not spent any real time with my grandma or spent time in their home without my grandpa there.

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Feeling SAD?

With seasonal affective disorder rearing its ugly, depressing head this time of year, we’ve gathered a few resources for you to check out (outside the blog posts blogging ambassadors have written about their experiences, of course!).

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Mental Health and Dream Jobs

Relationships with celebrities and public figures on social media can be complicated, to say the least. They’re glamorous, rich, and doing their dream careers, but are also relatable and remind us that even the most extravagant of people are human. It’s a combination of helping us realize what we can achieve and what we can do with our lives, but makes it very easy to compare ourselves to those with makeup and stylist teams, not to mention making us vulnerable to developing parasocial relationships with them.

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Time and Anxiety

Recently, it feels like time has perpetually changed its speed. At one point, it seems like time is passing faster than the speed of light. Then there are other points where it seems like time couldn’t possibly drag any slower. I can’t seem to ever notice it actually change speed, but when I see that it’s 4:30PM on a Monday but I can’t even recall waking up on Saturday, my mind is so confused that I lose the ability to focus on anything else.

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The Spirit of the Holidays

I’m not sure if it is just me, but NOTHING can ruin my mood around the holidays; in particular Christmas, and really the entire month of December, if I can be honest. I am very into keeping traditions, having a lot on my calendar during the holiday season that I do year-to-year: dinner with family, Christmas caroling with neighbors, Christmas card photos, decorate and make cookies to gift out, the whole nine yards.