What Your Therapist Would Say

Society has taught us that to a great extent, mental health should be put on the back burner. Depression is not a table talk conversation. Anxiety is often regarded as weakness. Yet mental health is a factor that drives every single human, and most struggle with it at some point in their life.

Take Control.

List three things in your environment that you can see, two you can touch, and one you can smell or taste. It may seem silly, but one of the most difficult realizations we have as human is that we cannot control everything that happens to us. Doing little things like realizing details about the environment, and the effect it has on you can so much to help you regain a sense of control.

Make a Date… with Yourself!

My friend told me the other week that she had a date on Friday, excited for her I asked who she was going out with and to my surprise, it was a one person affair. No joke, she got dressed up, tooke herself out to dinner, and went to a concert- like a boss. This makes so much sense, but personally, I never would have considered it. However, it is the epitome of making time for yourself, a crucial aspect of self health that we often sacrifice. I challenge you, take an hour a day, even if you have to write it in your calendar, take a nap, get your nails done, go to the gym, just do something for yourself.

Practice Positive Thinking

The way you talk about yourself and others literally affects your mood (it’s chemical!). Rather than thinking “today was awful,” think “today kind of sucked, but at least I got a seat at Turner.” The way we perceive situations and modify our attitudes can make us feel better, and conscious positive thinking is a key to this attitude change.

Make the Change

You are the only one that has the authority to control the way you think about yourself. With that, sometimes we do need to adjust our habits and the way we live. Stop hesitating. If you know your grades are too low, go to office hours or academic advising. If you feel gross, change your diet and drink more water. Rather than complaining, be proactive, yes it is hard to find the motivation, but setting a bunch of small, manageable goals will promote continuous success and make an act a habit.

Basic, I know, But Realize it is Okay Not to be Okay

Do any of us really have ourselves in check? Or are we just pretending to know what we are doing? I think it is safe to say that most are the ladder. The advice listed above does not come from an actual therapist, but a well meaning blogger, and should be taken for nothing more than that- the advice of a well meaning blogger. However, sometimes individuals face circumstances that cannot be resolved with an internet article, real help is always there and you are never out of options.