Life can be overwhelming at times, but finding the right balance can help you stay healthy, grounded, and in control. There are a few practices that I try to follow to maintain that balance, while recognizing that things will not always go according to plan.
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We all know the feeling. You look at your phone and there it is: that little red battery icon letting you know you are running low. You know you need to recharge, but you still have places to go, things to do, and messages to answer. So, you keep going and hope the battery lasts just a little longer. Our energy can work much the same way.
Continue readingBy Monica Proctor Wilson
During National Mental Health Awareness Month, I reflected on how I first learned about the importance of mental health care. Growing up, I often felt misunderstood emotionally, but I did not know that therapy or emotional support were even options of assistance. In many black communities, especially during the 70’s and 80’s, mental health was heavily stigmatized, so I quietly carried out my struggles alone. Everything changed when I entered college and discovered counseling services on campus. For the first time, I felt understood and realized caring for my mental health was just as important as caring for my physical health. I hid going to therapy from my family until I was in my 30’s because I feared judgment. Today, I openly recognize mental health therapy and emotional wellness as necessary parts of living with multiple sclerosis.
Continue readingBy Samuel Fitch
When people hear the phrase “mental health,” they often think of major life changes, complicated routines, or dramatic breakthroughs. My experience has been much simpler.
For me, strong mental health is often built through small habits repeated consistently; habits that help me stay grounded before the demands of the day begin competing for my attention.
Living with multiple sclerosis has taught me how quickly your mind can drift if you’re not intentional. Some days bring fatigue. Other days bring stiffness or frustration. And if I’m not careful, my mind can start running toward questions about the future that don’t have answers yet.
Continue readingLife is full of ups and downs. We all have experienced plans that have gone haywire, and curveballs thrown at us at the most unexpected of times. Everyone goes through tough times at some point in life, it is just the intensity, frequency, duration and type that differs. Always remember that it is alright to go through failures because failures are the steppingstones towards success. Instead of diving into despair and gloom, viewing challenges as opportunities to grow can transform your whole outlook on life. Below are a few thoughts that may help you during difficult times:
Continue readingIn today’s busy and overwhelming world of daily tasks, practicing self-care can feel like a luxury reserved for those who have more time. With a number of commitments and responsibilities taking priority, it’s easy for self-care and enhancing one’s mental health to take a backseat. However, what some do not realize is that caring for one’s mental and physical health is essential to maintaining overall well-being and productivity. I asked our AI friend Chat GPT for some advice on how to prioritize mental health whilst having a busy schedule. Here are some action steps that were provided:
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Question: As we enter into the New Year, what strategies do you recommend for positive mental and emotional health?
Answer: Of all the questions I’ve been asked over the past couple of years this is probably the most difficult to answer… and to answer briefly. For some people, positive mental and emotional health comes more easily and naturally. It doesn’t require a strategy or a lot of work. Perhaps it’s the good luck of genetics or a positive and nurturing upbringing. But clearly for some people, happiness is more difficult and requires more work. For the latter and probably much larger group, it does require more work, and more effort, and maybe a strategy. It’s clear to me that the effort is worth undertaking!
Continue readingThis famous quote, “The purpose of life is a life with purpose” resonates with me. I often stop and think about my purpose in life. I am a mother, daughter, sister, aunt, friend, wife, caretaker, and a social worker. As I reflect on my purpose, I have come to learn that I enjoy helping others. Working for MSAA offers me the opportunity to help the MS community. I hope to provide a safe place for many to call in for help and to find support. I feel a great sense of pride knowing I can help and navigate others through uncharted waters in a time of need.
So, my question to you is: What is your purpose? Is it maybe being a friend, maybe being a spouse, or maybe simply it is doing things that bring you happiness? Sometimes finding the answer is easy, and sometimes it takes time to see where we are appreciated most. If you are struggling to answer this question, do not be afraid to turn to others for guidance and friendly suggestions. Those around you often see the gifts that you exhibit to them that you may not recognize in yourself. This could help you to understand what your purpose is and how to make the best of it.
Life is not a straight line. Grief, coping, adjusting and recovery don’t follow straight lines from feeling bad to better. They’re more of a spaghetti diagram of past merged with present, conflicting emotions colliding without logic, and highs and lows mixed together as conditions change, time progresses and we adjust.
I can feel sadness, loss, fear, anxiety, love, connection, hope, strength and contentment in a single day. Usually I do. Often, I feel a combination of them all at once, and I think it’s normal for me.
I’ve learned flash mobs make me cry. Every time. They can be upbeat, fun and joyful, and still tears stream. I love the combination of surprise, music, choreography, people coming together and people dispersing as quickly as they started. They make me happy. They also trigger overwhelm for the connection, surprise and happiness they elicit.
I can analyze flash mobs for why I can’t keep my emotions level while watching them, and I can accept I don’t need to fix it. For me it’s a great example of how combinations of feelings can simultaneously occur when they aren’t usually related.
Remembering that feelings can be randomly triggered and illogical helps ease the desire to find the cause, the solution and validation. If I assume every feeling is valid yet temporary, I’m less likely to obsess over them. They can surprise me, consume me and evaporate as powerfully and fleetingly as a flash mob.
Certainly, if I’m suffering, I want to shorten the timeframe of feeling bad. If suffering persists, I want to have help. I know I’m susceptible to depression given my multiple sclerosis, and I watch for it. If I know not every feeling has a logical reason or need for fixing, fleeting emotions are less worrisome.
When feelings persist, having a well-rounded support team is crucial for my mental health and living well with MS. This team includes:
Not everyone has access to health care, and I encourage anyone who needs help to contact MSAA to see if there are services and support that might help. If you have a different condition and don’t have a care provider, search “mental health services near me.” Local health departments often have a web page with a list of resources.
To contact MSAA, call their helpline at (800) 532-7667 to speak with one of their trained staff members, or email them at msquestions@mymsaa.org.
*Stacie Prada was diagnosed with RRMS in 2008 just shy of 38 years old. Her blog, “Keep Doing What You’re Doing” is a compilation of inspiration, exploration, and practical tips for living with Multiple Sclerosis while living a full, productive, and healthy life with a positive perspective. It includes musings on things that help her adapt, cope and rejoice in this adventure on earth. Please visit her at http://stacieprada.blogspot.com/
Mental health plays such a large role on your psychological and emotional well-being. It is super important to find enjoyable ways to improve your mental health. To help get you started, here are some cool ideas.
Getting a good night’s rest is not only enjoyable, but it also comes with amazing benefits. Catching about 8 hours of sleep has been shown to strengthen the heart muscle, improve memory, and it greatly lowers your risk of depression and anxiety. Wow! *searching for my favorite pillow and blanket as I write this*
Pets are AMAZING for improving mental health. Dogs are amongst the most common pets known to provide emotional support for individuals, but they aren’t the only ones. If you have a pet that brings you joy and happiness, you should totally pet your pet. Ha! See what I did there? Whether your fur baby is a dog, cat, bunny, squirrel, or guinea pig, petting your pet has great emotional benefits. I have a 4-month-old puppy named Oreo, and he definitely improves my mood. I love to snuggle him with his wittle cute fuzzy wuzzy face and his adorable big brown eyes and little curly tail and…focus, Selena, focus. *Inserts adorable picture of Oreo below.*
Yes, you read that right. Doodle! Doodling and scribbling have proven to relieve stress and anxiety for individuals who are feeling overwhelmed. Doodling has also shown to help improve focus and the best part is that it’s fun too. Next time you’re feeling overwhelmed or anxious, bust out the pen and paper and give doodling a try.
Even though these cool ideas are fun and helpful, they aren’t a one size fits all deal. You know yourself better than anyone else does, so I encourage you to find something that is enjoyable to you. Whatever that thing is for you, do that whenever you notice your mental health is in need of some improvement and have fun with it. You are the best person to find enjoyable ways to improve your mental health.
You got this.
*If you ever find yourself struggling to manage your mental health on your own, please be encouraged to reach out to your physician or a mental health professional for help.