Don't Neglect your Mental Health

 

Our culture emphasizes strength and self-reliance above all else. The old "Boot Strap" mentality. This can create a stigma around seeking help for mental health issues, as many feel pressure to present themselves as unbreakable. So even when they are struggling, many people suffer in silence, afraid to be seen as weak or unfit.

Many people are afraid to share their true experiences because they feel it is too “trivial” or they feel their pain is “unworthy” of burdening others. Some simply hide their pain for fear of the stigma associated with mental health issues in a culture where they are expected to “suck it up”. 

But pushing aside emotions and burying pain can only exacerbate the emotional and mental weight of problems stewing under the surface. In other words, they hide their shame, which leads to burnout, isolation, and a sense of hopelessness.

We've talked about shame before. Unfortunately, when many of us experience pain or suffering, we allow shame to force us into the silence. But, the more we try to avoid speaking about shame, the more control it has over us and the more it negatively impacts our lives.

This only leads to a deeper sense of loneliness and isolation, which can have negative impacts on our lives. Burnout, hopelessness, and mental health issues like anxiety, depression, and PTSD are just some of the consequences of neglecting mental health.

And these struggles can also affect personal relationships, as the emotional toll makes it difficult to connect with loved ones. This can lead to strained relationships and erode important support systems that should act as a buffer to cope with stress.

Addressing mental health disorders is crucial not for the well-being of any individual suffering.

When mental health issues are ignored or left unaddressed due to shame and stigma, they can have alarming consequences like suicidal thoughts and behaviors.

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“If you believe change is possible, you want to change, and you are willing to do the work, you absolutely CAN get your life back.”

Get your copy of The Soldier's Guide to PTSD, The Soldier's Workbook, 

or Acknowledge & Heal, A Women's-Focused Guide to PTSD

Our self-talk is based on feelings rather than facts

 

Self-talk is the constant flow of thoughts and conversations that occupy our minds throughout the day - and perhaps keep us from getting a good night's rest. It can serve as our biggest motivator, but also our harshest critic. 

So, how can we alter this inner conversation if it no longer serves us?

We can start by recognizing negative thinking patterns and their impact on how we feel and our behavior. Cognitive Processing Therapy, an evidence-based treatment for PTSD, does a great job of describing what they call, "Patterns of Problematic Thinking." 

They are:

• Jumping to conclusions or predicting the future
• Exaggerating or minimizing a situation (blowing things way out of proportion or shrinking their importance inappropriately)
• Ignoring important parts of a situation
• Oversimplifying things as good/bad or right/wrong
• Over-generalizing from a single incident (a negative event is seen as a never-ending pattern)
• Mind reading (we assume people are thinking negatively of us when there is no definite evidence for this)
• Emotional reasoning (using our emotions as proof, e.g., "I feel fear so I must be in danger")

Taking time to identify our automatic thoughts and examine them is key. We can do this through journaling or reflection. 

Identify the thought, and ask "What triggered this? How did it affect how I felt or acted?"

As we get better at recognizing these automatic and negative thinking patterns, we can work to challenge them. 

To do this, we can put these thoughts, "on trial." 

Ask ourselves: 

• What the evidence is for these thoughts?
• Would the evidence hold up in court? 
• We can continue to interrogate the negative self-talk. 

Maybe we are engaging in an "all or nothing" thinking pattern, or our self-talk is based on feelings rather than facts. 

Unraveling negative self-talk is a process and it will help us to focus on progress rather than perfection. 

We developed these habits over a long period of time, and probably for good reason. 

Maybe we used this self-talk to motivate ourselves or protect ourselves (and that’s okay). 

But when it’s no longer serving us, it’s time to put that negative self-talk down. 

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We value your feedback and ideas! 

Reach out on our Community Facebook Page!

*****

“If you believe change is possible, you want to change, and you are willing to do the work, you absolutely CAN get your life back.”

Get your copy of The Soldier's Guide to PTSD, The Soldier's Workbook, 

or Acknowledge & Heal, A Women's-Focused Guide to PTSD

The importance of having a strong support system in our lives

 

We all know the importance of having a strong support system in our lives. From helping us through tough times to simply being there to listen, having people who care about us can greatly impact our mental well-being. This is especially true for those who have experienced trauma. Recent studies have shown that social support not only helps individuals cope with difficult events, but also plays a crucial role in promoting mental wellness and protecting against distress.

There are three main types of social support

Emotional support involves providing trust, empathy, love, and care for the person seeking help. This type of support can help individuals feel less alone and improve their overall sense of well-being.

Instrumental support, on the other hand, involves providing practical assistance. This can include financial aid or help with daily tasks, which may be essential for those with immediate needs. Studies have shown that instrumental support is associated with a lower risk of suicide death. 

Informational support involves offering advice and guidance. This can help individuals make informed decisions and access appropriate resources for coping with their trauma.

Research has shown that individuals with larger social networks and those who feel supported experience less negative reactivity to stressors and have better mental health overall. This supports the "stress-buffering hypothesis," which suggests that social support acts as a shield against stress and provides valuable coping resources after experiencing trauma.

Whether it's from a romantic partner, family member, close friend, or support group, having reliable and effective social support is crucial for our overall well-being. 

So don't underestimate the power of these relationships - especially during challenging times. 

Prioritize them and lean on them when needed; they could make all the difference in your journey towards better mental health.

*****

We value your feedback and ideas! 

Reach out on our Community Facebook Page!

*****

“If you believe change is possible, you want to change, and you are willing to do the work, you absolutely CAN get your life back.”

Get your copy of The Soldier's Guide to PTSD, The Soldier's Workbook, 

or Acknowledge & Heal, A Women's-Focused Guide to PTSD