The only consistency in life is change. This goes for your mental health as well. So although you can’t ‘just stay better’ in a static state, this also means, you won’t ‘just stay down’ either! Let’s try to keep those down-times under control by being able to recognize the signs of struggle.
Source: Psych2Go
Source: Psych2Go
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LifestyleTranscript
00:00 Hey, Psych2Goers.
00:02 The only consistency in life is change.
00:06 This goes for your mental health as well.
00:09 You will have good days as well as bad ones.
00:12 And that's the regular course of things.
00:14 It's also common that there are subtle shifts that occur
00:17 you may not readily notice.
00:19 So although you can't just stay better in a static state,
00:23 this also means you won't just stay down either.
00:27 Let's try to keep all those down times under control.
00:29 By being able to recognize the signs of struggle.
00:32 Here are a few things to look out for.
00:34 Number one, you experience a drop in brain functioning.
00:51 This one can be tough
00:52 because your brain is your command center
00:54 and is the very organ used to recognize the other signs.
00:57 So this sign requires a good sense of self-awareness
01:00 and being able to look at oneself from the outside.
01:03 Many of us aren't used to doing this,
01:06 but it's a good activity to practice
01:08 as it can be applied to helping
01:09 with other mental health issues as well.
01:12 When you can train yourself to mentally hang out
01:14 on the outside of yourself and observe,
01:17 you might notice behaviors and activities
01:19 that aren't the norm for you.
01:21 Signs include getting distracted more frequently,
01:24 being consistently in brain fog,
01:26 and you've been implementing logical solutions
01:29 like I'm sure a cheeseburger will make everything better.
01:32 It's easy to write these off as momentary lapses.
01:35 There's a big review this week,
01:36 so I didn't get much sleep, for example.
01:39 And sure, you might be right.
01:41 However, maybe don't totally dismiss this
01:44 as it's happened enough that you are now taking the step
01:46 to observe yourself from the outside.
01:49 Take note, even if they're physical notes
01:51 to help you remember,
01:53 as these may well also be subtle signs
01:55 that your mental state is sliding down the slippery slope.
01:58 Number two, you isolate yourself from others.
02:02 Have you noticed that your happy alone time
02:03 is getting to be more of a 24/7 thing
02:06 rather than simply the relaxing end of your day
02:08 or the occasional weekend with a book?
02:11 Again, is it more than your normal?
02:14 Isolating yourself is more than being socially distant.
02:17 Social isolation is that next level
02:20 where you're putting in active effort to avoid other people.
02:23 And not just, nah, had a rough week, tired.
02:27 As in you're now creating methods and plans
02:29 for the purpose of eschewing human social activity.
02:32 When it gets to this point,
02:34 you're deliberately marginalizing yourself.
02:36 Self-marginalization can be due to a phobia,
02:39 in which case we encourage you to reach out to a professional
02:42 if you require help,
02:43 but it can also be due to your mental health.
02:46 When the issue is from your mental health,
02:47 it's more a state of suffering and silence,
02:50 feeling annoyed and tired at having to pretend happy
02:54 when you go out.
02:55 You also find that you've lost interest
02:56 in previously enjoyable things.
02:58 Number three, you have low energy.
03:01 Yeah, low energy is a sign.
03:04 To make it a sign though, it happens often or is consistent.
03:08 The reason is that although you're not doing
03:10 the physical decathlon marathon CrossFit course,
03:13 internally, you sure are.
03:15 Your emotions and feelings are in some turmoil
03:18 and you're mentally playing referee, mediator,
03:20 and internal counselor to hold yourself together.
03:23 Although no specific cause for the overlap
03:26 and fatigue and psychiatric disorders
03:27 has been found as of yet,
03:29 one can't deny the tiredness.
03:32 We understand that being so exhausted
03:34 plus dealing with life stuff is ultimately draining
03:37 and it can be extra difficult to figure out
03:39 if this is mental health or not.
03:41 So reach out to a professional
03:42 for a clear medically supported view
03:45 and appropriate treatment.
03:47 You do deserve to feel 3D and not 2D.
03:51 And number four, you really don't feel like yourself.
03:56 This is a bit of an abstract sign
03:57 that is difficult to give a concrete description.
04:00 One description is that you're a sim
04:02 waiting for the next task to be assigned
04:04 by the power outside
04:06 and then realizing you're also the power outside,
04:09 but the power suddenly lost connectivity to the controls.
04:12 So you can't control sim you.
04:15 You're experiencing episodes of what's called
04:17 depersonalization or derealization.
04:20 It's a dissociative feeling where things just feel off
04:24 and you feel like you're along for the ride
04:26 in your own body and it's happening more than usual.
04:29 Perhaps you're getting too mired in your own thoughts,
04:32 but you can also easily get swept away
04:34 in a wave of emotions, doubts, and negative thoughts,
04:37 so much so that you forget who you are.
04:40 So what do you do when you feel like
04:42 you're floating away involuntarily?
04:45 Find something tangible and solid
04:47 that grounds you where you are.
04:49 It could be the feeling of ice in your hands,
04:52 listening to your breaths,
04:53 essentially whatever helps you come back
04:56 into your physical being.
04:57 Once you've landed though, take a moment,
05:00 take some deep soul-filling breaths and take stock.
05:05 It is normal to be a little freaked out
05:07 not knowing where you are.
05:09 As with all of our information bits,
05:11 we're super happy you're watching and learning,
05:13 while at the same time,
05:14 please don't take our word for everything.
05:16 There are very qualified professionals out there
05:18 who can give proper guidance.
05:20 We're definitely not here to take their place.
05:22 If you recognize any of these symptoms,
05:24 feel free to comment, share, or even ask more questions.
05:27 We'll catch you in the next video.
05:29 Take care, stay safe, and so much love.
05:32 (howling)