I’ve been dealing with mental health, behavioral health and addiction issues for a few years now. I never truly understood what was going on until recently. When I first started feeling overwhelmed by my thoughts and emotions I had no idea where to turn for help. Finally after months of struggling, I decided it was time to get professional help.
My therapist has been an absolutely incredible support system for me ever since. We have talked through so many of my issues and behaviors in such an open and understanding way that it has allowed me to come to terms with the fact that certain things are out of my control.
The biggest realization I came to was that managing these chronic illnesses is not a one-time cure all miracle solution, but something that should be worked on each day as part of a healthy lifestyle. With my therapist’s guidance I’ve learnt how to make small changes each day to ensure good mental health in the longterm, rather than trying to fix everything at once and getting overwhelmed in the process.
I won’t pretend it hasn’t been hard work at times - managing mental health isn’t as simple as taking a pill or attending only one counseling session - but it is incredibly rewarding to know that on any given day there are changes you can make which will keep your head above water and bring you closer towards greater balance and wellbeing.