I find myself feeling more exhausted than ever during this time of social isolation. For those who don’t know me, I suffer from sever depression and while I like to say that I have been managing my mental illness well, I find that the corona virus has challenged my previous forms of self-care management and made me look for other solutions. The journey has not been easy but I am glad to say that these following tips helped me in my lowest state!

Waking up early

I tend to be hard on myself when I am experiencing my depressive episode’s; Everyone’s triggers can be different, of course, but from my personal experience I always had a problem with believing: no matter what I do I will never be enough. toxic! I know, but waking up early has helped alienate those thoughts while giving me more Opportunities ( AKA time) throughout my day to just relax and tackle each task gracefully and more importantly, gradually. In addition, I founnd that waking up early allows my body to get ahead of my mind. Funny right? But I win each morning! The lies and doubts that persists to flood my thoughts cease to exist for about an hour; During that time I try my best to speak positive affirmations into my life, shower, get dressed, brush my teeth and fix myself a good morning breakfast. I dare you to try it out for yourself.

Working out

Exercise is scientifically proven to improve your mental health throughout the day. Therefore, by adding this step to your “daily routine” you are taking the initiative to increase your self-esteem, resilience and energy levels all while decreasing the amount of stress that you have.

If you are suffering from depression and anxiety:

Aerobic exercises is your best bet. According to McNeil JK, LeBlanc EM and Joyner M. Psychologist studying the correlation between Exercise and depression in “The effect of exercise on depressive symptoms in the moderately depressed elderly. Psychol aging” reported that participants who participated in aerobic exercises for 30 minutes 4 times a week for 6 weeks experienced a clear reduction in depression while the results lasted for 3 month prior to the Withdrawal of the training program.

In addition, for those who are suffering with anger issues regardless of the cause; I highly urge you to seek exercises that include a lot of cardio in adjacent to one on one combat exercises. For instance, kick boxing is great form of treatment for those who struggle with this matter. Personally I struggle with this issue myself, specifically from my domestic abuse history. yet when I found out about tae-kwondo I discovered this inner peace that I Didn't think was possible anymore. Regardless of what happened to me, my instructor Taught me self-control and for that, I am forever Grateful.

Journaling

While exercising and waking up early are sure to be beneficial, Journaling serves you the freedom that you need. Expressing your thoughts unforgivingly is essential when moving forward with your life; Take it away! no one is watching! know the world is at the tip of your pen. Express what is in your heart and don’t look back! Journaling helps you prioritize your thoughts, making it accessible to track your progression while being able to pinpoint your weak areas. Self-awareness is the key here.

A study done by Joshua M Smyth,Jillian A Johnson,Brandon J Auer, Erik Lehman, Giampaolo Talamo, and Christopher N Sciamanna, showed that personal Journaling was associated with:

better metal health,
lowering anxiety,
mental stress and perceived stress

after one month of intervention as well as reduced mental distress across time.In addition, their Finding showed that personal journaling helped increase the effects of social interaction. Hopefully you are getting this by now, Journaling is great for your mental health! I’ve been writing in my journal for almost a year and I’m glad to say that I have something to look back on. When reflecting from my previous worries i’m shocked at how far I have come in regards to emotional maturity. It’s so easy to think that you arn’t progressing but having a physical document storing my past woes has showed me that I am constantly reaching my new height of self-awareness and emotional Intelligence and that I am thankful for.

Finding a creative outlet

Being able pour my heart into a hobby has helped me find purpose in this progressive world. Self expression has always been a struggle of mine, For some reason I believed that I had to “Act” a certain way to be accepted and therefore such ideologies bled over into other aspects of my life which is NOT beneficial at all.

I am still working on the matter but I found that when I am able to express myself through art or writing I am more fulfilled with my end results than I was before.

Taking small risks.

Comfort can be a Thief of joy. Sure, it can be Beneficial to stick to a schedule or remain in a sense of repetiveness however taking small risks can help you slowly get out of your shell and take on your next Endeavor. Before, I would always let my depression win in regards to my daily activities. Want to hang out with friends today? NOPE today you are going to cry in bed instead. Oh, It’s your friend birthday today why don’t I say hello. NOPEEE, your to weird your friend doesn’t want to talk to You know. Instead go watch tv and forget About it. etc etc….. As you can see, such forms of “comfort” is not beneficial to my mental or social life in any regard. Therefore I made a promise to take small risks in order to familiarize myself with Spontaneity.

weird? Maybe..

But I have to learn how to trust people again, and Connect to them beyond the stranger level. And to accomplish this goal I will have to take small risks in regards to trusting people to see greater results. YES, I Will Definitely stumble along the way but I like to see that as part of the fun. Make an investment towards your future, and take a risk. Please don’t go betting your whole life savings! but in order t reach whatever goal that you are setting, take notice and love yourself throughout your journey.

Therapy

Whatever problems you are facing, seeking professional health has a tremendous impact in regards to your Recovery. It’s Unfortunate that such events Occurred in the first place but Pleeaaassseee trust me when I tell you that you should NEVER be afraid or ashamed of seeking professional help. I have been seeking help for the past year now and if it wasn’t for my therapist I’m not sure where I would be. I don’t depend on them for everything but I do trust my therapist enough in order to help find a logical perspective towards my emotions.

I use psychology today to find a therapist in my area. The site offers a ton of categories in regards to type of therapy and related issues to choose from. In addition, I suggest finding a support group that has the potential to help aid you towards your recovery. I found that having people beside me that know what I am going through helps make me feel more rational when it Comes to my thoughts.

I will see you next time, and much love!

-Kierra

Depression during quarantine