Hey Readers!
When it comes to mental health, a lot of the mainstream discourse surrounding the topic will highlight solutions that serve as a “quick fix”. Have you ever seen online articles that suggest self-care practices such as drinking herbal tea or eating comfort food? Perhaps you’ve seen articles that suggest self-care practices such as using bath bombs in a bath or applying face masks. I’m not suggesting that these practices aren’t helpful for some people and situations—as Sylvia Plath once wrote: “There must be quite a few things that a hot bath won’t cure, but I don’t know many of them.”
What I am suggesting is that these self-care practices are not a one size fits all fix. Sometimes, the first step towards self-care is understanding that not being okay is okay.
- Self Recognition:
Recognizing and understanding that you’re dealing with a difficult situation or mindset is the first step to healing. If you ignore or even push away these thoughts and feelings, it can make what you’re going through worse in the long run. Understanding your feelings and recognizing that there is an issue can help yourself on how to move forward. It can even help your peers, employer, and family on how they can accommodate your situation.
One way to come to a better understanding of your feelings/ situation is through writing. You can do this by keeping a journal/diary or even keeping a log of your symptoms on your phone through a mood tracking app. I really like the app, Breathe https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=org.stopbreathethink.app&hl=en
It enables you to track your mood weekly, and if you’re in a dire situation, you can access free meditation and mindfulness sessions at the touch of a finger. And best of all—It’s free!
2. Self-Compassion:
Sometimes self-compassion doesn’t go as planned. Sometimes we fall behind, we stray from our goals, or we fall into a negative mindset. That is one thing that the mainstream self-care narrative doesn’t address. What about the days where baths, miracle teas, and binge watching Netflix shows doesn’t seem to help? What about the days where you’re falling apart, you’re depressed, you’re manic, or you’re anxious? These are the times to practice self-compassion.
Self-compassion entails that you recognize your feelings, allow yourself to feel what you’re feeling, and then accommodate to your situation. For instance, let’s say that you’re going through a stressful week with millions of deadlines and obligations—you’re feeling extremely anxious and irritable most days. What can you do?
1. You can recognize what you’re going through by tracking your feelings/symptoms.
2. You can allow yourself to feel what you’re feeling.You do not have to put on a front or pretend to be okay. Your feelings are valid!
3. Tell a friend, family member, employer, or counsellor about your situation.They can accommodate to your needs and be there to support you through whatever you’re going through.
Self-compassion also entails that if you lose your way, you should not give up hope for progress and recovery. It often feels like if you mess up, or if you feel stuck, you are unable to move forward. You can still move forward despite these challenges. It may take a while, but recognizing that it may not always be easy is the first step. Sometimes, going backwards may mean that you might need to reevaluate your needs—and that’s okay too! Self-compassion allows you to move forward in a way that is not harmful to your mental health. Compassion shouldn’t just be practiced towards others, but ourselves too!
In conclusion, self-care can be whatever helps you to move through a difficult situation. Whether that be a simple solution like a bath, or getting through the mechanics of why you’re feeling this way. It is important to recognize what you’re going through. And sometimes its rough, its raw, but still very much needed.
Resources to Check out:
1. Uvic Counselling Services: https://www.uvic.ca/services/counselling/appointments/index.php
2. Interfaith Chapel Meditation: https://www.uvic.ca/multifaith/events/learning/meditation/index.php
3. Uvic Peer Support Centre: https://uvss.ca/peer-support-centre/
4. Vancouver Island Youth Clinic: http://www.victoriayouthclinic.ca/services
5. Vancouver Island Crisis Society: http://www.vicrisis.ca/
Thanks for reading, everyone.
– Teresa
The views expressed in this blog are my own, and do not necessarily reflect the policies or views of the University of Victoria. I monitor posts and comments to ensure all content complies with the University of Victoria Guidelines on Blogging.