Good to be back! I took a bit of a longer hiatus than expected, but I wanted to make sure I talked about Mental Health Awareness while it’s still technically May.

If you weren’t already aware, the month of May is recognized as Mental Health Awareness month. Mental health is an important topic to cover, and while it is becoming much more acceptable to talk openly about our mental well-being, it is still often something people are afraid to talk about. There’s still a stigma around it which can make it difficult for someone to speak up about the issues they’re having until they’ve reached a breaking point.

I, like probably 95% of the population at this point, have had my own struggles with mental health. Most of my teenage years and early 20’s were an emotional roller coaster ride – as it is for lots of people going through puberty and trying to figure out their place in this world.

I’ve had some really low lows, and it is sometimes hard to see the light at the end of the tunnel. I’ve been to therapy and I’ve been on a variety of anti-anxiety meds to help me get through the day. I’ve mentioned this in plenty of blog posts before and I don’t have any shame in admitting it. That’s what those things are there for, and why turn down help if you need it?

I am proud to say that I haven’t been to therapy since college, and I’ve now been off any kind of anxiety meds for three full years. I obviously still have hard days – who doesn’t? – but I’ve learned how to cope and what I need to do to help me get through it, and I’d like to share a couple of those coping strategies with you today. Take it with a grain of salt – what helps me, may not be affective for everyone. But it doesn’t hurt to try, right?

The first one shouldn’t surprise anyone: exercise. It truly does work wonders. It not only helps you blow off some much needed frustration, but it also helps distract you from what may be going on in your head as well. It might sound silly, but the physical “pain” of that workout can sometimes take your mind off the mental pain. It gives you something else to focus on instead.

On the other hand, sometimes I use exercise as a way to dig deeper into what’s going on inside my head. A couple of months ago I wrote a blog about running and how I sometimes use runs as a personal therapy session. Sometimes, taking that running time to analyze it and look at it from different perspectives can help calm me down as well. If it doesn’t work, then at least I’m getting in some nice scenery to distract me instead. 🙂

Just keeping myself busy in general is another way I’ve learned to deal with my anxiety. Because you know what definitely doesn’t help it? Sitting there with nothing to do but worry about it. Then I start going down rabbit holes and worst case scenarios start running through my head. If I keep myself busy – whether it’s with work, hobbies, exercise, cooking, cleaning, whatever! It helps keep my mind off of whatever may be causing my anxiety.

Now, I know the coping mechanisms I’ve mentioned so far are not resolutions. They may sound a lot more like ways to brush it off or sweep the issue under the rug. However, I’ve learned that 90% of the things I get worked up about are not things worth getting worked up about in the first place. Exercising or keeping myself busy for a while is an opportunity to point my thoughts in a different direction so that hopefully, by the time they come back to whatever got me worked up, I’ve realized it really wasn’t that big of a deal to begin with.

It can be a bit more challenging when it comes to some of the bigger things – things that ARE a big deal and may not go away on their own. One thing that has really helped me is to surround myself with the right people.

Just as one example, I can’t tell you how lucky I am to have someone like Dan in my life. Having a supportive partner who’s there for me to work through some of life’s challenges is something I don’t take for granted. When one of us is hurting or struggling, we’re both struggling and hurting. It takes time and effort, but we work together to come up with a solution, and I know as long as I have him, I never have to go through anything alone.

Finally, something I’ve noticed just in the last couple of years even, is that sometimes gaining life experience and growing older plays a part in how I handle my anxiety as well. I’m only 30, so I’m still very young, but even at 30 I look back at some of the things I used to get worked up about and wonder why I ever worried about it at all. What felt like the end of the world then, seems so minor now. I’m sure most of you have heard of the 5-by-5 rule, and it’s pretty fitting here. Ask yourself, “is this going to matter five years from now?” If the answer is no, then there’s no need to spend more than five minutes worrying about it.

Dan can confirm I’m still working on the 5-by-5 rule, and he’s gotta remind me of it from time to time, but it is something that helps put things into perspective.

And obviously therapy and anxiety medication are also ways to help you with your anxiety if no other options work for you. I do feel like they both helped me greatly during some trying times and I don’t regret using these tools. I simply don’t feel like I’m in that same head space where I need it anymore.

So, even though Mental Health Awareness month is coming to a close, it’s important to always pay attention to your own mental health and keep it healthy just like you’d keep the rest of your body healthy. 

I hope some of these tips can work for you and I’m always willing to listen if anyone needs someone to talk to about their own struggles. 

Until next time! 🙂 

Megan Nelson