The thing that strikes most mental health professionals, is how commonly their patients view their mental health conditions is subjective. In other words, they feel as if they’re the only ones going through turmoil and anguish of that nature. When you’re surrounded by people that seem more stable and more ‘normal’ than you, we tend to bottle up our concerns. We’re frightened of being the black sheep, the ugly duckling and or the sore thumb. We don’t want to be the only one who has mental health issues because it would go against the pack or herd we’re involved with. But, it's not subjective, you’re not alone and you aren’t the only one going through turmoil.
Social media groups
Among other things, social media is a great tool to use if you would like to meet and speak with people experiencing the same conditions you are. Using various hashtags, you can get involved with the conversation. In fact, this is an international conversation as the one clear advantage social media has over other mediums is the ability for you to talk with people from all backgrounds, nationalities, and ages. Facebook in particular, has the best group functions and systems. You can join various local, regional, and global mental health groups, who can give you more than words of advice. These groups post links to articles regarding the medical study of mental health conditions, they will help you find local treatments and centers of help and give you coping advice.
Lockdown blues
Now we understand how important it is to speak with people and express our views. The pandemic has caused a lockdown which has, in turn, caused many mental health sufferers to be away from their point of contact. You may be unable to speak regularly with your mental health support worker, your doctor, or perhaps your friends and family. Services like online therapy and counseling are incredibly valuable during this time. Most people will initially be apprehensive because speaking over an internet connection is emotionally and physically different from speaking with someone in-person. Using video conferencing software, you can make a video or audio call to a mental health professional. However, with modern webcams, you can also have eye contact, clear and crisp verbal communication, and even share documents with your therapist.
The more you read
We’re all in the same boat; i.e. stuck indoors. Let’s grab this opportunity with both hands and read more about our conditions. There are plenty of articles that are still being published and research is still ongoing. In fact, new additions of opinion and study are being shared with the scope of the pandemic and how it is affecting lots of condition types. Using Google search, type in the particular condition you have and use the tools function to filter journals and articles to the latest releases. You’ll find the most recent publications and research that have moved the understanding forward.
No, you’re not the only one experiencing your mental health condition. Using social media, you can find groups who can give you guidance and support in so many different ways. Start doing that now, since we all have so much free time.
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