Symptom of the Week – Mental Health

Mental health problems are more prevalent in today’s society than ever before and although it still has some way to go, more people are understanding the various mental health issues that exist and the different ways in which they can seek help.

With regards to chronic illness people may find they have developed mental health problems as a result of their condition/s or actually had mental health issues before becoming ill which have worsened as a result. Mental health has many different facets but the ones most related to chronic illness patients are anxiety and depression. According to the NHS website anxiety is a feeling of unease such as worry or fear that can be mild or severe. This can manifest itself in various ways including panic disorders, obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD), social anxiety disorder or phobias to name a few. Depression is described as feeling persistently sad for weeks or months rather than just a few days. With both these mental health conditions there is help available and you can get support to help you cope with how you are feeling.

My own experience

I have lived with mental health issues for a very long time – before I became ill and after. Before illness I suffered with anxiety including OCD and social anxiety and felt anxious about most situations. Once I became ill my anxiety continued and at times became worse as I worried all the time about becoming ill and catching things from others which would make my symptoms worse or that other people in my family would become ill and I would be unable to look after them. Rationally I knew these thoughts were not helpful but I felt a loss of control over myself after becoming ill and that was the real reason for my anxiety. Whilst waiting for my various diagnoses I felt my issues with mental health were used as a way by others to discredit my symptoms almost like it was all in my head and for a while I started to believe that maybe it was but how wrong they all were. Since diagnosis for my various conditions I have struggled mentally with coming to terms with my new life which you can read about in my blog post Mental Health and Chronic Illness here.

Counselling was a huge source of help for me as it helped me to come to terms with who I am now and whilst I am not the person I was before my illnesses that it is ok. Letting go of my past was something I was unable to do for a long time (and is still a daily challenge) but realising I can move forward whilst in a different way is really rewarding.

My tips for Mental Health – as always check with your doctor before trying any new tips or ideas.

• Speak to your doctor – If you are suffering with your mental health for whatever reason do not suffer alone. Speaking to your GP is the first step to getting better and just by having someone listen to you is a great sense of comfort.

• Find a counselling service – Finding a counselling service through your GP or independently can be one of the best things you can do. Again having the chance to speak to someone takes those negative thoughts out of your head and helps you to see things more clearly. With the current climate you don’t even need to visit someone face to face you can have telephone counselling or facetime all from the comfort of your own home. Don’t want to speak to a stranger? Then speak to a friend or family member as talking is extremely therapeutic.

• Learn about CBT – CBT (Cognitive Behavioural Therapy) is a great tool to have when it comes to negative thinking as it teaches you how you thoughts influence your feelings, your body and your behaviour. Change your thoughts you change your world.

• Manage stress levels – The more stressed you are the easier it is to become affected by your mental health. For tips on destressing read my blog posts here: How to Manage Stress at Home and Modern Day Stress and How to Manage it.

• Accept who you are – My battle with mental health has mostly focused on my inability to accept myself for who I am but doing just that – accepting yourself can make you see life in a whole different light. Your life may not be how you want it to be but it’s still YOUR life and that makes it pretty damn special. Some days will be harder than others – that’s life with a chronic condition but tomorrows a new day and a chance for something better.

For more information regarding mental health issues in relation to chronic illness or otherwise check out organisations such as Mind, Anxiety UK or Rethink Mental Illness all of which are great sources of information.

Next week’s symptom: IBS