People Are Applauding This Twitter Thread That Lists Actions People Struggling With Their Mental Health Can Take To Feel Better
Life hits hard. And when it knocks you down, getting back up can be even harder. So writer Beth McColl made a list of “baby steps” that people who struggle with their mental health can take in order to get back on their feet.
“Try to pick a few and do them, but if you can’t, that’s valid too,” she tweeted sharing the tips.
Even though the thread is a few years old, its content is timeless. With everything that’s going on in the world, we need to find time for ourselves more than ever. According to Mental Health America, even before COVID-19, the prevalence of mental illness among adults was increasing. In 2017-2018, 19% of adults experienced a mental illness, an increase of 1.5 million people over last year’s dataset.
Throughout 2020, the number of people screening with moderate to severe symptoms of depression and anxiety continued to increase and remains higher than rates prior to COVID-19.
So let’s revisit McColl’s thread. It’s worth it even if it helps just one person.
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Dr. Tamar Chansky, who is a licensed psychologist and the Founder of the Children’s and Adult Center for OCD and Anxiety in Plymouth Meeting, PA, told Bored Panda that people don’t have it together one hundred percent of the time. Ups and downs are normal.
“Anxiety that comes and goes is part of the human experience,” Dr. Chansky said. “But when anxiety takes on a life of its own, in other words, it’s not in response to a stressor, it’s a default setting and feels uncontrollable, interferes with one’s functioning or negatively impacts the subjective experience of life and well-being, then we consider the anxiety at a clinical level.”
The author of Freeing Your Child from Anxiety and Freeing Yourself from Anxiety has an article on her website, called Name that (Worry) Tune: How to Catch Worry Early, Before it Catches You. It’s a comprehensive read that also tries to help people to regain control — just like McColl’s thread.
“The key to ending the torturous repetition of anxious thoughts comes from that classic television game show where you win by being able to recognize a tune from just the first few notes,” Dr. Chansky writes. “Instead of dropping everything when you hear—’You screwed up!’ or ‘How do you know it’s going to work out?’ and launching yourself on a worry mission to identify and address every single negative outcome you can imagine, save yourself the trip. And the anguish. Everyone’s worry sounds the same. Right? Mine, yours, your Uncle Joey’s, the equivalent of Uncle Joey half-way across the globe. What does that tell us?”
The psychologist explains that “if we can name that tune of Depression’s Greatest Hits and Worry Classics, instead of thinking that these doubts and fears mean something specific about you, you can realize that they mean something universal about change or uncertainty.”
“It’s a knee-jerk neurological reaction to not knowing. Nothing more, nothing less,” Cr. Chansky adds. So when you hear the tell-tale, ‘what if?’ or, ‘oh no!’ give your anxiety a nod and acknowledge its presence. However, you then have to get back on track with what you were doing before you were so (rudely) interrupted. “Your best information comes from your thoughtful mind, not the jumpy part that’s ready to give up or freak out at the blink of an eye.”
Fire up Dr. Chansky’s piece to learn more strategies to quickly pinpoint and dismiss the sound of worry.
Here’s what people said about the list after it went viral
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That's true, but even putting in the smallest amount of effort for any one thing on this list will give you a sense of purpose or at least make you feel good about accomplishing something, you know? I know how hard it is to even do the simplist task sometimes, but, you at least should try! I believe in you!🖤
Load More Replies...This is probably the best advice i've ever received and I've gone to therapy....maybe it's time for me to find a new therapist, the last 2 gave me packets of homework to do...that's a great idea but unobtainable when I'm struggling to shower daily and brush my teeth.
Load More Replies...Make your bed. Get right back in if you need to, but it will feel nice to be in a cleaner feeling space instead of a pile of blankets and clothes
I force myself to make my bed every single morning. That way, if I do nothing else that day, I can at least say I've done that!
Load More Replies...I can't believe that the unfollow someone who makes me feel inadequate was what I needed to hear today. Why do we do that to ourselves?
I would add to open the windows & get fresh air in - even if you go back to bed, also try to put fresh bed linen on - even if one bit at a time Xx
I do that sometimes, even if it takes a couple of days. This list is really good for chronic fatigue too.
Load More Replies...This isn’t necessarily true .. for me when people say things like this it just adds to the depression .. because now I feel alone and not understood and devalued .. if this is something you believe and it helps you that’s awesome and I never want to take that from you .. but there are no guarantees in life .. people suffer and die suffering and this is reality .. having hope for life is good .. trying to force things that aren’t guaranteed in order to force someone to be hopeful is harmful to so many people
Load More Replies...Those are actually valid tips. Thank you! When I feel like sh*t, I want everybody to leave me alone. I could send a text to say how I'm feeling, but they would respond by asking some questions and that's not what I need at that moment. Maybe we should learn to tell close people how to react when you're depressed/down. Anyway, I hope all of you are doing ok. If today sucks, tomorrow is a new opportunity for a good day :-)
1. Don't tell me how to handle my mental illness. 2. You're not my therapist. 3. This is extremely condescending.
This makes sense - Even for a person like me with cronic migraine and stress.... If I make 1 Thing that makes me feel better... YES
The term "hell toilet" killed me. Bless her loving sweet heart. This woman is casually out here trying to save the legions of drowning souls. And using terminology we can appreciate.
Take a walk and have a goal with your walk. To set a goal is important. Don´t just walk aimlessly. The goal can be really small and simple, like to buy milk, go window shopping or watch a beautiful view for some minutes. This will not solve your problems with mental health, but your mind will focuse on something else than your mental health. You shift focus from yourself to the outside world and your mind will have something new to ponder about. I suffer from crippling anxiety (GAD) and these small walks with equally small goals have saved me many times. (Sorry for bad English)
This does work. When I had my severe back pain, and problems, I would just change my pajamas, nut even the undies! I didn't brush my teeth for a week, and it does make you feel at least a bit more hopeful, at least as long as your breath is fresh.. I went once two months without washing my hair, it was winter so it never stunk, but brushing it was as much as I could stand. So, THANK YOU, FOR SUCH GREAT IDEAS FOR PEOPLE, dealing with mental health issues. I also went weeks and never left the house. Didn't see anyone but my husband, and was on pain meds round the clock and that, makes you feel like crap, on top of all the pain. So, even thinking about doing something good for myself, was hard. Thank you, again. And thank you, to my three younger sisters, who all said similar things to me, on the phone. They never knew if I did them or not, but I always said thank you, I will try..
The importance of managing ANY PART of a routine, cannot be over-stated. And self-care is the most basic, most necessary, most overlooked care in the world. Thank you for this list ... it reads like a "how to" from - and for - someone who feels "I just can't"!!
In other words, you need a ritual. I had this idea for a while. Always helps me.
Is there a thread like this for people who have to work a demanding job, have a family, home duties, and extended family in the hospital? Because my mental health is struggling too but I can't do a lot of these because too many people depend on me to get through the day in one piece and I don't have enough time to take care of myself.
What doesn't she get? This can all be incredibly helpful to someone who is struggling. It's not a cure all, but it's a step.
Load More Replies...Good point, but, see... Even when you're surrounded with great medical professionals doing the best they can to help their patients, they won't know you exist if it's not you the one who makes the first step. Making this first step takes effort and stepping out of your comfort zone. It's more likely that a person who's suffering, and didn't find the courage to seeking help, will come across posts like these than make an appointment, because browsing the Internet takes literally 0 effort.
Load More Replies...That's true, but even putting in the smallest amount of effort for any one thing on this list will give you a sense of purpose or at least make you feel good about accomplishing something, you know? I know how hard it is to even do the simplist task sometimes, but, you at least should try! I believe in you!🖤
Load More Replies...This is probably the best advice i've ever received and I've gone to therapy....maybe it's time for me to find a new therapist, the last 2 gave me packets of homework to do...that's a great idea but unobtainable when I'm struggling to shower daily and brush my teeth.
Load More Replies...Make your bed. Get right back in if you need to, but it will feel nice to be in a cleaner feeling space instead of a pile of blankets and clothes
I force myself to make my bed every single morning. That way, if I do nothing else that day, I can at least say I've done that!
Load More Replies...I can't believe that the unfollow someone who makes me feel inadequate was what I needed to hear today. Why do we do that to ourselves?
I would add to open the windows & get fresh air in - even if you go back to bed, also try to put fresh bed linen on - even if one bit at a time Xx
I do that sometimes, even if it takes a couple of days. This list is really good for chronic fatigue too.
Load More Replies...This isn’t necessarily true .. for me when people say things like this it just adds to the depression .. because now I feel alone and not understood and devalued .. if this is something you believe and it helps you that’s awesome and I never want to take that from you .. but there are no guarantees in life .. people suffer and die suffering and this is reality .. having hope for life is good .. trying to force things that aren’t guaranteed in order to force someone to be hopeful is harmful to so many people
Load More Replies...Those are actually valid tips. Thank you! When I feel like sh*t, I want everybody to leave me alone. I could send a text to say how I'm feeling, but they would respond by asking some questions and that's not what I need at that moment. Maybe we should learn to tell close people how to react when you're depressed/down. Anyway, I hope all of you are doing ok. If today sucks, tomorrow is a new opportunity for a good day :-)
1. Don't tell me how to handle my mental illness. 2. You're not my therapist. 3. This is extremely condescending.
This makes sense - Even for a person like me with cronic migraine and stress.... If I make 1 Thing that makes me feel better... YES
The term "hell toilet" killed me. Bless her loving sweet heart. This woman is casually out here trying to save the legions of drowning souls. And using terminology we can appreciate.
Take a walk and have a goal with your walk. To set a goal is important. Don´t just walk aimlessly. The goal can be really small and simple, like to buy milk, go window shopping or watch a beautiful view for some minutes. This will not solve your problems with mental health, but your mind will focuse on something else than your mental health. You shift focus from yourself to the outside world and your mind will have something new to ponder about. I suffer from crippling anxiety (GAD) and these small walks with equally small goals have saved me many times. (Sorry for bad English)
This does work. When I had my severe back pain, and problems, I would just change my pajamas, nut even the undies! I didn't brush my teeth for a week, and it does make you feel at least a bit more hopeful, at least as long as your breath is fresh.. I went once two months without washing my hair, it was winter so it never stunk, but brushing it was as much as I could stand. So, THANK YOU, FOR SUCH GREAT IDEAS FOR PEOPLE, dealing with mental health issues. I also went weeks and never left the house. Didn't see anyone but my husband, and was on pain meds round the clock and that, makes you feel like crap, on top of all the pain. So, even thinking about doing something good for myself, was hard. Thank you, again. And thank you, to my three younger sisters, who all said similar things to me, on the phone. They never knew if I did them or not, but I always said thank you, I will try..
The importance of managing ANY PART of a routine, cannot be over-stated. And self-care is the most basic, most necessary, most overlooked care in the world. Thank you for this list ... it reads like a "how to" from - and for - someone who feels "I just can't"!!
In other words, you need a ritual. I had this idea for a while. Always helps me.
Is there a thread like this for people who have to work a demanding job, have a family, home duties, and extended family in the hospital? Because my mental health is struggling too but I can't do a lot of these because too many people depend on me to get through the day in one piece and I don't have enough time to take care of myself.
What doesn't she get? This can all be incredibly helpful to someone who is struggling. It's not a cure all, but it's a step.
Load More Replies...Good point, but, see... Even when you're surrounded with great medical professionals doing the best they can to help their patients, they won't know you exist if it's not you the one who makes the first step. Making this first step takes effort and stepping out of your comfort zone. It's more likely that a person who's suffering, and didn't find the courage to seeking help, will come across posts like these than make an appointment, because browsing the Internet takes literally 0 effort.
Load More Replies...
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