We are currently in the middle of one of my less favorite times of the year: winter. Do not be misunderstood, there are many aspects of the winter that I love. But a very small amount of those things tend to happen in January/February. Whether it is a seasonal affective disorder or a natural reaction to the lack of sunlight and, in general, the cold climate, winter can be difficult and lead us to be more prone to mental health challenges. At times like this, I often feel that I want to take my foot from the gas when it comes to my mental health. But, in fact, this is actually the time of the year when our mental health tools kits can do a lot of good. While I always recommend trying new techniques and strategies to improve your mental health, it changes a bit during this time of the year. At this time of the year, I try to continue with what works.
Now, what does it mean to something “work” for us? Perhaps something is easy to handle for us, or that is natural for us, but I have a slightly different perspective. When it comes to my mental health, knowing what works for me depends on one thing above all: what symptoms, if there is any, they are being triggered at that time.
When I say that my symptoms are being activated, I not only mean how I feel at that time. In fact, I take a step back and try to think about how my mental health is affecting me. This could mean crossing the long list of anxiety or depression symptoms. It could also mean thinking if these symptoms feel new or if they happen more than they used to do. It is a kind of self -assessment, to try to understand the problem in question. If you don’t understand the problem, how can you find the solution?
If I can discover my symptoms, then it is time to take the next step and attack them. Over the years, I have compiled several mental health tips and techniques, all of which are solutions to specific symptoms or problems. Over time, I have been able to identify the right technique for the situation, and I can imagine what is needed at that time. Do I always succeed in doing this? At all. But I am better than I used to do it, and that is a great victory.
Whether building mental well -being or fighting mental health challenges, this is a time of the year in which people are particularly prone to feel worse than usual (and that is not even factoring in * everything * that is happening in the world today). While we should pay special attention to our well -being, we must also remember what works for us, what heals us and what helps us. Spring or summer could be the time to try something new or out of the wall for our mental health. But if you know that reading a book gives you peace, or building a list of pending tasks to eliminate it will help you feel done, please go for it. Small victories are added and at this time of the year, I know that I could use all the little victories that I can get.
Is there any special way to take care of your mental health during the winter? Do you think this time of the year is more difficult for your mental health than for others? Avise me in the comments!
