Mental health has always been something that is really big in my life. Mostly because I’ve struggled with mine for years. And thats okay. Mental health is real and something that people really do struggle with. It may suck but everyone who battles with it is a fighter. Maybe today you are feeling like you are losing your battle with your mental illness. You feel like its winning because you can’t get the bad thoughts to stop and you want to do things that are not healthy. This quarantine is not helping a lot of people with mental illness. Therapy is getting cancelled. Resources are closing. You’re stuck inside with nothing to distract you. You could be right back in the situation you were trying to get out of. There’s a lot of people who struggle with addictions. Addictions to different things like gambling, alcohol, drugs, self harm, etc. People are really dealing with these things whether or not you want to admit it and this time is probably really hard for them. I know it’s been extra hard on me. This is the times that we need to be checking in on our friends to make sure that they are doing okay. I have friends that were doing fine and are now struggling because of the quarantine. I have friends who college was their life and their college closed because of the virus and now they’re stuck at home trying to learn to do school online and having to balance school and their families. Check on your college friends, because they are struggling. Check on your friends and family who struggle with depression. This time of not being about to see friends and some family may be really hard. The fact that we need to stay in our houses might be causing their symptoms to flare or get worse and lead to the want to do things like stay in bed all day, forgo showers, forgo food, etc. This time might be really hard on them. You need to check on them. Check on your friends and family who struggle with anxiety. I can tell you that since the corona virus stuff has started happening, my anxiety has been a lot higher and I’m quite sure I’m not the only one. Anxiety about will I get in trouble for going out. Anxiety about what would happen if I got sick. Anxiety about what would happen if my family members got sick. Anxiety about what would happen if my family members and friends who have bad immune systems got sick. Anxiety about am I in the high risk category for xyz. Anxiety right now is real y’all. Please don’t downgrade someone because they are struggling with their anxiety or are now having anxiety because of this. It’s a lot to deal with and anxiety is a valid bodily response. Check on your friends and family who need routine in their lives. Routines were thrown out the window and building new routines take time. A routine of getting up at a certain time, doing these set things before work, going to work, coming home and doing these set things. These routines were uprooted and thrown around. Someone who might’ve had a routine probably lost in through all of this. Routine helps some people stay stable and without that routine they feel so out of control with their lives at a time where everything feels out of control. Check on those with various mental illnesses. Those with borderline personality disorder may not be able to see their fp and it could be sending them into a tailspin. They may feel like they are going to be abandoned if their loved ones get sick and is getting paranoid about that or their paranoia about texting could be getting a lot worse since they can’t see the people in person they want to talk to. People with OCD could be having a flare up with their compulsions. They could have been doing exposure therapy and learning to not do things like excessive wash hands and now be told that’s what they need to be doing. People with bipolar could be struggle with either mania or depression or both at the same time since nothing is stable. Those with agoraphobia could be having an increase in their anxiety about things like leaving the house and could feel stuck in their house after this is all over because of the anxiety of leaving the house and being told not to leave the house. Check on your immunocompromised friends and family. They may be struggle with additional anxiety about if they get sick. Or if someone brings the sickness to them. They may need help with getting medication or groceries. Or just someone to listen. Check on your older family and friends. See of they need anything. See if you can do anything for them or just brighten their day by talking to them. Check on your essential worker friends and family, especially those in the medical field. They are probably struggling with everything that is going on and is fighting extra anxiety about bringing the virus home to family or roommates. They might be seeing a lot of death and it could be taking a toll on them. Check on your friends and family who have struggles with addictions. Addictions are no joke and getting clean is hard. But staying clean is harder. They may be struggling right now to stay clean because they have nothing to do and the urges are getting bad again. Or their anxiety and depression are flaring and they feel like that will help them. Encourage them. Talk to them. Check in on them. Make sure they are doing okay. Support them in anyway you can. Everyone is dealing with this differently. We need to be checking in on our friends and family during this time to make sure that they are doing alright. If you are struggling right now, please reach out to someone be it a friend or a family member or even a hot line. Please reach out and get the help you need. The world needs you in it. Hold onto hope and stay strong. Madison Rae <3
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