I’ve written already in this blog series about coping through creativity and some of the little things that might help pick us up on the bad days, but it’s so important to make time to take care of yourself on the good days as well. I know I have struggled with a reluctance to prioritise self-care; it feels selfish and self-indulgent, and I can always come up with a long list of things I ‘should’ be doing instead. The reality is, that we need to take care of ourselves or we may find that we succumb more easily to the bad days. I’m not suggesting that self-care is a catch all preventative measure. Self-care won’t stop depression in it’s tracks, or magically eradicate compulsions and obsessive thoughts, or mean you’ll never have a panic attack again. What it will do though is increase your self awareness, and hopefully help you manage yourself and your bad days in a healthier way. We don’t try to eat a healthily balanced diet or maintain a balanced lifestyle because it’s a guarantee that we’ll never get ill, but because it’s healthy. It’s good for us. Self-care is a balanced lifestyle and healthy diet for your mind and soul.

There are lots of tips and tricks and self-care challenges available online. The one above is one I found on Pinterest and set up in my journal, with some of my own tweaks and additions. I know that I am very unlikely to do one of these activities every day, and that I would end up making myself feel guilty about it, so instead of trying to do one a day, I am making a conscious effort to do one every time I find myself with a few minutes, and am recording which ones I have done. This way I can see how often I am prioritising my own self-care without creating a pressurised situation for myself. After all, self care should be something we enjoy and look forward to, something that relaxes us, not something that becoms a stressor.

What are your favourite ways to take care of yourself?

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If you or someone you know is struggling with mental health then please don’t be afraid to reach out and talk to someone. You are not alone and help is available. By opening up and starting the conversation we can move forward together and look to a mentally healthy future. Below are links to a range of fantastic organisations that can provide information, advice and services.

The Samaritans – http://www.samaritans.org

Mind – http://www.mind.org.uk

Young Minds – http://www.youngminds.org.uk

Papyrus (prevention of young suicide) – https://www.papyrus-uk.org

Self Harm UK – https://www.selfharm.co.uk

Time to Change – http://www.time-to-change.org.uk

Rethink Mental Illness – http://www.rethink.org

American Foundation for Suicide Prevention – https://www.afsp.org

Please do not struggle alone.