When You're Struggling

 

I'm currently working on a couple of other posts but since I've been going through a bit of a hard time lately, I thought I'd start with one on the subject of feeling better when you're struggling.

Disclaimer: I'm not a doctor, so if you're having mental/physical issues please seek medical help in addition to reading this. :)

I've been up and down this year, but been feeling quite depressed for much of the time. I have depression and anxiety and have times when one or the other is worse. In late summer my boy cat died which made things worse. I'd lost his sister two years before. :( I also become a bit more depressed transitioning into autumn, because I'm a summer person and have a bit of Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) during the winter.

Since last year I've been attending courses and classes at my local mental health resource centre and it does help. I also look for ways to manage the depression and anxiety. But sometimes I feel at a low ebb and struggle to see the point in anything. If you're feeling the same, I hope that some resources I share here can help you. :)

 

Update 14/10/22: I have removed some links that no longer work to tidy this post up a bit and intend to add more in the future. :)


Important: If you are feeling suicidal here are some links to where you can find people qualified to help you right now:

http://lostallhope.com/help-me


UK/UK and Ireland specific:

Samaritans: https://www.samaritans.org/how-we-can-help-you/contact-us

NHS links (UK based): https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/suicide/ 

Childline (for children and young people): https://www.childline.org.uk/info-advice/your-feelings/mental-health/suicide/


Australia and New Zealand: https://www.blackdoginstitute.org.au/emergency-help/  

 
US and UK: https://psychcentral.com/lib/common-hotline-phone-numbers


International:

https://ibpf.org/resource/list-of-international-suicide-hotlines/

 
https://www.befrienders.org/other-helpline-organisations

https://www.nowmattersnow.org/help-line

https://metanoia.org/suicide/


Update 4/11/19: Here's another helpful link: https://www.helpguide.org/articles/suicide-prevention/are-you-feeling-suicidal.htm

Now here are a few links that I hope can help. :)


First of all I'd like to share this post from Amy Clover who runs Strong Inside Out (written on the To Write Love On Her Arms site) about making today better even when she's struggling: https://twloha.com/blog/even-when-i-struggle/

And a couple more from Amy:

All You Need to Do Is Breathe: https://twloha.com/blog/all-you-need-to-do-is-breathe/

5 Things to Remember When You're Struggling Emotionally: https://www.mindbodygreen.com/0-17991/5-things-to-remember-when-youre-struggling-emotionally.html (redirects to another article)
 

Good article about how to keep going when you feel like giving up: https://medium.com/@2squarewriting/when-you-feel-you-cant-go-on-da5437f0abd0


Self-Love Rainbow (formerly Blessing Manifesting) post about self-care for bad mental health days: https://www.selfloverainbow.com/self-care-for-bad-mental-health-days

Article about living with suicidal thoughts (written from a pagan perspective.): https://www.patheos.com/blogs/johnbeckett/2018/03/living-thoughts-suicide-personal-story.html

Message to those suffering with their mental health: https://www.itslaurenvictoria.co.uk/to-those-who-are-suffering-with-their/

Kelsey Aida video on dealing with negative emotions:  https://kelseyaida.com/theinspirationalblog/how-to-deal-with-negative-emotions

Post about healing from traumatic experiences in life: https://hellomalavika.com/2019/08/30/how-to-heal-from-traumatic-experiences-in-life/

About coping with bad mental health days: http://www.abeautifulchaos.co.uk/2017/05/how-i-cope-with-bad-mental-health-days.html

The tip that particularly stood out for me here (in the last post above) is, "Remind myself that everything is temporary". It's like the quote, "This too shall pass". It does make me feel better sometimes to think how life is cyclical, and things go up and down.


A couple of suggestions

I'd also like to share a couple of things I try to feel better.

While working on this post I looked over some old writing exercises I did a few years ago. They are from a e-book called Feeling Good When Life is Hard which came from Marthe Hagan of The Freedom Experiment. It was a free download. If I could link to it I would, but the site isn't currently active. But I hope you can get some idea from what I share below. :) You can read an old interview with Marthe about her and The Freedom Experiment here: https://thegirlwhoknows.com/get-to-know-marthe-hagen-of-the-freedom-experiment/

Update 14/10/22: The site above is now gone.
 

The exercise I'm sharing here is about things you can do when you're feeling low. You write a "Love List" of things you love and activities you like to do, then you make lists of things you can do to help when you're going through a down period. There are various stages, feeling empty and unfulfilled, struggling and hanging by a thread. So mine are activities like listen to music, play a Playstation game, watch a film, go out for a walk, journal or write a story, read self help/Law of Attraction books and blogs etc. One of the things I especially like is re-reading a favourite book. If I'm feeling really bad, something I might do is watch a gameshow like Takeshi's Castle because it doesn't require a lot of thought.

Another idea is creative coping strategies. For example some of mine are writing, journalling, knitting, baking and blogging. You might want to try something like this and see if it helps you. :)


And also the book You Can Do All Things has been helpful. I got it for my birthday in March and have been looking over it when I feel low. It's by Kate Allan and has lovely pictures and encouraging messages for when you feel down. It also contains tips for when you're feeling depressed or anxious. The full title is You Can Do All Things: Drawings, Affirmations and Mindfulness to Help with Anxiety and Depression.

Follow Kate on Tumblr here: https://thelatestkate.tumblr.com/

I also know that Matt Haig's Reasons to Stay Alive has helped a lot of people. I've read it and didn't massively connect with it, but thought I would share. :) For more on Matt visit his website: http://www.matthaig.com/

Finally here are a few more links on depression, emotions and mental health:


My posts:

Depession resources: https://fallingpetalsuk.blogspot.com/2014/06/depression-resources.html

Feeling Your Emotions- Sadness and Depression (Part 1): https://fallingpetalsuk.blogspot.com/2018/07/feeling-your-emotions-sadness-and.html

FYE- Sadness and Depression (Part 2): https://fallingpetalsuk.blogspot.com/2018/08/feeling-your-emotions-sadness-and.html


For all the posts in the Feeling Your Emotions series to date, click the label "FYE" when on the posts above, or visit this one: https://fallingpetalsuk.blogspot.com/2019/07/feeling-your-emotions-neutral.html

My Pinterest Mental Health board: https://www.pinterest.co.uk/moonsparkle84/mental-health/

Having passing suicidal thoughts: https://anxiouslass.com/suicidal-thoughts-not-suicidal/

Tips for everyday living from Mind: https://www.mind.org.uk/information-support/tips-for-everyday-living/  

Update: I previously linked to a site called MOODJUICE site above but it now redirects to this NHS Inform site: https://www.nhsinform.scot/illnesses-and-conditions/mental-health

Self help list of sites and apps: https://soyvirgo.com/self-help-list/


I'm sorry if you've also been struggling lately.  Hope some of this is useful. :) I find that a lot of the time I just want someone to be kind and understand. Kindness is so important. What things help you when you're going through a hard time?


Photo: Buckingham Park, Shoreham-by-sea. Moonsparkle 2019.