April 2020 Mental Health Check-in

keikilove · April 2020

U.S: National Suicide Prevention : 1-800-273-TALK [8255]

Chat option: https://chat.suicidepreventionlifeline.org/GetHelp/LifelineChat.aspx

Link to Canadian Resources: https://suicideprevention.ca/need-help/

This is a safe place for more detailed support in mental health, struggles, and successes. Whereas general stress and issues are often discussed in R/R of dailies, this place is for a more focused discussion of the impact of mental health. Members are encouraged to use thoughtfulness and depth to examine feelings, barriers, and useful supports.

This post can be replied to at any time during the month. Not limited to those with a mental health diagnosis, but please be sensitive to others. We will attempt to be as flame free as possible!

Feel free to share, vent, or support other members on this thread. Share a picture/gif that expresses how you feel or provides some comfort.

If you need help getting started, consider filling out the form below:

Mental Health Diagnosis (if you have been) or What brings you to this thread today?:

Status (WTO/TWW/Benched/TTA):

How are you feeling?

Where are you in your mental health journey? (in treatment, looking for support, on meds, in counseling, having a rough day, etc.)

ashaislurking · April 2020

Mental Health Diagnosis (if you have been) or What brings you to this thread today?: Type II Bipolar Disorder

Status (WTO/TWW/Benched/TTA): WTO

How are you feeling? Honestly I've been feeling pretty exhausted lately. I've been slacking on my self care and have been trying to do a million things at once. I need to take the time to slow down.

Where are you in your mental health journey? (in treatment, looking for support, on meds, in counseling, having a rough day, etc.): I haven't been in counseling for a while. I actually need to start looking for a new therapist who specializes in treating other mental health professionals and I don't even know where to start. I know I can't see any of the therapists in my city because of dual relationships concerns - I've either worked or interned for almost every agency here or have the potential to work for them in the near future. Makes it a little hard sometimes.

The Active Minds group at my alma mater sent this out to everyone who still uses a campus email as an April challenge. I thought some of you might find it interesting too. The challenge is to complete every square throughout the month.

stillcozy · April 2020

@ashaislurking I love that self care bingo! That is so awesome! I actually see a therapist in the same town I work and it hasn’t been an issue since we are not at the same clinic and don’t work together with clients. Another option is teletherapy. That way you could work with someone even in another state even they just have to be licensed in your state but a lot teletherapy sites would only show you who could work with you anyway.

Mental Health Diagnosis (if you have been) or What brings you to this thread today?:
GAD and Major Depressive

Status (WTO/TWW/Benched/TTA): TWW

How are you feeling?
Run down, emotionally so drained from the news of yesterday. I think the stress of quarantine is getting to me some. I am proud of myself for taking the day off yesterday to just be and go through the feelings rather than stuff them down inside to work.

Where are you in your mental health journey? (in treatment, looking for support, on meds, in counseling, having a rough day, etc.) on meds so glad my psych RN gave me another prescription of my anxiety PRN without seeing me. Given everything going on this was so nice. Trying to avoid stores because they give me anxiety and doing drive up or having my husband run when we need an essential.

ashaislurking · April 2020

@stillcozy I'm thinking teletherapy might be my best option. Unfortunately the local agencies here tend to work very closely together so most agencies won't accept local therapists as clients. I'm thinking about reaching out to my faculty mentor for suggestions. I'm glad you took some time for yourself yesterday and that you're doing everything you can to stay home and keep your anxiety down. I hope the self care bingo helps. 💜

inthewoods23 · April 2020

@ashaislurking sounds like you have a good plan going to your mentor for suggestions. I hope you're able to find someone soon!

@stillcozy good for you taking the day off! Always important to allow us the time to feel our feels.

Mental Health Diagnosis (if you have been) or What brings you to this thread today?: Highly sensitive person (likely), anxiety

Status (WTO/TWW/Benched/TTA): WTO

How are you feeling? I started doing a lot better this afternoon once the last presentation was given. And thankfully the other work things didn't pile up. Somehow I managed everything going on really well. I must have hit that right level of busy/anxiety where I perform really well. Maybe it's also helped that I was finally able to just do work things and have music playing. I need to make sure I keep up on some kind of journaling so I remember things to talk about during my appointments. In other news, I'm anxiously waiting for O. I think O is going to take less time than I originally said since I was on lupron for a shorter period of time when I cancelled than going through the full FET cycle last year. My birthday is towards the end of the month - maybe a birthday surprise is in store for me this year??

Where are you in your mental health journey? (in treatment, looking for support, on meds, in counseling, having a rough day, etc.) In counseling. My 2nd appointment was last week and through video. I really enjoyed being at home for it. Not that my therapist's office isn't cozy, but home is all the warm and fuzzies. I had some tea at her office for the first appointment and decided on making tea again before the 2nd appointment. I told her I was going to make that a thing moving forward. Another warm and fuzzy self care kind of thing. Next appointment is Wednesday. We haven't actually talked about my results from the highly sensitive person test. I need to remember to bring it up and see what her thoughts are.

jackie_dunny · April 2020

@ashaislurking love that self care bingo! I’ve just saved it to my phone and will probably share on my FB later! I hope you find someone you can talk to. Teletherapy sounds like a good shout!

@stillcozy great job taking the day yesterday and sitting with your feelings. Sometimes that’s the hardest thing to do but what is best. I feel you on going to the stores.

@inthewoods23 Keeping a journal handy for random thoughts and feelings sounds like a good idea. I practically live off of my Notes app on my phone. Fingers crossed for an O birthday surprise!

Mental Health Diagnosis (if you have been) or What brings you to this thread today?: depression and social anxiety

Status (WTO/TWW/Benched/TTA): NTNP

How are you feeling? Not great. Being home all day is both good and bad. I love it but it allows me to skip into bad habits more easily. I’m also just super stressed. DH’s sister is the SIL from Hell (and that’s putting it nicely). I don’t have the energy to get into everything plus there’s just so much that TB would probably crash if I tried to post everything but you’ll have to trust me when I tell you she’s just vile. With the most recent drama she’s caused I’ve made the decision to cut her out of my life. I refuse to see her or speak to her because she’s just extremely toxic. I’ve bitten my tongue and put on a fake smile for too long and it’s gotten me nowhere. I just feel alone, though. My MIL is the bomb dot com and honestly probably one of my best friends so I haven’t got the heart to tell her yet. I hope she’ll understand because she knows what a nightmare (especially with the most recent drama) my SIL is but still. I’m nervous. I know MH is in a tough spot but he says stuff like, “I’ll support you no matter what, I’ve got your back.” But then he goes and has a chat with her like she didn’t just say AWFUL things about me. He doesn’t chat with her often, pretty much only when my MIL shoves the phone into his face, but still. Just makes me feel unimportant. He knows he’s not good with conflict. But I’ve told him avoiding the topic doesn’t mean you haven’t chosen a “side”, it just means you’ve let her get away with saying terrible things about me. Again.

Where are you in your mental health journey? (in treatment, looking for support, on meds, in counseling, having a rough day, etc.
I’m on meds and I’m awaiting teletherapy. It’s a 3 month wait. That’s one of the cons of the NHS. It’s free healthcare but there’s a waiting list.

inthewoods23 · April 2020

@jackie_dunny ahh in laws... I don't have it bad to that extent, but my SIL can definitely have a really short fuse and just go off and take things personally when we're not even talking about her specifically. Also she caused a huge headache a week before our wedding claiming SHE was so stressed. Ummm who's wedding is this?? I didn't see most of the text messages between her and DH, but I think she also called me a bridezilla when I had never asked for any of her help other than to design our save the dates and invites (she enjoys doing that kind of stuff) and help print out our ceremony programs. It was ridiculous. And nearly 4 years later, I have no desire to ever make an effort to get together with her or anything like that.

ashaislurking · April 2020

@inthewoods23 It's nice to hit the right anxiety balance for productivity. That's about where I'm floating right now, but I also understand the complexities of just a slight shift in that anxiety level causing things to crash. I hope your self-care and your therapy appointments (nice idea with the tea by the way) can help soften the blow as things continue to shift.
@jackie_dunny I'm sorry about the in-law struggles. Sounds similar to some things I've gone through with my family. With some of my family, it took them a while but eventually I got the message across and they've been nothing but supportive. With others I'm still working on it several years later. Definitely keep communicating your needs and feelings on the issue whenever you feel it's necessary, and remember to take self-care breaks if things are getting heated. Sending you lots of love as you wait for teletherapy!

jackie_dunny · April 2020

@inthewoods23 @ashaislurking thanks ladies. That actually made me feel a lot better ❤️

ashaislurking · April 2020

@jackie_dunny you definitely aren't alone. If you want or need to chat more about it my private messages are always open!

stillcozy · April 2020

@jackie_dunny so many hugs!! Good for you for knowing what you need and cutting her off. Like the others said they are well aware of her behavior so I imagine it will be okay. Keep communicating with your husband and letting him know what you need and how you feel about his actions too. I’m on the team blood doesn’t make you family it makes you a relative and we don’t have to have relationships with relatives.

inthewoods23 · April 2020

I'm having a bit of a bummer of a day and I'm not sure why. I hate days like this. Is something actually bothering me? Is it a hormonal thing?

It doesn't help that I get annoyed when DH asks if it's my time of the month. It makes me feel alone when he doesn't even understand the timeline of things. Like obviously my period wouldn't have come yet if we didn't get to the ovulation part of the cancelled cycle.

Good thing I have another appointment with my therapist this Wednesday. I wrote down some things about how I'm feeling or questions I keep asking myself. Hopefully that can help guide us in some good conversation in 2 days.

jackie_dunny · April 2020

@inthewoods23 ugh I hate days like that! When I’m down for no reason whatsoever. Make sure to do something for you today - something that relaxes you. I also hate when DH says stuff like that. Like, even if I WAS on my period, does that make my feelings any less valid? NO.

inthewoods23 · April 2020

@jackie_dunny YESSS. I'm going to do yoga once work is over. Sometimes for me I find just tiring myself out helps get over the random sadness. I used to say I wanted a punching bag just so I could get frustration out in a way that satisfies the things I want to do without actually hurting someone. I need to pull out my weighted blanket! I don't even use it properly - I keep it folded up so all the weight is on my torso. Works way better for me than laying under the blanket spread out.

dobiemom11 · April 2020

@inthewoods23. Sorry about DH's question. I always wish men could have just one experience with AF...they would understand a lot better how crazy she makes me feel. No particular reason, just like I have lost my mind crazy with mood swings. Hopefully your therapy appointment will help a lot. Also I love that idea with the weighted blanket...that would probably work better for me as well.

I have just been feeling emotionally and mentally like crap for two days. I think we were just so busy preparing for the move that now that things are calming down, I am just experiencing a lot more of the emotions from everything. I told DH it was like we were prepping for exam week in college and now that exams are done, you just get sick. You made it through by sheer will and now your body is like remember all that no sleep, crappy diet, no exercise jazz we have been doing... Payback is a B girlfriend! Just trying to take it really really gently for a couple of days. I think DH is also there and we both are done being stuck together. I love him, but he is annoying the heck out of me (and vice versa). But therapy on Thursday! Also hopefully I will actually feel up to jumping into dailies tomorrow instead of lurking the past couple days. We are close to the end of TWW and that is adding to my crazy feeling.

dobiemom11 · April 2020

But stay STRONG ladies and remember that you are kicking butt everyday!! On the days you move a mountain and on the days you barely make it out of bed! (Although quarantine is making showering and putting on real clothes seem like an incredible feat right now).

jackie_dunny · April 2020

@dobiemom11 I’m sorry that things have felt like they are finally catching up to you. I definitely know the feeling. Good for you for taking things gently these next few days. I hope therapy goes well on Thursday!

stillcozy · April 2020

Going to do a better check in later but I just wanted you all to know if you ever need someone to talk to I’m here.

@dobiemom11 thank you for that awesome reminder definitely needed it today ❤️

ashaislurking · April 2020

@inthewoods23 I hope your therapy appointment today went well and that you're feeling better. I'm sending you lots of love.

@dobiemom11 I definitely understand the burnout crash. Take care of yourself the next few days. I hope your therapy appointment helps tomorrow!

I don't know exactly what's going on with me but I'm still struggling. I've been trying to jump into threads wherever I can, but I can't seem to bring myself to participate in the dailies. It's been this way for a bit and it's frustrating because I want y'all to know that I'm still around and I still care, it's just hard when I'm trying to balance extra self-care on top of everything else right now.

jackie_dunny · April 2020

@ashaislurking it’s okay that you’re still struggling. The dailies will still be here when you’re ready. I’m new to participating in the threads but I lurked for an embarrassingly long time and it’s quite common for people to bounce in and out of them because of a variety of different personal reasons. Take the time that you need for yourself ❤️

inthewoods23 · April 2020

@ashaislurking I've gone through periods of time where I couldn't bring myself to participate in the dailies, but I would participate in all the special threads. I felt better just talking to others in a general sense than talking cycles.

My session went okay today. It's been hard to implement the things we've talked about since we're all in quarantine. I've gone through so much of my life feeling like something is wrong with me, but it seems more like I struggle through life because people just don't get me. I don't want it to be that way and that kind of puts me in a bummer of a mood. But what can you do?

dobiemom11 · April 2020

@ashaislurking. I feel like you took the words right out of my mouth. I have been struggling with jumping into dailies as well. I think I agree with @inthewoods23 that it is sometimes easier to talk about general things than how things are this cycle. (plus right now I am playing the SS game like crazy and trying to decide if it is AF). With all the craziness happening, be extra kind to yourself. We are all going through some difficulties right now and know we love you even if you don't jump into dailies!

@inthewoods23. Sorry that it is difficult to implement your strategies. We here love you just the way you are!!!

stillcozy · April 2020

@ashaislurking and @dobiemom11 I get it. I find the dailies overwhelming and I am just happy to see you both posting where you feel comfortable! It is also okay to just lurk if you want. TTC is such a mind F that need in a break from those threads is totally okay and makes a tone of sense.

@dobiemom11 I’m SS too but more so telling myself I’m out and it has to be af which is not helpful at all. Ugh

@inthewoods23 hugs upon hugs. Quarantine is so hard and I’m so sorry you have felt like people don’t get you. Do you like mindfulness/ guided meditations? I love the insight timer app it is free and has meditations for pretty much every topic and lots of people doing them too.

ashaislurking · April 2020

Tonight, I decided to make another mala as a meditative practice before doing my homework. I'm really happy with it and it got me in a much better mindset to do the work.

Image: https://us.v-cdn.net/5020794/uploads/editor/aa/fkeefoehijv3.jpeg

jackie_dunny · April 2020

@inthewoods23 I totally feel you one the people just not “getting” you thing. I feel like that all the time. Especially since I’ve moved to the UK and there are some cultural differences. What irks me is that people think it’s okay to poke fun because I’m American. Would you say that to someone who was Indian perhaps? Or Japanese? It’s still the culture I grew up with. Going off what @stillcozy said, I recommend an app called Calm. It is a paid subscription but there are plenty of free ones on there as well. Their “daily calms” are great! I definitely give it credit to helping me cope with my anxiety and depression.

@ashaislurking that’s so pretty! What’s a mala?

dobiemom11 · April 2020

@stillcozy I think I am out as well. Woke up with all the cramps! I was so hopeful since I hadn't had any symptoms before this morning and AF normally comes tomorrow. But oh well...

ashaislurking · April 2020

@jackie_dunny Buddhist prayer beads used for counting in meditation. There are 108 beads which is a sacred number in many eastern religious and meditative practices. The number signifies completeness or wholeness.

stillcozy · April 2020

@ashaislurking that is beautiful!

inthewoods23 · April 2020

I had a whole thing I was going to write up since DH was being a dick to me but then I started doing work things and never got into the story. Now I'm in that "too tired to do anything" state so I'm going to go sulk for probably the rest of the day.

jackie_dunny · April 2020

@inthewoods23 sorry you got busy and couldn’t vent - here I’ll pretend you did. Ugh what a jerk! I can’t believe he did that 🤬 he better apologize!

Feel better soon ❤️ Hugs

inthewoods23 · April 2020

@jackie_dunny haha that applies so well. He did apologize. I'm doing better now.

Want a personalized experience?

April 2020 Mental Health Check-in

Re: April 2020 Mental Health Check-in

Choose Another Board

Search Boards