If you’ve been struggling with depression, anxiety, and/or panic attacks for a while, you might be well aware of what can help you in these situations, while you’re well. But then the next bad moment, minute, hour or day comes along and you’re suddenly frozen. You can’t remember a single strategy to get yourself out of your intrusive thoughts. Or maybe you’ve never known many tools in the first place because you only recently to experienced your first mental health emergency. Many strategies speak about more long-term strategies that can help prevent bad mental health but what can we really do if we need help NOW? If you are finding yourself in a mental health emergency or want to be prepared for the next one or maybe even be able to help a loved…
- Category: Anxiety -
When it comes to mental health, preparation is everything. Because once these days hit, we often find ourselves with blank minds on what we could do to feel better now. Therefore, I’ve collected some tools for you that you can prepare during good times on which you can rely on in those low moments. So next time you’re having a bad mental health day it might still take you by surprise, but at least you won’t be unarmed. Read on to find out how to prepare for a bad mental health day. Do something for your mind and body every day. This tip on how to prepare for a bad mental health day isn’t new but just a friendly reminder. Body exercise and mind exercise (such as meditation or breathing exercises) is a long-term…
(Please note that this article is based on a private mental health clinic in Germany, public ones may be different and they may differ across countries. Also, I am talking about an open unit hospital.) Last year I was at the lowest point of my life. I was stuck in burnout, had just split up with my partner, we were in a pandemic, I felt so lonely, and depressed and I had no idea what to do with my life after the life I knew had fallen apart. I was in therapy but felt like the weekly meetings with my therapist were never going to be able to get me out of that deep, black hole full of hopelessness. Luckily I eventually (after lots of back and forth) decided to get treatment in a…
Panic attacks can be scary, they make us feel like we are out of control and in the worst case that we are suffocating/dying. Luckily, there are a few strategies that can help you feel better quickly when you’re stuck in an acute panic attack. Check out my tips below and make sure to note them down on some kind of emergency note that you always carry with you. That’s because chances are that while you’re in panic you will not remember what to do. 4-4-8 Breathing The first action to take when you are panicking is to start slowing down and deepening your breathing. There are many different breathing techniques out there but one that has helped me a lot and is fairly easy to do is called the 4-4-8 breathing method. More…