Anyone can have a bad day from time to time, where everything just seems to go wrong. However, for people who live with a mental illness, every day that goes right is a blessing. Living with a mental illness can present daily challenges that can prevent you from having a healthy and productive life. Thankfully, there are ways to overcome it by identifying it, facing it and seeking methods of recovery.
Types of Mental Illness
According to stats on drug abuse obtained from the National Institute of Mental Illness, in 2017, approximately one in five Americans experienced some form of mental illness. Conditions of mental illness can range from mild to severe. There are many types of mental illness including but not limited to anxiety and fear, depression, bipolar, personality disorders, eating disorders, obsessive-compulsive disorders, psychosis, and schizophrenia.
The Dangers of Living with a Mental Illness
People who live with multiple disorders that overlap such as bipolar with a personality disorder often self-medicate through the use of drugs or alcohol to fight off their feelings of insecurities, frustration, uncontrollable anger and depression. They just want to escape and feel healthy. This is a dangerous practice as they often become addicted to their source of self-medication which, in turn, leads to additional problems of dependency. The stats on drug abuse alone are alarming. Thankfully, mental illness is now a topic of discussion among doctors and recognized as a real problem. It’s no longer something you have to hide and live with in secrecy.
Coping with Mental Illness
It’s easy for someone on the outside looking in to make a prognosis and tell someone to deal with it. However, for the person who lives with it, it’s real and often seemingly beyond their control. The good news is that there are things you can do if you live with mental illness to help you take back your life. First, see a doctor and give them a list of all the symptoms you have and the emotions you experience. Receiving the proper diagnosis and the appropriate medication is essential. Additionally, therapy can provide you with an outlet where you can speak freely without judgment. Dogs can offer great emotional support. Here is how to ask doctor for emotional support animal. Having the ability to talk openly to someone unbiased can help you relieve bottled up anxiety and depression.
Start Living
Living with a mental illness doesn’t mean that you have to give into it and let it dictate your life. Avoid hanging out with negative people, and learn to do things that make you feel happy and productive. You can take up a new hobby, exercise, and help others. Reducing the chaos and establishing a daily routine can also keep you organized and fulfilled. Additionally, meditation can prove beneficial by allowing you to clear your mind and relieve stress.
Mental illness affects people of all walks of life, including the rich and famous. Living with mental illness doesn’t have to be a life-long sentence. You can live a full and happy life if you recognize that you have one, and then take the necessary steps to control it. Today many doctors specialize in mental illness, allowing you to seek the help you need and enjoy a full and rewarding life.
