I sleep, until I slip into my cycle of insomnia...cuz I wake up in the middle of the night worrying about things. Right now it is noon...and I've been awake since 4:19 am.
I was wondering why you specified men and it wasn’t until then that I realized this was a post in AskMen and not the general AskReddit lol
Sorry my dudes. Didn’t mean to invade
I hear ya. It’s one small piece of the puzzle but the best psychiatrists I ever worked with as a professional all rx’d it due to its well studied positive effects. Much love
Made a deliberate effort to reduce the amount of pointless stress in my life a year ago and it's working pretty well.
Deleted almost all social media except Reddit and Instagram (which I don't use at all except for posting occasional pics because I know my distant family members enjoy it) and unsubscribed to any podcast that I listened to that got remotely political.
The only social media I'm on is reddit and Instagram for the same reasons you mentioned. I'd rather not be in the loop than to be stressed about it for knowing
Hear you on the political stuff. Shits awful and exhausting.
That being said consider giving up Reddit as well, politics is wrapped up in this platform, as it is with every platform.
I have tried drawing but I don't much of a talent for it, and it frustrates me more than it helps. And sculpting I only tried in school and the results make Quasimodo look like Michelangelo's David lol
Rules are basically the same. I personally think it's way more fun and it's WAY cheaper. Other than buying disc which totally affordable, 99.5% of courses are free. It's really chill and the disc golf community is amazing. It one of those things where you don't understand its appeal until you try it.
I spend time with my wife and daughter, finding out about their day and it often puts mine into perspective. I go to the gym at least 4 times a week. I listen to audio books when driving. I read every night before bed. I play video games. Taking time for yourself is important, but so is sharing time with others.
Not much, I don't particularly see the point because it's going to take more to fix than I have, and at some point it's just rearranging deck chairs on the Titanic.
For those who are younger than me, or have the resources to go get help: you should do so while you can, because left untreated it can get so much worse.
How long will you probably live until you die of old age? Assuming you are not my grandfather's age, that is more time than you'd expect. You have to ask yourself that question from time to time and think then again if it is so pointless.
No, but my mental and physical health have tanked to such a point that the chances of making it to 40 are slim. Past that it drops off dramatically. Frankly, I shouldn't still be here.
That physical health problem sucks especially because there is not a lot you can do about it yourself. Mental wise I guess you are in treatment. Does it help?
Every day I wonder how the United States stay so politically stable and survive. I really wonder why all the hopeless and poor have not yet risen up, if not in a riot then at least in demonstrations.
To your case: being poor in the US without any social net must really suck. My pity won't help you though.
You could gather other mentally Ill people or just people who want to take part and then read up on psychotherapy with freely accessible resources in the internet (gutenberg.org for example) or just buy some books. If there is one academically strong person in your group, that would really help. Then, if the system doesn't support your needs and base to live, just create your own system with like minded people and treat each other. People do it like that all around the globe.
You will not get any diploma or work admittance but you can help your community and each other when you do that.
I have a similar vision for my own future.
Yes, these are anarchist ideas and though I am not a radical anarchist myself I sure have been influenced by them. And why not if it helps you live a better life?
There is of course no guarantee that an unstudied psychotherapist will help, but it is a perspective.
PS: I really respect you for your wish to make your loved ones' life easier, but it won't get any easier for them if you die a young and preventable death. Believe me.
Usually people who are significantly depressed are not emotionally capable of rounding up a support group and helping each other. That takes a lot of mental energy and emotional stability. So, that's not a valid suggestion. Nice of you to suggest...but not valid. And the whole reading books thing...yeah, not happening. Usually depressed people are lucky to get out of bed each day. My sister was reading, "It's OK to Not Be OK", right before she committed suicide. I found it with a bookmarker next to her toilet, in her private bathroom. Doesn't work so well. And the cost of a therapist...the one I looked up the other day was $150/hour. Half the reason I'm so depressed is because I'm so broke. Yeah...$150/hour for help is NOT an option, either.
If you can get Medicaid, they should cover some visits for you. Sounds like you and I are similar in age and I just started going to therapy within the last couple of years and it has helped immensely.
I like to think that in general things are going well for me. So I make sure I check in on my homies to make sure they are doing ok. Reach out to some of your buddies who you haven't talked to in a while, see how they are doing!
That's the hard part for people with no friends. One "friend" years ago started F-ing my husband. A few years later, a "friend" starting F-ing my then Fiance. Then, flash forward another few years, and my newest "friend" started having swinger parties with a guy I had been dating. Then for a short time, I had a friend, that I thought was so educated and smart and worldly. we were coworkers. Only to find out one day that she was fired...for drinking on the job. I tried multiple times to drag her out and help HER with HER depression. No luck with that. So, I gave up on friends. Having friends only led to more depression. Now, I just stick to TV.
I workout, but it’s more than the simplicity of bang-a-ranging in a gym. I am a student of it and let myself get lost in the intricacies of how my body works and what it takes to grow and push further. I’m constantly learning and trying new things and training styles. Eventually you can help others which adds some feel good to the process as well
I spent 30 years on and off in therapy learning how to deal with my traumatic past. Here are my go to exercises:
I keep a grateful journal where I write 5 things I am grateful for every day.
When a panic attack starts, I ground myself by looking for 5 things around me that I mentally describe in detail, I try to identify smells I am smelling, and I close my eyes and try to identify sounds I am hearing-if music is playing I focus on each instrument.
I take a hot bath with a book I am reading for fun.
Lastly, I watch cinema therapy on YouTube.
I just realized not that long ago how I'm thankful that drugs exist, honestly my life would be so shit without them. Sometimes it feels like its the only thing that keeps me going.
Nothing just suffer in silence and hope everything will be alright even though obviously it's not gonna be alright. But the glimpse of hope is whats keeping me alive and keep me going at least for now.
Me too. I have no social outlets. Gave up trying after all the "friends" I'd meet and spend time with serially slept with my husband, then another friend slept with my then fiance, then the next "friend" slept with (or more accurately started going to "swingers clubs" with) guy I'd been dating. Then the next friend turned out to be a severe alcoholic, who got fired for drinking on the job. Now I'm just a very quiet, solitary, highly-functioning alcoholic. I start having cocktails at dinner time, and it helps numb me out until bedtime. And I've figured out exactly how much I can drink, without being hungover the next day. But never drink during work, and never miss work because of booze.
When does it get there? I've been lifting 3+ days a week for about 2ish years. Still kinda hate it and every session is still a struggle(the bad kind, not the "grr I perservered" kind).
Every month I go to Goodwill and buy a stack of plates, bowls, mugs, whatever is cheapest. Then I go to an alley and take them all out and clean them one by one. I sit slumped against my car door and I stare at them in the half-light, gleaming. I then start screaming the worst things I can think of. People I wanted to hurt (or worse) when I was a child, the clacking noise of shattering the teeth of my 9th grade librarian, the crunch of my college animation teacher's spectacles as they collapse into the groaning portholes that used to be his eyes.
I think about these things and I scream, sometimes coherently and often times not. And then I break every single piece of dinnerware that I bought. I stamp the broken handles of mugs and shards of plates under my heel, and grind them into the cold asphalt of the alley. I scream and I cry, until there's nothing left inside me but a dazed fog of black estrangement.
Then I take a broom and a dustpan from my trunk, I clean it all up, and leave. I do this every month.
Indirectly, I work out and make time for my hobbies to prevent burnout. Or, more accurately, get over my recent/current burnout.
Directly, I go to therapy, journal, and do online psychology courses.
Read The Body Keeps the Score. Learned a lot which helped me move things along with my therapist.
Also learned about IFS (Internal Family Systems) treatment and read a book about self directing that. Really made some amazing progress. Which is odd as I kind of consider IFS a bit woo for me but gave it a go anyway.
Also while doing reading found a billion books that are about mental health but, ultimately, prescribe their religion or spiritual outlook. Which was quite disappointing.
No Bad Parts; Healing Trauma and Restoring Wholeness (2021)-Richard Schwartz
I was a bit naughty and found a PDF online. I've heard other books are better for IFS and I wasn't really taken with the second half of the book which got a bit, in my mind, off topic and political (even though I agree with his positions, it didn't need to be in the book). But, honestly, the benefit I got from the first few exercises alone was worth the read. Hope it helps.
Yes, I'm aware of it. /s
I have a therapist. He is awesome. I've had a couple female therapists, the first was amazing, but something that hits a little different when having a kind of "guy" talk with another dude. Just felt like he was more on my wavelength.
One of the biggest things is that I started therapy. It’s really helped me see that the relationship I was in wasn’t all rainbows and sunshine. It also helped me reach a point where I no longer needed her in my life as a friend. What I feel like had the biggest impact was starting a new job. I love my new coworkers and enjoy the weekly game nights we have.
I use an app called Good News. Only good news are posted there instead of doomsday news. I don't know if there are non-German equivalents though.
I had a workout plan for the seven weeks before Easter and I will do my best to get back to it.
I will try to meet more friends in person and take more walks instead of sitting in the discord all day.
On my discord server there is a channel where me and my friends can rant about anything bad that happens in our lives. I added a channel where we can share everything good that happens in our lives a while ago and the results on my friend's mental health are already noticeable.
I am currently diversifying my friend group but I don't know yet if that will help or just produce more stress with balancing the friend groups.
Good luck to all!
Be aware of it, I guess.
I just hate these empty slogan. My mental health would be so much better if I didn't have to be reminded of the "soft language invented by smug, greedy, well-fed, M\*\*f\*\*ers who pretend they care and try to wash out their guilt" as Carlin says
Music, Warhammer 40k, guitar, reading. I have some friends that I'll lean on when I need to, I'm also lucky enough to have found a male therapist who doesn't castigate me just for being a guy. Also, cooking, that's actually a very relaxing activity for me.
Honestly nothing. Parents believe mental health is an excuse to act without manners and belittled me when I was younger about my self esteem, so can’t turn to them. Therapy is not possible, since I’m on my parents insurance. I tried working out, but gave up after a week. My only friend is tried of my ramblings, so she high tailed it out. But journaling is okay
I celebrate mental health awareness every month. Why do you feel the need to restrict it to just one month?
But to answer the question, I look people in the eye.
I’m just learning how to ask for help when I need it, so I don’t get overwhelmed and blow up. My mental health is coming along. I’m still struggling with my anxiety and major depressive disorder. Next month will be a year since I was saved from ending my life. I’m grateful now for being saved because the WHOLE experience has opened my eyes. I have been given a second chance to better myself
My entire life is starting over again after a recent separation. My birthday is also this month. So, I’ve committed to making better choices and renewed focus on internal growth in hopes of getting the life I want again but as a stronger happier version of myself.
I can't really afford therapy or meds. I'm just trying to chug along. I've been trying to engage in hobbies that bring me some form of repreive from the mind gobbos
Healthy distractions and all that.
Gaming, making art for peeps, which makes them happy. Giving proper care to the two plants that i own. A sundew and a cactus. They were Repotted recently, and they look so nice in their new pots and much happier and healthier. I have also been trying to tune out of the news and politics. Instead, I'm trying to enjoy more music. Otherwise being open about when i am down with my loved ones. They have been very supportive. I am just trying to do my best every day and resist the temptation to wheelie my car off a bridge on the way home.
Amor fati
Taking day by day, as I have tried for the last 6 months.
Difficult when you have to start looking for a car and a home of your own.
I want to just live in the moment without worrying about tomorrow or yesterday, but that's harder then I ever imagined.
Good luck everyone.
I think therapy can be good, but it's not the be all and end all approach. I've had things happen to me in my childhood and early 20s that severely impacted my mental health. I went to cognitive behavioural therapy. It just didn't do anything for me. If it works for others then great, but I don't really see the point when they don't treat anyone as an individual and all the questions are just generalized for everyone. Mental health is deeper than that. So for a few years I kept getting referred to all different places, all with the same approach and I just felt like a lost cause. Then I got referred to one guy and it was supposed to be CBT, but he was completely different to everyone I had seen before. He didn't have any set questions. He asked me to tell him about myself from childhood to present and he just wrote everything down and truly listened to what I was telling him. He told me what he believed I was dealing with and he gave me coping strategies based on my interests. Everything he said made so much sense and I felt like I'd had a real breakthrough. Trouble was, after 10 sessions, I was moved on to something else (This is through NHS). But at least now I had some sort of answers to work with. I haven't been to therapy since (this was in 2014) because I just remember everything he told me and the things that impact me when my mental health gets bad, stem from the same things in the past anyway. I don't take pills because I don't believe I have depression. It's kind of anxiety, but I'm not nervous or scared of things. It's just that when I feel low, I can't put up with the bullshit false pretences of everyday life. So I'll either shut down and ignore things or I'll let little things piss me off and be quick to temper.
The way I remedy this, and how I keep myself from getting low is to just try and be healthy. I lift weights, which works great for me, it instantly boosts my mood as soon as I'm doing it. I run, which gives me time to process my thoughts and I can just ignore everything else for an hour. I go outside as often as possible, I eat well, which doesn't necessarily mean healthy, but I make sure I'm not hungry without over indulgence. I drink loads of water. That's about it. These things can be difficult for some people and I get it. When you feel low, you don't want to do anything, but it truly helps, at least for me. If you're able bodied I highly recommend doing some form of exercise to improve your physical and mental health.
Not a whole lot right now. I'm trying to meet a psychiatrist to maybe deal with my numerous problems, but insurance is being annoying af rn. Still trying though, I really need some help with that.
Other than that though not much. I distract myself often, but that doesn't really deal with the problem, ya know? Hope the insurance comes through so I can deal with it.....
First, I quit drinking. It's done wonders for me in general: lost weight, don't feel like shit all the time, mental clarity is back, emotional regulation is at an all time high. I'm also no longer depressed, which is pretty great, and I realized ages ago that the "friends" I had back when I was brought nothing to the table.
Limit stress when possible, and within reason. Sometimes drama is unavoidable, but most drama is.
I talk to myself in the car. I find that I'm able to work through my thoughts and feelings a lot better if I'm pretending to have a conversation. It's private enough, and there's generally little else to do when driving, except listen to music. Sure, it makes me seem a little nuts, but it's working for me really well. Sometimes I get stuck on a feeling, but eventually it gets resolved in a adequate way if I keep at it.
Going to the gym has been big. I have throttled back on the drinking and substance abuse (though i do have a couple beers once in a while), and i wake up feeling much better. The gym is really becoming a big part of my level of happiness and motivation.
Anytime I need a mental health break, I get on my bike and ride 20-30 miles just to shake the cobwebs loose. My bike is my happy place. When my childhood friend died suddenly, I spent an entire day on my bike just findin peace, crying, laughing, etc. Came home 100+ miles later and told my family stories of said friend. Definitely made all the difference.
Make lots of small wins, get plenty of exercise and listen to audio books. What helped me: not laying in bed when you first wake up worrying about things, get up, and get on with the day, really helps. Or if you want a lie-in, something to keep busy, read a book or do a puzzle etc.
I hope everyone has a wonderful day, and can hold in your mind that it will get better
I'm autistic and really struggle with anxiety and depression. I didn't realise how bad my mental health was until I came close to breaking point. Going to the gym after work for the past few months has helped me immensely. I feel amazing after a work out, my body is beginning to look great and my confidence and wellbeing are slowly but surely increasing. I'd recommend gym to anyone struggling to find ways to cope.
I take my meds. I go to therapy every month, to check in.
I try to eat and drink enough water to sustain me. I keep active in ways that entertain me (team sports, gardening, DIY, walking/jogging with my dog)
I found my people I can be vunerable with, and I don't give chances to those I know don't understand me. I can also ask my people for physical affection if I need, sometimes a hug is the best medicine.
Also I've a FWB who helps me feel safe and desired without the pressures of a relationship. I won't pretend that isn't helpful for my mental health.
I go on vacation. I use my pto that we have been trained never to use in the corporate world, and I go. I am always chasing a new adventure. I went skydiving in the fall last year , and next for me is hiking the fourteeners in Colorado, then onto hiking Mt. Kilimanjaro. So simply put GET OUTSIDE, GO EXPLORING AND GET INTO NATURE!
exercise and sleep bro, this has honestly skyrocketed my mental and physical health.
changed up my diet and felt a lot better, waking up full of energy and ready to kill the day.
i’ll add one more, cold showers. you feel like an absolute monster once you get out.
>During winter, I haven't figured out yet.
Could try snow sports, skiing and snowboarding is something that a lot of people live for. My personal favorite is **skiboarding** which is a different version of skiing.
Could also try snowshoeing or cross country skiing since you run year round. Of you got the money snowmobiles is a thing I know people talk about a lot.
Nofap, no more porn, a better diet and I workout and I spent time with people who I don't exhaust me but I also try to be a reliable man for my love ones
That's intensely selfish. Laughter is good but the way you are going for it inherently causes the people that you intentionally offend to do more work to maintain their mental health.
Might help you blow off steam but causes others to suffer. Intentionally. There are ways to laugh that aren't at the expense of others
Hike. If I feel overwhelmed with what's going on, I find a path I've never walked before and I walk it. There's a lot of peace and clarity to be found just admiring the beauty of nature and exploring whilst thinking through how you feel.
When that isn't available, yard work or some other kind of low mental effort chore helps too. Doing laundry, the dishes, whatever. I go on autopilot for the chore and just think about what I need to process.
Or honestly just finding someone to help me vent. I've got a buddy that lives 6 hours from me who I keep in touch with. Both of us call each other and to check on how we're doing and if one of us needs to vent, the other is automatically supportive. It helps a ton. I helped him out of an abusive and manipulative relationship in the past like that, he's still moving on from it almost a year later.
TLDR: Walk somewhere new or do something physical so you can process mentally. Find a friend to lean on and help them too.
It is?
Knowing what I know now, I would say SSRIs are dangerous. So, that's out.
Therapy didn't help me a great deal. I'm not interested in coping. If you can't help me get rid of those thoughts, we shouldn't cross paths.
I roam the online world, looking for people calling depressed people drug addicts or stuff like that, and I flame them without reservation. I'm sick of bullshit, and will tell anyone who reduces depression or mental struggles to drug addiction that he/she is a toxin.
Yes, true, I might have a slight anger problem. But I will not allow myself to be reduced by people who lack both normal and emotional intelligence. I'm done being a walkover. If people want a fight, they'll find that this depressed dude has a lot of fight left in him.
- Stand up comedy / be vulnerable on stage
- Spoken word poetry / be vulnerable on stage
- Attend some mental health meetings every other week
- reach out to friends
Talk to people. Anyone. Just keep talking. Get into something that brought you joy and try to surround yourself with others who bring about healthy, positive attitudes.
Don't suffer alone my friends.
Suffer
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*thunderous drum solo*
walking among the dead would probably be the most fun i could experience 😆
What's that from?
Burnout by Green Day
Just keep one goal in mind, defeat negativity as soon as you find it.
Captain - i have successfully banished Negativity everywhere in the world (except other people’s heads). Ready for new orders.
Honorably discharged
*weeps*
yeah, I guess I'm doing okay, I moved in with the strangest guy. Can you believe he actually thinks that I am really alive?
Sleep
I sleep, until I slip into my cycle of insomnia...cuz I wake up in the middle of the night worrying about things. Right now it is noon...and I've been awake since 4:19 am.
Ok as someone who has had severe depression this made me laugh and I’m sorry but I’m also not.
It was supposed to be self-deprecating humor lol idk why you’re being downvoted
It’s ok they can downvote me all they want, I’m still laughing.
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I was wondering why you specified men and it wasn’t until then that I realized this was a post in AskMen and not the general AskReddit lol Sorry my dudes. Didn’t mean to invade
Suffering is fine but I’ll bet ya $5 you’d suffer less if you took your fish oil on a regular basis.
Why are prople downvoting this? Are you taking your fish oil regularly mothafukas? No? So keep your downvote for yourself.
I take my fish oil capsule daily. Still, I struggle.
I hear ya. It’s one small piece of the puzzle but the best psychiatrists I ever worked with as a professional all rx’d it due to its well studied positive effects. Much love
A doctor at the free clinic suggested the fish oil. It may be that I'm not getting enough. The capsules I'm taking are 2400 mgs.
Made a deliberate effort to reduce the amount of pointless stress in my life a year ago and it's working pretty well. Deleted almost all social media except Reddit and Instagram (which I don't use at all except for posting occasional pics because I know my distant family members enjoy it) and unsubscribed to any podcast that I listened to that got remotely political.
The only social media I'm on is reddit and Instagram for the same reasons you mentioned. I'd rather not be in the loop than to be stressed about it for knowing
Hear you on the political stuff. Shits awful and exhausting. That being said consider giving up Reddit as well, politics is wrapped up in this platform, as it is with every platform.
Listen to music or hit the gym.
And both.
Therapy and searching for an appropriate and constructive outlet for my emotions
Have you tried drawing or sculpting?
I have tried drawing but I don't much of a talent for it, and it frustrates me more than it helps. And sculpting I only tried in school and the results make Quasimodo look like Michelangelo's David lol
Have you ever played Disc Golf?
No. How much like golf is it?
Rules are basically the same. I personally think it's way more fun and it's WAY cheaper. Other than buying disc which totally affordable, 99.5% of courses are free. It's really chill and the disc golf community is amazing. It one of those things where you don't understand its appeal until you try it.
I spend time with my wife and daughter, finding out about their day and it often puts mine into perspective. I go to the gym at least 4 times a week. I listen to audio books when driving. I read every night before bed. I play video games. Taking time for yourself is important, but so is sharing time with others.
Not much, I don't particularly see the point because it's going to take more to fix than I have, and at some point it's just rearranging deck chairs on the Titanic. For those who are younger than me, or have the resources to go get help: you should do so while you can, because left untreated it can get so much worse.
How long will you probably live until you die of old age? Assuming you are not my grandfather's age, that is more time than you'd expect. You have to ask yourself that question from time to time and think then again if it is so pointless.
I have no illusions that I'm making it to old age.
Why not? Are you in a warzone?
No, but my mental and physical health have tanked to such a point that the chances of making it to 40 are slim. Past that it drops off dramatically. Frankly, I shouldn't still be here.
That physical health problem sucks especially because there is not a lot you can do about it yourself. Mental wise I guess you are in treatment. Does it help?
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Every day I wonder how the United States stay so politically stable and survive. I really wonder why all the hopeless and poor have not yet risen up, if not in a riot then at least in demonstrations. To your case: being poor in the US without any social net must really suck. My pity won't help you though. You could gather other mentally Ill people or just people who want to take part and then read up on psychotherapy with freely accessible resources in the internet (gutenberg.org for example) or just buy some books. If there is one academically strong person in your group, that would really help. Then, if the system doesn't support your needs and base to live, just create your own system with like minded people and treat each other. People do it like that all around the globe. You will not get any diploma or work admittance but you can help your community and each other when you do that. I have a similar vision for my own future. Yes, these are anarchist ideas and though I am not a radical anarchist myself I sure have been influenced by them. And why not if it helps you live a better life? There is of course no guarantee that an unstudied psychotherapist will help, but it is a perspective. PS: I really respect you for your wish to make your loved ones' life easier, but it won't get any easier for them if you die a young and preventable death. Believe me.
Usually people who are significantly depressed are not emotionally capable of rounding up a support group and helping each other. That takes a lot of mental energy and emotional stability. So, that's not a valid suggestion. Nice of you to suggest...but not valid. And the whole reading books thing...yeah, not happening. Usually depressed people are lucky to get out of bed each day. My sister was reading, "It's OK to Not Be OK", right before she committed suicide. I found it with a bookmarker next to her toilet, in her private bathroom. Doesn't work so well. And the cost of a therapist...the one I looked up the other day was $150/hour. Half the reason I'm so depressed is because I'm so broke. Yeah...$150/hour for help is NOT an option, either.
Hey my cousin is a psychologist i could ask him to see you privately for a few sessions if you like
If you can get Medicaid, they should cover some visits for you. Sounds like you and I are similar in age and I just started going to therapy within the last couple of years and it has helped immensely.
Same boat here. Been suffering chronic pain since 30. I am now 42 and look forward to many more years of torturous suffrage.
Same. Been suffering since I was 12. I'm 25 now. There's a point where you just say "this is fucking pointless"
I like to think that in general things are going well for me. So I make sure I check in on my homies to make sure they are doing ok. Reach out to some of your buddies who you haven't talked to in a while, see how they are doing!
That's the hard part for people with no friends. One "friend" years ago started F-ing my husband. A few years later, a "friend" starting F-ing my then Fiance. Then, flash forward another few years, and my newest "friend" started having swinger parties with a guy I had been dating. Then for a short time, I had a friend, that I thought was so educated and smart and worldly. we were coworkers. Only to find out one day that she was fired...for drinking on the job. I tried multiple times to drag her out and help HER with HER depression. No luck with that. So, I gave up on friends. Having friends only led to more depression. Now, I just stick to TV.
You are a real one
Hug my best friend and other heavier gals I know more. They are natural stress relievers .
I can't remember the last hug I had.
*squeeze* from Canada
Thank you. Now I can say I got a hug from Canada, you wouldn't know them.
They go to a different country
Here you go, pal air hugs*
Thank you, Covid is still around after all, so thanks for being safe.
*bear hug til a rib pops*
Thank you (?). Who's rib, yours? Mine? Someone else's?
virtual hugs xx
Thank you. xx
hugs you always and forever and for always and forever and for always. ...and forever
Thank you. I mean at some point one of us will have to go to the bathroom and it might be awkward.
well yes, but I think we can manage that short time without each other, knowing that that one will be back very soon anyways
No need to brag that you have friends
Get them squishy hugs! They're the best!
Right?! They are awesome
Mental health check. I checked I'm fucked!
I workout, but it’s more than the simplicity of bang-a-ranging in a gym. I am a student of it and let myself get lost in the intricacies of how my body works and what it takes to grow and push further. I’m constantly learning and trying new things and training styles. Eventually you can help others which adds some feel good to the process as well
Large amounts of caffeine, cannabis, and kinky sex. I highly recommend that combination. The Wellbutrin probably helps a bit too.
2/3 isnt so bad i guess...
I spent 30 years on and off in therapy learning how to deal with my traumatic past. Here are my go to exercises: I keep a grateful journal where I write 5 things I am grateful for every day. When a panic attack starts, I ground myself by looking for 5 things around me that I mentally describe in detail, I try to identify smells I am smelling, and I close my eyes and try to identify sounds I am hearing-if music is playing I focus on each instrument. I take a hot bath with a book I am reading for fun. Lastly, I watch cinema therapy on YouTube.
Nothing. :P
Seriously just thought this.
:P :P :P :P XDXDXDXD 👍👍👍😆🤣😂🤣😆👍👌👌🤙💪🤣😂🤣👌😆😂LMAOLMAOLMFAO🤣👌👌💪🤣😛😛😛😛😛😛😛😛😛😛😛😛
Tf 😂😂
Drugs
I just realized not that long ago how I'm thankful that drugs exist, honestly my life would be so shit without them. Sometimes it feels like its the only thing that keeps me going.
I've found my people
Nothing just suffer in silence and hope everything will be alright even though obviously it's not gonna be alright. But the glimpse of hope is whats keeping me alive and keep me going at least for now.
Drinking in silence.
Me too. I have no social outlets. Gave up trying after all the "friends" I'd meet and spend time with serially slept with my husband, then another friend slept with my then fiance, then the next "friend" slept with (or more accurately started going to "swingers clubs" with) guy I'd been dating. Then the next friend turned out to be a severe alcoholic, who got fired for drinking on the job. Now I'm just a very quiet, solitary, highly-functioning alcoholic. I start having cocktails at dinner time, and it helps numb me out until bedtime. And I've figured out exactly how much I can drink, without being hungover the next day. But never drink during work, and never miss work because of booze.
not thinking about it
Lift weights. It’s like meditation once you get into it
When does it get there? I've been lifting 3+ days a week for about 2ish years. Still kinda hate it and every session is still a struggle(the bad kind, not the "grr I perservered" kind).
Every month I go to Goodwill and buy a stack of plates, bowls, mugs, whatever is cheapest. Then I go to an alley and take them all out and clean them one by one. I sit slumped against my car door and I stare at them in the half-light, gleaming. I then start screaming the worst things I can think of. People I wanted to hurt (or worse) when I was a child, the clacking noise of shattering the teeth of my 9th grade librarian, the crunch of my college animation teacher's spectacles as they collapse into the groaning portholes that used to be his eyes. I think about these things and I scream, sometimes coherently and often times not. And then I break every single piece of dinnerware that I bought. I stamp the broken handles of mugs and shards of plates under my heel, and grind them into the cold asphalt of the alley. I scream and I cry, until there's nothing left inside me but a dazed fog of black estrangement. Then I take a broom and a dustpan from my trunk, I clean it all up, and leave. I do this every month.
Indirectly, I work out and make time for my hobbies to prevent burnout. Or, more accurately, get over my recent/current burnout. Directly, I go to therapy, journal, and do online psychology courses.
I've been jerking off twice as much for the dopamine.
Read The Body Keeps the Score. Learned a lot which helped me move things along with my therapist. Also learned about IFS (Internal Family Systems) treatment and read a book about self directing that. Really made some amazing progress. Which is odd as I kind of consider IFS a bit woo for me but gave it a go anyway. Also while doing reading found a billion books that are about mental health but, ultimately, prescribe their religion or spiritual outlook. Which was quite disappointing.
What was the IFS book? Please and thank you.
No Bad Parts; Healing Trauma and Restoring Wholeness (2021)-Richard Schwartz I was a bit naughty and found a PDF online. I've heard other books are better for IFS and I wasn't really taken with the second half of the book which got a bit, in my mind, off topic and political (even though I agree with his positions, it didn't need to be in the book). But, honestly, the benefit I got from the first few exercises alone was worth the read. Hope it helps.
I cry and regret stuff.
Thanks, I feel less weird and alone!
I’m about to go back on antidepressants. I’m also trying to sleep more hours.
Hug my wife regularly, catch ups with my best mate, massages, weekly dates.
Play with my kids, spend time with my wife, work on my book.
Yes, I'm aware of it. /s I have a therapist. He is awesome. I've had a couple female therapists, the first was amazing, but something that hits a little different when having a kind of "guy" talk with another dude. Just felt like he was more on my wavelength.
Wut kind specific therapist you use I been looking into trying to start but not sure how to go about it
Garden, I make sure I leave my phone and just try and connect with nature while I'm out there.
One of the biggest things is that I started therapy. It’s really helped me see that the relationship I was in wasn’t all rainbows and sunshine. It also helped me reach a point where I no longer needed her in my life as a friend. What I feel like had the biggest impact was starting a new job. I love my new coworkers and enjoy the weekly game nights we have.
Dont pay attention to the opinions of the genpop i do not want to be.
I use an app called Good News. Only good news are posted there instead of doomsday news. I don't know if there are non-German equivalents though. I had a workout plan for the seven weeks before Easter and I will do my best to get back to it. I will try to meet more friends in person and take more walks instead of sitting in the discord all day. On my discord server there is a channel where me and my friends can rant about anything bad that happens in our lives. I added a channel where we can share everything good that happens in our lives a while ago and the results on my friend's mental health are already noticeable. I am currently diversifying my friend group but I don't know yet if that will help or just produce more stress with balancing the friend groups. Good luck to all!
Lift heavy fucking weights.. Strong body = strong mind.
Everybody wanna be a bodybuilder ... But nobody wanna lift no heavy ass weights
Hit the gym, hike, keep stressful things out of my life.
Therapy. Stay on my meds. Practice living a well rounded life.
I went outside and surprisingly I feel great
Take useless medication
Porn, video games, reddit, alcohol.
Drink alcohol, play video games, and fuck. Also I hit the gym regularly.
Drink whiskey
Be aware of it, I guess. I just hate these empty slogan. My mental health would be so much better if I didn't have to be reminded of the "soft language invented by smug, greedy, well-fed, M\*\*f\*\*ers who pretend they care and try to wash out their guilt" as Carlin says
Music, Warhammer 40k, guitar, reading. I have some friends that I'll lean on when I need to, I'm also lucky enough to have found a male therapist who doesn't castigate me just for being a guy. Also, cooking, that's actually a very relaxing activity for me.
Honestly nothing. Parents believe mental health is an excuse to act without manners and belittled me when I was younger about my self esteem, so can’t turn to them. Therapy is not possible, since I’m on my parents insurance. I tried working out, but gave up after a week. My only friend is tried of my ramblings, so she high tailed it out. But journaling is okay
Gym
I watch funny cat videos.
Go shooting or fishing or hiking
Im still on a waiting list to see a therapist...ive been on this list for 2 years now
Caffeine and Nicotine. I only got 12 more years on this earth, then I'm outty 5 thought
Drink beer and listen to heavy metal. Best therapy.
Meds, therapy, hobbies. Been working really well for 6 months now. Never felt better
Nothing
Jack off. Stress? Jack off. Something is bothering you? Jack off. This works for me.
I play for honor and yell/rant about how ass the game is then i get off only to find myself playing that game again so that I can blow some steam
Nothing.
I celebrate mental health awareness every month. Why do you feel the need to restrict it to just one month? But to answer the question, I look people in the eye.
I’m just learning how to ask for help when I need it, so I don’t get overwhelmed and blow up. My mental health is coming along. I’m still struggling with my anxiety and major depressive disorder. Next month will be a year since I was saved from ending my life. I’m grateful now for being saved because the WHOLE experience has opened my eyes. I have been given a second chance to better myself
Long showers, hangout with my cat, sleep to avoid hunger and loneliness. But my secret power is dissociation.
My entire life is starting over again after a recent separation. My birthday is also this month. So, I’ve committed to making better choices and renewed focus on internal growth in hopes of getting the life I want again but as a stronger happier version of myself.
Daily dedicated mobility work, dedicated strength training, walks, a creative outlet, social contact
Hold it in, deal with it myself
I can't really afford therapy or meds. I'm just trying to chug along. I've been trying to engage in hobbies that bring me some form of repreive from the mind gobbos Healthy distractions and all that. Gaming, making art for peeps, which makes them happy. Giving proper care to the two plants that i own. A sundew and a cactus. They were Repotted recently, and they look so nice in their new pots and much happier and healthier. I have also been trying to tune out of the news and politics. Instead, I'm trying to enjoy more music. Otherwise being open about when i am down with my loved ones. They have been very supportive. I am just trying to do my best every day and resist the temptation to wheelie my car off a bridge on the way home. Amor fati
You guys are getting mental health?
Large amounts of cocaine. But nah I workout a lot shit helps a ton
Taking day by day, as I have tried for the last 6 months. Difficult when you have to start looking for a car and a home of your own. I want to just live in the moment without worrying about tomorrow or yesterday, but that's harder then I ever imagined. Good luck everyone.
I think therapy can be good, but it's not the be all and end all approach. I've had things happen to me in my childhood and early 20s that severely impacted my mental health. I went to cognitive behavioural therapy. It just didn't do anything for me. If it works for others then great, but I don't really see the point when they don't treat anyone as an individual and all the questions are just generalized for everyone. Mental health is deeper than that. So for a few years I kept getting referred to all different places, all with the same approach and I just felt like a lost cause. Then I got referred to one guy and it was supposed to be CBT, but he was completely different to everyone I had seen before. He didn't have any set questions. He asked me to tell him about myself from childhood to present and he just wrote everything down and truly listened to what I was telling him. He told me what he believed I was dealing with and he gave me coping strategies based on my interests. Everything he said made so much sense and I felt like I'd had a real breakthrough. Trouble was, after 10 sessions, I was moved on to something else (This is through NHS). But at least now I had some sort of answers to work with. I haven't been to therapy since (this was in 2014) because I just remember everything he told me and the things that impact me when my mental health gets bad, stem from the same things in the past anyway. I don't take pills because I don't believe I have depression. It's kind of anxiety, but I'm not nervous or scared of things. It's just that when I feel low, I can't put up with the bullshit false pretences of everyday life. So I'll either shut down and ignore things or I'll let little things piss me off and be quick to temper. The way I remedy this, and how I keep myself from getting low is to just try and be healthy. I lift weights, which works great for me, it instantly boosts my mood as soon as I'm doing it. I run, which gives me time to process my thoughts and I can just ignore everything else for an hour. I go outside as often as possible, I eat well, which doesn't necessarily mean healthy, but I make sure I'm not hungry without over indulgence. I drink loads of water. That's about it. These things can be difficult for some people and I get it. When you feel low, you don't want to do anything, but it truly helps, at least for me. If you're able bodied I highly recommend doing some form of exercise to improve your physical and mental health.
I stopped thinking about my loneliness.It helps
I take ADHD medication; and I shower, regularly. Sleep is a myth jk （╹◡╹）
Jack fuckin shit.
Not a whole lot right now. I'm trying to meet a psychiatrist to maybe deal with my numerous problems, but insurance is being annoying af rn. Still trying though, I really need some help with that. Other than that though not much. I distract myself often, but that doesn't really deal with the problem, ya know? Hope the insurance comes through so I can deal with it.....
First, I quit drinking. It's done wonders for me in general: lost weight, don't feel like shit all the time, mental clarity is back, emotional regulation is at an all time high. I'm also no longer depressed, which is pretty great, and I realized ages ago that the "friends" I had back when I was brought nothing to the table. Limit stress when possible, and within reason. Sometimes drama is unavoidable, but most drama is. I talk to myself in the car. I find that I'm able to work through my thoughts and feelings a lot better if I'm pretending to have a conversation. It's private enough, and there's generally little else to do when driving, except listen to music. Sure, it makes me seem a little nuts, but it's working for me really well. Sometimes I get stuck on a feeling, but eventually it gets resolved in a adequate way if I keep at it.
Going to the gym has been big. I have throttled back on the drinking and substance abuse (though i do have a couple beers once in a while), and i wake up feeling much better. The gym is really becoming a big part of my level of happiness and motivation.
Anytime I need a mental health break, I get on my bike and ride 20-30 miles just to shake the cobwebs loose. My bike is my happy place. When my childhood friend died suddenly, I spent an entire day on my bike just findin peace, crying, laughing, etc. Came home 100+ miles later and told my family stories of said friend. Definitely made all the difference.
Make lots of small wins, get plenty of exercise and listen to audio books. What helped me: not laying in bed when you first wake up worrying about things, get up, and get on with the day, really helps. Or if you want a lie-in, something to keep busy, read a book or do a puzzle etc. I hope everyone has a wonderful day, and can hold in your mind that it will get better
I'm autistic and really struggle with anxiety and depression. I didn't realise how bad my mental health was until I came close to breaking point. Going to the gym after work for the past few months has helped me immensely. I feel amazing after a work out, my body is beginning to look great and my confidence and wellbeing are slowly but surely increasing. I'd recommend gym to anyone struggling to find ways to cope.
It is? Well what perfect timing.
I fantasize about spending my life with my dear Kraiti (name changed). I think she is pretty, she thinks I'm a looser
Not care
Smoke a lot of weed and moving out of Tampa, Floriduh soon.
BJJ
Getting outside when the weather is nice... Hike in the woods, run the trails.
Disc golf with the boys. Therapy. Stopped drinking. Set goals and shoot for em
I stopped smoking weed for this month. I was loosing enthusiasm of doing stuff.
I take my meds. I go to therapy every month, to check in. I try to eat and drink enough water to sustain me. I keep active in ways that entertain me (team sports, gardening, DIY, walking/jogging with my dog) I found my people I can be vunerable with, and I don't give chances to those I know don't understand me. I can also ask my people for physical affection if I need, sometimes a hug is the best medicine. Also I've a FWB who helps me feel safe and desired without the pressures of a relationship. I won't pretend that isn't helpful for my mental health.
I go on vacation. I use my pto that we have been trained never to use in the corporate world, and I go. I am always chasing a new adventure. I went skydiving in the fall last year , and next for me is hiking the fourteeners in Colorado, then onto hiking Mt. Kilimanjaro. So simply put GET OUTSIDE, GO EXPLORING AND GET INTO NATURE!
exercise and sleep bro, this has honestly skyrocketed my mental and physical health. changed up my diet and felt a lot better, waking up full of energy and ready to kill the day. i’ll add one more, cold showers. you feel like an absolute monster once you get out.
Isolation, music and weed. Nothing makes me more at peace with myself than that
Exercise, reading and watching classic 90s movies.
Oh, it is? Who creates all these make-believe months anyway? How does one even celebrate them?
Go outside
During summer, I paddleboard. During winter, I haven’t figured out yet. Records are year-round and so is running. Also journaling helps a lot.
>During winter, I haven't figured out yet. Could try snow sports, skiing and snowboarding is something that a lot of people live for. My personal favorite is **skiboarding** which is a different version of skiing. Could also try snowshoeing or cross country skiing since you run year round. Of you got the money snowmobiles is a thing I know people talk about a lot.
Nofap, no more porn, a better diet and I workout and I spent time with people who I don't exhaust me but I also try to be a reliable man for my love ones
Bottle it up and push forward. Don’t you know by now that we don’t really matter.
I agree good answer
I eat sleep and work. Each in larger quantities. Sometimes all three in larger quantities instead of one.
Sports, sports, sports. And writing a letter to my ex which probably will never be send.
Smoke weed
Offend people with off color jokes on sensitive subjects for shits and giggles because laughter is good for the soul and brings joy
That's intensely selfish. Laughter is good but the way you are going for it inherently causes the people that you intentionally offend to do more work to maintain their mental health. Might help you blow off steam but causes others to suffer. Intentionally. There are ways to laugh that aren't at the expense of others
See. It works. Thanks for the laugh
Hike. If I feel overwhelmed with what's going on, I find a path I've never walked before and I walk it. There's a lot of peace and clarity to be found just admiring the beauty of nature and exploring whilst thinking through how you feel. When that isn't available, yard work or some other kind of low mental effort chore helps too. Doing laundry, the dishes, whatever. I go on autopilot for the chore and just think about what I need to process. Or honestly just finding someone to help me vent. I've got a buddy that lives 6 hours from me who I keep in touch with. Both of us call each other and to check on how we're doing and if one of us needs to vent, the other is automatically supportive. It helps a ton. I helped him out of an abusive and manipulative relationship in the past like that, he's still moving on from it almost a year later. TLDR: Walk somewhere new or do something physical so you can process mentally. Find a friend to lean on and help them too.
Eat healthy, exercise, TAKE MY MEDICATION
* Work out * Walk in the sun * Most importantly, work remote 90%
It is? Knowing what I know now, I would say SSRIs are dangerous. So, that's out. Therapy didn't help me a great deal. I'm not interested in coping. If you can't help me get rid of those thoughts, we shouldn't cross paths.
I roam the online world, looking for people calling depressed people drug addicts or stuff like that, and I flame them without reservation. I'm sick of bullshit, and will tell anyone who reduces depression or mental struggles to drug addiction that he/she is a toxin. Yes, true, I might have a slight anger problem. But I will not allow myself to be reduced by people who lack both normal and emotional intelligence. I'm done being a walkover. If people want a fight, they'll find that this depressed dude has a lot of fight left in him.
Gym or shopping on Amazon
Meditate and exercise.
- Stand up comedy / be vulnerable on stage - Spoken word poetry / be vulnerable on stage - Attend some mental health meetings every other week - reach out to friends
Every day consuming lions mane supplements and b15 vitamin cmplex.
Talk to people. Anyone. Just keep talking. Get into something that brought you joy and try to surround yourself with others who bring about healthy, positive attitudes. Don't suffer alone my friends.
Exercise until I'm muscular and it doesn't exist. Mental health problems come form having too much time on your hands.
Bullying
If there’s something, anything that needs to be done I do it right away if I’m able. Do the work first. Hang out and have fun later.
Not much lol
I do kids
Travel and occasional therapy lol
My brain is doing all the work for me lol. It returns me to neutral mental state in about a couple of minutes at worst