Did you know that one in every six adults live with a mental illness? Yet every one of us that struggle with something still tend to try to keep it to ourselves and get through it on our own. When we deal with things on our own we tend to do so with things called “coping mechanisms”. However, just because they are called “coping mechanisms” doesn’t mean that they always help you cope in a positive way. Here are some coping mechanisms that are commonly abused and ways to make sure that your coping mechanisms are always helpful:
1. Listening to music
If you’re like me, one of the most comforting things is hearing lyrics that speak to my exact situation. Sure, sometimes we all need a good cry; as the great Kid Cudi says in “Confused”, “but there’s comfort in tears”. However, people with depression tend to dig themselves into holes; and the deeper we dig, the harder it becomes to climb out. Listening to music may be a great coping mechanism, but we need to be careful with the mood of the music we listen to.
2. Talking to friends
We all know that friends are one of the greatest gifts of life and they are there for you to depend on in times of need. Friends are a very valuable asset when you feel lost; but we need to make sure we’re talking with the right friends. If you are having a depression break-down and text a friend who is also going through depression, could it be counter productive? We need to make sure we are not allowing our friends to feed off of our sadness while we are both trying to heal. Sure, it’s comforting to know you’re not the only one going through something and yes, your friends should know what your’re going through; but should you confide in that friend every day about how you feel at the moment? Most likely not.
3. Naps
We all know a good nap can work wonders for our mood and give us a nice “time-out” from the craziness of life’s demands. Along with depression, anxiety, and many other mental illnesses, comes sleeping troubles. Naps can be a really great way to counter balance the sleep you may lack at night. However, I’m not talking about a 3 hour nap at 6 p.m. right after dinner. If naps are a good coping mechanism for you, make sure you keep them in a reasonable time frame and at a reasonable time of the day in order to ensure productiveness and sleep during the night.
4. Working out
Exercise is one of the best ways to combat a mental illness. Studies have shown that exercise is comparable to anti-depressants for people with major depressive disorder. Along-side many mental illnesses comes fatigue and less motivation; working out may be hard to get yourself to do but is a great way to give yourself more energy. Alternatively, when we find things that work sometimes we can become obsessed with it, especially when it comes to something that could impact our body image and/or how you feel about yourself in general. If working out is your coping mechanism of choice, be aware of how often you are exercising and for what reasons.
5. Netflix binging
We all love to hole-up in our rooms with copious amounts of blankets and binge watch our favorite Netflix shows. Sometimes we all need a day away from the hustle and bustle of our every day lives; but should we really be spending 7+ hours in one day laying in bed and watching Netflix? No. Being outside of our bedrooms and maybe going on a walk for 15-20 minutes can do wonders for your mood. Being Vitamin D deficient can have major consequences on you psychologically. So, get out of bed, put your lap top away, and get outside.
Mental illness is no joke and the routines we can get into because of them can be addicting. It’s easy to fall into a routine of sleeping through the day and staying up all night listening to The Fray. Let’s challenge ourselves and heal together, because we deserve better lives than our brains allow us to see sometimes.