Own Your Illness

  • Home
  • Own Your Illness

Own Your Illness Using design to explore the overlap between mental health and spirituality. Heal your (and your ance

The path to mental wellness is covered in trial and error.
02/08/2021

The path to mental wellness is covered in trial and error.

Depression and physical pain often go hand in hand. The neurotransmitters that influence both pain and mood are norepine...
29/07/2021

Depression and physical pain often go hand in hand. The neurotransmitters that influence both pain and mood are norepinephrine and serotonin. And the worse the painful physical symptoms, the worse the depression.⁠
⁠
Emotional pain can register as physical pain, and vice versa. This is why many people get severely depressed with an injury, even if they know it's temporary. This is why many depressed people experience aches and pains in their body. Coupled with the stress of pushing through their mental illness, the body AND the mind need time to recover. So it's not just about thinking happy thoughts and being positive. There's a mind-body connection that needs to heal in between episodes.⁠⁠⁠⁠
⁠

Athletes like and are changing the world. They recognize that without mental health and trusting their own bodies and ...
29/07/2021

Athletes like and are changing the world. They recognize that without mental health and trusting their own bodies and minds, they wouldn't be able to compete at an Olympic level.

They are showing us that it's not weak to prioritize our brains. They are showing us that we don't have to rationalize our brains to others. They are showing us that it takes strength to admit that our mental wellbeing is the foundation to our physical wellbeing. Because it's always been the other way around. And the reality is the two work in tandem. If one isn't healthy, the other can't be either.
⁠

It's not like you get depressed and think, "This is easy compared to last time." It may be shorter, it may not be as dee...
27/07/2021

It's not like you get depressed and think, "This is easy compared to last time." It may be shorter, it may not be as deep, but it's never easy. And there's always a part of you that wonders if you'll see the other side.

You may not feel strong. But you wouldn't be going through this if you weren't. It's possible to feel weak and be strong at the same time. Just because you can't see it doesn't mean it isn't there.

That voice. It can get so loud that it drowns out everything else. If the loud negative voice is something you have to f...
25/07/2021

That voice. It can get so loud that it drowns out everything else. If the loud negative voice is something you have to fight daily, to the point where it drowns out all other thoughts, that's an indication that you should be working with a mental health professional.⁠⁠
⁠⁠
We all have that voice, some of us just have it louder than others. Known as the ego, it especially likes to pop out when you're excited about something new. Then it puts the brakes on it, because to the voice, the newness is scary. It's trying to protect you.⁠⁠
⁠⁠
While it has its benefits, the ego can do more harm than good. You don't always have to listen to it. And it's okay if the volume is so loud that you need help navigating it. There's nothing wrong with you.⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

It's easy to panic when nothing sounds good. Unfortunately feeling good is just too far away from feeling depressed. You...
23/07/2021

It's easy to panic when nothing sounds good. Unfortunately feeling good is just too far away from feeling depressed. You can't get there in one or two actions. Aim for feeling okay, aim for not being in intense emotional pain.⁠⁠
⁠⁠
Start small. Watch a favorite TV show. Take a bath. Grab some markers and doodle. Remind yourself that the goal is not to be happy, because that's too big a goal. The goal is to be okay. Then when you're okay, you can work on being happy.⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Su***de is a result of sickness. It's not selfish, it's a relief for someone who is in such emotional anguish that they ...
22/07/2021

Su***de is a result of sickness. It's not selfish, it's a relief for someone who is in such emotional anguish that they can't see it ever ending. So they stop the pain the only way they know how. ⁠⁠
⁠⁠
There are actually different stages to su***de. There are nuances in how to communicate to the person suffering. Keep in mind that their mind is lying to them and they firmly believe that they will never feel good again. That they are a burden. That people will be better off without them. They believe the pain that they feel by staying alive is greater than any pain someone may feel at the result of their death.⁠⁠
⁠⁠
1️⃣ Suicidal ideations – this person's brain is telling them very loudly that an option to relieving their pain is su***de. It's repetitive and hard to ignore. It's scary and they're actively fighting that voice but it's exhausting. It doesn't guarantee that they're actually going to do it, so don't treat them as if they're actively planning their su***de because that could make them feel even more alone.⁠⁠
⁠⁠
Try to stay calm. The last thing they want to do is have their pain and terror rub off onto you. It perpetuates their belief that they are a burden.⁠⁠
⁠⁠
2️⃣ Plans for how to commit su***de – this person is having more than just flashes of what it would be like to stop existing. They need to talk to a professional who can help them manage their pain. That doesn't mean that you can't help. Remind them that you can be a sounding board but you're not an expert and you need help so that you can help them.⁠⁠
⁠⁠
3️⃣ Su***de note – this person is committed to their plan and needs active intervention. Don't judge them. You've never felt that level of pain.⁠⁠
⁠⁠
4️⃣ Su***de attempt – this person may or may not still be committed to their plan. They need active intervention. They're likely embarrassed and they're definitely mentally exhausted.

When a celebrity dies from depression, memes pop up everywhere telling those suffering to reach out. What they don't und...
22/07/2021

When a celebrity dies from depression, memes pop up everywhere telling those suffering to reach out. What they don't understand is that one of the symptoms of depression is the inability to reach out. We know we're a downer and we don't want to bring anybody else down with us.⁠⁠
⁠⁠
If you are NOT depressed and you see somebody struggling, YOU reach out. If you don't see somebody who used to be around, YOU reach out.⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

You can't ask someone not to worry. But worrying for the sake of worrying uses up precious energy that could be directed...
17/07/2021

You can't ask someone not to worry. But worrying for the sake of worrying uses up precious energy that could be directed towards support. Communicate the ways in which someone can be supportive:

➡️ Active listening
➡️ Validating experiences
➡️ Reminders of unconditional love
➡️ Offers to run errands or pick up food
➡️ Checking in regularly
➡️ Providing resources for help and additional support

Su***de is a result of sickness. It's not selfish, it's a relief for someone who is in such emotional anguish that they ...
16/07/2021

Su***de is a result of sickness. It's not selfish, it's a relief for someone who is in such emotional anguish that they can't see it ever ending. So they stop the pain the only way they know how.

There are actually different stages to su***de. There are nuances in how to communicate to the person suffering. Keep in mind that their mind is lying to them and they firmly believe that they will never feel good again. That they are a burden. That people will be better off without them. They believe the pain that they feel by staying alive is greater than any pain someone may feel at the result of their death.

1️⃣ Suicidal ideations – this person's brain is telling them very loudly that an option to relieving their pain is su***de. It's likely repetitive and hard to ignore. It's scary and they're actively fighting that voice but it's exhausting. It doesn't guarantee that they're actually going to do it, so don't treat them as if they're actively planning their su***de.

Try to stay calm. The last thing they want to do is have their pain and terror rub off on you. It perpetuates their belief that they are a burden.

2️⃣ Plans for how to commit su***de – this person is having more than just flashes of what it would be like to stop existing. They need to talk to a professional who can help them manage their pain. That doesn't mean that you can't help. Remind them that you can be a sounding board but you're not an expert and you need help so that you can help them.

3️⃣ Su***de note – this person is committed to their plan and needs active intervention. Don't judge them. You've never felt that level of pain.

4️⃣ Su***de attempt – this person may or may not still be committed to their plan. They need active intervention. They're likely embarrassed and they're definitely mentally exhausted.

It's a universal truth. What your parents did to you was done to them. Some do a lot more damage than others, but it's i...
15/07/2021

It's a universal truth. What your parents did to you was done to them. Some do a lot more damage than others, but it's impossible to walk away from childhood completely unscathed. You'll need to feel the rage and despair and deep ache at what was done to you. And once you've processed those feelings, it's up to you to unf*ck yourself. Otherwise you'll be living in a victim mentality where you are not in control of your life.
***deawarenessindepression

There's a misconception that trauma to the brain only comes from horrible events such as a r**e or witnessing a murder. ...
14/07/2021

There's a misconception that trauma to the brain only comes from horrible events such as a r**e or witnessing a murder. The reality is that trauma can come from a wide variety of things and still be damaging, even if the event seems relatively insignificant. And if you were a child when the trauma occurred, the greater the damage done. The younger the child, the greater the trauma.

Don't shame yourself for reacting to your trauma. Don't shame yourself for shaming yourself. Your pain is real because you were alone in your mind when something bad happened. It's possible to heal it now and the first step is letting yourself make mistakes.

Bad behavior is learned behavior. You learned to love based on how you were loved as a child. The bad news is that toxic...
13/07/2021

Bad behavior is learned behavior. You learned to love based on how you were loved as a child. The bad news is that toxic behaviors are passed down from generation to generation. Abuse is passed down. Trauma is passed down. Self worth is passed down.

The good news is that you can break the cycle. It's possible for you to heal your pain so that you don't pass your toxic coping mechanisms down to your children.

Therapy is a good place to start. We all need an outside observer to show us our blind spots. But good therapy is hard work, it's not just about being validated.

Read , cowritten by Oprah Winfrey. It will show you how trauma shaped your behavior. There's nothing innately wrong with you. We're all just hurt children walking around in adult meat sacks.

Read by The Holistic Psychologist. If you can learn it, you can unlearn it.

Practice self-compassion. Two steps forward, one step back. The earth works in cycles. You have to have the dark to have the light. One day at a time. Healing is a process, not a lightswitch.

Deep breaths. When your mind is a dangerous place to hang out in, you need a release valve and the easiest way to get it...
12/07/2021

Deep breaths. When your mind is a dangerous place to hang out in, you need a release valve and the easiest way to get it is from others. But it's possible to be lonely in a room full of people, even a room full of your loved ones. It's possible that nobody is available, either physically or emotionally, to be by your side. That's when the loneliness is excruciating. Hug yourself tight because it really does hurt that much.

Then try to ease some of it by helping someone else. Call a friend who’s been having a hard time. Offer to take the trash out for the old lady next door. Try to ease the panic of not having anybody by asking yourself how you can be of service to others. Helping others will heal you. And I'm sorry you have to experience being alone to that degree. Humans are meant to heal in community.

Needing medication has a stigma. Antidepressants can be over-prescribed, but there are still a good percentage of people...
10/07/2021

Needing medication has a stigma. Antidepressants can be over-prescribed, but there are still a good percentage of people who need them to calm an overactive stress response due to trauma.

You may very well be one of them, and that’s okay.

It’s your job to use the tools you have at your disposal. Medication isn’t a cure-all, but it’s one very big piece of a mental health puzzle. You wouldn’t build a house without a solid foundation.

And once they work, you won’t care that you feel better because of a drug. You’ll just care that you feel better.

You aren’t broken.

Two months of trauma in a younger child does more damage than 12 years of trauma in an older one. So if you experienced ...
09/07/2021

Two months of trauma in a younger child does more damage than 12 years of trauma in an older one. So if you experienced something traumatic at a young age, even for a short period of time, don’t dismiss it. That rewired your brain to adapt to life with a stress response that may still be affecting you today.

The first deep, dark depressive episode is unlike any other. You’ve never experienced this before, so if you’ve never go...
08/07/2021

The first deep, dark depressive episode is unlike any other. You’ve never experienced this before, so if you’ve never gotten out, how can you have faith that you will? Mine was fueled by my first breakup. First breakups are hard enough, but I was in a blackness that was beyond human recognition. I didn’t think I’d ever feel normal again, let alone love somebody else again.

Many years and many dark holes later, when I’m in one it’s still hard to believe I’ll ever see the other side of it. But I try to remind myself that everything on earth works in a cycle, from the seasons to the sunsets to the tides. And this may be a longer cycle than I’m used to, but it’s a cycle nonetheless. I’ve gotten out before, and I’ll get out again.

There’s nothing wrong with you. The essence of who you are is buried underneath trauma. You didn’t deserve it—you aren’t...
07/07/2021

There’s nothing wrong with you. The essence of who you are is buried underneath trauma. You didn’t deserve it—you aren’t inherently bad or broken. You were just a kid who coped by surviving any way you could.

I’ve spent 37 years with an emotionally abusive mother and didn’t even truly see it until recently. If you’ve never know...
06/07/2021

I’ve spent 37 years with an emotionally abusive mother and didn’t even truly see it until recently. If you’ve never known anything different, then how can you know what normal is? I was shamed for my anger, and my sadness and disappointment were minimized. I even learned to keep my joy under control because no one would share it with me.

Emotional abuse can be the most damaging abuse; the learned behaviors can affect every human relationship you’ll ever have. The abuser is uncomfortable feeling their feelings, so they try to deny you yours as well. It perpetuates a false sense of control. And it can cause a lot of damage. But it’s real and you’re not crazy.

Only those who have experienced depression can know how black it is. Loved ones may try to understand, but they don’t kn...
05/07/2021

Only those who have experienced depression can know how black it is. Loved ones may try to understand, but they don’t know how to do much else than be scared for you. The last thing you want to deal with when you’re drowning is to be a burden to somebody else. But we need to heal in community; it’s not really possible to do it all alone.

Tell them: “I know you don’t have the answers. It just helps me to be able to talk about it.”
Tell them: “I feel like a burden. Please know I don’t want to be this heavy.”
Tell them: “I’m sitting in the fire. I need someone to sit near me, to support me while I try to find my way out of the darkness.”

Address


Website

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when Own Your Illness posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Shortcuts

  • Address
  • Alerts
  • Claim ownership or report listing

  • Want your business to be the top-listed Media Company?

Share