Day 1 of Mental Health Challenge

Today I started my mental health challenge.  My main goal was to cut out sugar and to eat low carbs.  I managed to do that today, but it wasn't easy.  I had to keep reminding myself that I am doing this to be mentally healthy.  I wanted the sweets and the carbs, but I made it through the day.
I didn't get a chance to exercise or meditate, which was sad because I know these will help.  But I did spend some time visiting with my sister Stalee.  We discussed my mental health challenge.  She gave a suggestion that she learned about depression.  She said that some say that if you are feeling depressed, first take a shower and get ready for the day.  Then leave the house and go do something enjoyable.  She also said another technique is to have a plan for when you are feeling high anxiety, depression, or the onset of a panic attack.  It might be go for a walk, sit down and read a book, take a nap, take a bath.  I am not sure what my game plan will be, but I want to have one.
I am discouraged because it feels like mental struggles or disorders are all the rage right now.  It feels like everyone is posting on Facebook that they too have anxiety or depression.  On the kid show Incredibles, the mom says that everyone is special.  The son responds with if everyone is special, then no one is special.  That is how I feel about my mental problems.  If everyone has mental disorders, then no body has them.  This is just life.  This is just part of being human.  If this is it and there is nothing better, nothing more, than that is very depressing!  I have hope that there is a better life, that there is peace and calm and joy in this life.  I have hope that I can find healing for my mental sicknesses and weaknesses.  I have hope.
Tomorrow I have a difficult day so I might not make it through the day without feeling depressed and like I want to run away.  Tomorrow I will do my best to endure and hopefully I can get back on to healing and health on Thursday.

Mental Health Challenge

Lately I have been struggling with my mental health.  Over a year ago I realized that I was being controlled by anxiety.  I have worked on handling anxiety and often I feel I have it under control.  But these last few months I have really struggled with depression, I think.  I get these thoughts where I just want to run away.  Over and over in my head I think about how motherhood is too hard, how I don't want to clean house anymore, how I would be more happy if I was just alone.  These thoughts are not true, but when I am suffering from depression, these thoughts feel very real.  I have just had a two week break from these thoughts and it was so nice to have this break.  But today they started to creep back in.  So I am going to start a mental health challenge.  I have done some research on how to be mentally healthy and so I am going to do these things daily and will record how they have helped.  Hopefully they will relieve me from these dark clouds that press down on me and will lift this elephant that often feels like he is sitting on my chest.  Here are some of the things I want to do to help my mental health:

1. Exercise
2. Meditate, do yoga or tai chi
3. Write in a gratitude journal
4. No sugar in the diet
5. Avoid carbs
6. Say prayers morning, night, and when feeling stressed and read scriptures daily
7. Go for walks in the evenings
8. Read a book when thoughts are racing
9. Work in the yard
10. Spend time in nature

Each day I will try to incorporate a few of these and hopefully I will feel a peace in my life and calmness in my mind.