“Driven. Efficient. Some words used to describe me. I deny it, feeling weak. My perfectionism is daunting. It rears its head every time I do anything. Not good enough. Not fast enough. Not perfect enough...Not...enough.
When I realized I was considering unhealthy coping skills, I decided it may be time to reach out for more support. Seeking help and professional help does not make you weak, if anything it makes you incredibly strong. For me, it's scary reaching out. I have a lot of self pride; and I worry of others thinking less of me because of my mental illness. I work in healthcare so I worry that I will be looked at as less able to do my job if people know I struggle with depression and anxiety. But reaching out is so important. It give us an extra layer of support. It gives us someone to contradict the negative thoughts and reason through our thinking. Once we Talk On, we can Heal On.
As I realize how much these negative thoughts affect my life I strive to work on changing the inner dialogue. Give myself kindness the same way I would to my best friend. Give myself some benefit of the doubt when I am not on my A-game. Cutting myself some slack, when things are hard. THAT is self love. Also, as I work in health care I realized my mental illness has given me an advantage, the ability to empathize on a deeper level. Because of my struggles, I can give better care to patients in need. My point being, mental illnesses suck, but sometimes they make us more caring, understanding, empathetic humans, and if we can help someone else get through a hard time then it all makes it worth it.
Goals:
Give myself credit when credit is due.
Let go of the perfectionist mindset, it only brings frustration and disappointment.
We are not machines that can go on forever. We are human. We needs breaks, rest, and self care.
Reaching out is often the first step to challenging our illnesses. It's scary but if you feel you could use extra support, reach out!”
--Anya, Student