Mental Health: Emotional Care

As winter continues, it’s imperative to take care of your mental health, seek support, and acknowledge your feelings.

The dark, cold days of late winter are a particularly difficult time to deal with. Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD), sometimes called winter blues, affects about 2 million people in the UK each year, according to NHS Inform. SAD is a form of depression that occurs at certain times of the year, most commonly in winter, but the stress of this time of year and current events can put additional pressure on mental health.

Mental health issues can start affecting all areas of your life, from work to relationships, so it’s essential to seek support.

stress

People with disabilities were more likely to report being more worried about rising costs of living than people without disabilities last year, with 82% of people with disabilities saying they were worried compared to 75% of people without disabilities. was doing. The additional pressures that come with the start of the year, including electricity price hikes due in April, food costs, and maintenance costs for essential equipment, can make you feel extremely stressed and overwhelmed.

More immediate financial assistance is needed to alleviate this stress, along with long-term systemic changes to protect people with disabilities in such scenarios, but until this happens, it is difficult to seek help or stress. It is helpful to learn how to deal with

Organizations such as the Stress Management Association (www.stress.org.uk) provides information about stress and tips on how to deal with it.

anxiety

Like stress, everyone experiences anxiety, but the impact this has on your life can determine whether or not this needs to seek support. , it may be time to seek help or information to better understand how to cope. can be difficult, but it usually presents in three ways: psychological, physical, or behavioral symptoms.

These symptoms include, but are not limited to, rapid heart rate, nausea, fear of losing control, and muscle tightness. but can be harmful for people with health conditions that can exacerbate symptoms, such as autoimmune diseases. Organizations like Anxiety UK (www.anxietyuk.org.uk) can offer advice, support and other assistance if you feel your anxiety is affecting your daily life.

imposter syndrome

According to job site Indeed, 3 out of 5 workers experience impostor syndrome, and women and young people are affected by feelings of self-doubt. For people with disabilities, especially those with invisible disabilities, this may be a familiar feeling that they’ve never named before. If you doubt your skills, achievements, or right to be in a particular job or situation, you may be experiencing imposter syndrome. Whether it’s a thought or something that bothers you every time you enter the workplace, it can come in varying degrees of severity.

These feelings don’t just exist at work, they can be felt when receiving care, attending a local support group, or visiting a day center. A good way to combat these feelings is to identify all the reasons why you deserve to be where you are. to remember. Whether it’s a reminder of the skills you have, your formal qualifications, your life experiences, or your passion for the field you work in.

Starting a candid conversation with a colleague about how you’re feeling can help you overcome impostor syndrome. You may find that some of your colleagues feel the same way.

Respite

If you’re struggling with mental health, rest periods, whether as short as two hours or a week at a time, can provide a lifeline. This is especially important if you feel like you’ve hit a breaking point or feel that your mental health strain is preventing you from providing the care your loved ones need.

Rest can come from support from family, friends, or professionals. If you are a caregiver, especially if this becomes a monthly or weekly routine, ask someone close to you to spend just an hour with someone you care about so that you can take time for yourself. Asking can make a big difference.

If you’re having trouble taking care of yourself or falling behind in the care practices you need to keep your body healthy, you can share your feelings with someone close to you so they can find out why. You can understand and plan how to deal with it. This is moving forward. Similarly, you can contact an expert or unbiased helpline to have this conversation, whether by phone, text message, or online live chat.

Learn about mental health issues and how to seek support through the Mental Health Foundation (www.mentalhealth.org.uk).

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