Does my mental illness make me a weaker or stronger person?
This is a question I’ve asked myself without realising. If you have ever been in a tough situation, you may have asked yourself the same question.
A study by researchers at New York’s University of Buffalo, showed that people with “chronic back pain who had some problems in their past, were less functionally impaired compared to those with a great deal of past trauma, or no trauma’s at all.”
When I read those findings, I thought to myself, it isn’t that comforting for people who have or will experience a great deal of trauma. However, I would argue that it isn’t about the severity of your hardships, rather, how resilient you are.
Resilience is defined as the capacity to recover quickly from difficulties. Resilience isn’t something you either have or you don’t, it is something that we can take steps towards achieving.
Many people feel like they are no longer strong when they have a mental illness. However, I’m here to tell you that your situation doesn’t determine your resilience. You have the power to build on your resilience at any point.
In this article, I will discuss 3 misconceptions about some aspects of resilience.
You are weak when you depend on others.
The truth is, building your support network can make you more resilient. Sometimes just telling the people close to you how you’re feeling can make a big difference. They might be able to help you out in other ways too.
I speak to my parents when I am experiencing any symptoms of my mental illness and they generally give me good advice.
Your loved ones may encourage you to seek professional support such as speaking to your GP. GP’s can check your health and help you access treatments.
Support at work, such as your line manager, human resources (HR) department and occupational health can also be helpful. Try not to worry that talking to your manager or colleagues about mental illness will be seen as a sign of weakness – your wellbeing is important and responsible employers will take it seriously.
Last but certainly not least, look to God for support. This involves coming to Him in prayer, telling Him all your problems and listening to what He wants to tell you through His word. In Phillipians 4:13, Paul says, “I can do all this through Him who gives me strength.” This shows that the strength comes from God who is able to support you and make you whole.
2. Self-care and selfishness are synonymous.
Proper nutrition. When you’re stressed, it can be tempting to skip meals or eat too much of the wrong kinds of food. But what you eat, and when you eat, can make a big difference to how well you feel. For example, when I eat late, I have found that I am more prone to getting nightmares.
Ample sleep. Stress can often make it difficult to sleep, and can cause sleep problems. Getting enough sleep can help you feel more able to deal with difficult situations.
Hydration. Drinking water helps regulate your body temperature, aids in digestion, and rids the body of toxins. Staying hydrated also helps lower stress, keeps your weight in check, and allows your muscles and organs, including your heart, to work properly.
Regular exercise. Being physically active is important for both our physical and mental health. Even making small changes such as going for a regular walk outside may help you to feel less stressed.
3. Setting goals doesn’t work; life is too unpredictable.
I like to set myself SMART goals and review wether I have met the goals at the end of the month. You may want to make goals that you review on a weekly basis. The most important thing is that you review how things are going and it helps you get into the habit of actively working towards your goals.
It is important to remember that although we may have our own plans, it is really God’s will that should be top priority. So if a goal that I have isn’t in line with God’s will, then I should revise that goals and pray that God will show me what path to take. The wise King Solomon expressed this in Proverbs 16:9 “In their hearts humans plan their course, but the Lord establishes their steps.”
Conclusion
I hope you find this blog helpful and realise that you have the choice to take steps towards being more resilient or being overwhelmed by your problems.
The text I will leave with you is Joshua 1:9 – This is my command—be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid or discouraged. For the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.
Wherever means through the bad times and good times. God is saying He will be there in every situation so know that you are not alone. You are strong because God is with you.
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