A 2020 Mental Health Check. ♥

 

♥ I am NOT okay. 🙃 ♥

When I was 16, I started having horrible panic attacks. That was a solid 12 years ago but because of the current state of the entire world I feel like 16-year-old Sophia again. I’m covered in acne, living off of microwavable food, perfecting my depression naps, and living in pajama pants. Jokes aside, I’ve been experiencing the same physical symptoms of anxiety I had in my teens. Some of the symptoms are:

• Fatigue

• Increased eye floaters

• Headache

• Muscle soreness

• Shortness of breath

• Discomfort in my throat

• Chest tightness

• Dizziness

• Ear pain

• Neck and upper back stiffness.

• Insomnia at night

• Trouble staying awake during the day

• Random pains in my hands and head

• Hot flashes

• Chills

• Feelings of helplessness and dread

• Why can’t I stop crying?!

I know there are other symptoms I’m momentarily forgetting but you get it. Stress has me messed up. BUT I think that if there ever was a time where it was completely acceptable to be breaking down this is definitely it.

(Realistically you don’t ever need an excuse for anxiety to be doing you dirty but if it’s heightened now it is considered universally acceptable by people who aren’t as understanding about mental health.) ♥

SO WTF AM I DOING ABOUT IT?

I’m letting myself feel lousy for a little. It makes sense to feel scared and like crap right now. When in doubt cry it out. I also have a sweato neato weighted blanket to help me feel secure.

When my throat starts feeling weird and my chest tight, I sip peppermint tea and use either eucalyptus spray or Vicks VapoRub. They help me feel like I can breathe easier.

I’m putting heat and ice on my sore spots. I also have a massaging pillow that I’m using to try to relieve the tension. Yoga can help with this too, but my current workout consists strictly of lifting food to my face.

I make sure to continue taking my vitamins. I take vitamin D because I’m deficient, iron, magnesium, and a b complex. I’ve been on 4,000 ius of vitamin D for over a year and I can feel a difference in symptoms when I forget to take it.

I haven’t watched the news in years because it makes me feel awful. I’m not about to start again now. Don’t watch the news.

Watch and do things that make you feel good. I LOVE watching Bare Bears on Hulu right now. It’s wholesome and funny. I may have also downloaded TikTok because it makes me laugh … a lot … into the late hours of the night.

Finally, … do not worry about being productive. This is not a competition. Do not let people make you feel less than because you’re not on a schedule, starting a blog, earning money from home, or becoming an exercise buff overnight. If those are things you feel like pursuing right now, then I support you 100% but I also support just making it through each day. Your priority is the health and safety of yourself and the people around you.

&& Shoutout to all you ‘essentials’ out there! All of you deserve a lot more than minimum wage and so much respect. Be safe. May the odds be ever in your favor.