Where Do I Start?

If you're just starting your mental health journey, you're probably wondering how you should go about it. I'm not a professional, but I do have some experience that could be helpful.

First: Therapy. I think everyone should go to therapy, personally, but especially if you're not really sure what's going on, it's a good place to start. Therapy isn't accessible to everyone, and if you're in a position where it's not an option, look for affordable (and credible!) online therapy options–Talkspace, Better Help, etc. I've never used any of those, but I have heard good things.

Second: Be nice to yourself. I know this is much easier said than done, but it is so important to remind yourself that you're a work in progress, and you're taking steps to help yourself. Basically, get out of your own way.

Third: Journaling. When I was seeing my first therapist, one of the things we talked about a lot were anxious thought patterns I have. She told me to try and keep track of them, so I began writing them down at the end of the day. My most common thought patterns were what ifs and assumptions. Still definitely working on those, but writing them out helped so much!

Journaling is also good for processing your feelings. I almost always come away from a journaling session feeling a sense of a weight being off my shoulders, or at the very least an organized way of expressing myself–which is something I have a lot of trouble with.

Finally: Progress isn't linear. When you’re feeling good about where you’re at, it is very easy to beat yourself up when you feel like you’re going backwards. For some of us, it’s a reflex to put ourselves down if we feel like we’re failing. You are not failing. You are doing the best that you can with the information and resources you have available to you.

Any progress is progress. Be proud of the steps you are taking and take things day to day, or moment to moment.

Breathe. You are doing amazing!

These steps are not fail-safe, and they may not work for you. That’s fine! Everyone is different, and mental illness affects different people in different ways. The most important thing you need to remember throughout this process is that your mental health does not define who you are. It may make things harder for you, but you are still here, and there are a lot of people who are proud of you for working on yourself.

(I happen to be one of those people. I’m so proud of you!)

Be kind to yourself, it’s hard out there.

—Abbie