Lived Experience Forum

[Knick]

Hi,

I've been finding I've had a few more sicknesses over the past little bit. When that happens I curl up in a little ball and wait for it to pass. I'm not sure if this is the best approach for Mental Health... because, routine, life's joys, satisfaction in achievement, and tbh judgement in not being at all productive, my work is so self directed I'm pretty much in charge of myself. And if the illness lasts more than a few days that starts to have an impact.

How do people negociate their Mental Health needs with their physical ones?

[outlander]

hey @Knick balancing mental and physical health can be quite tricky and is something I face on a daily basis.
I try to pain manage the best I can, exercise, eat well and try to maintain my mental health through supports.
If your feeling quite under the weather it might be worth speaking to you gp and doing some blood tests, you could be a deficiency such as iron etc that might be affecting you.

I guess I try to work out which ailment is most bothersome to me too. if im quite unwell then I try to focus on that and getting better rather then my mental health (or vise versa)

[Knick]

Thanks @outlander.

I've had all the tests. Nothing seems wrong but I think it was my glasses causing bad eye strain symptoms, and then a bug, and then another and so on. And also... insomnia.

I guess I'm just aware that when I'm sick I am doing the things that cause a Mental Health relapse. I had gastro a while back, and had a six month mental health episode off the back of that.

Now, if you're sick, you have to stay home until you work out you're safe, which makes bouncing back even harder.

I'll try and work out ways to be kind and focus on my physical health but reduce my risk of Mental Health relapse.

Thanks again!

[outlander]

Sorry your going through ao much with your health @Knick its hars sometimes isnt it

@eth @Sans911 @CheerBear @Former-Member @Owlunar @Faith-and-Hope may be able to help with some suggestions for you too

[Faith-and-Hope]

Hi @Knick and welcome to the forums 👋

If you're stuck at home for a little while, it is important to find things to focus on to distract and ground you a bit.

Starting a jigsaw puzzle is one idea, if you're up for it

..... or creating a "holiday at home" sort of set-up, where you think about what you might like to find in a stay-place like a B&B, and set up your home to be a bit like that ..... make a jug of water with a slice of lemon in it, a sprig if mint if you've got some in the garden, and put it on a tray with a glass next to your favourite chair.  Find some "elevator music" to play in the background, find some crosswords (newspaper, magazine, online) and stack up some cushions as a footrest if you haven't got one, and dress the part, just for yourself ..... sunnies and hat if you want 😏

Set up to clean out a kitchen or bathroom cupboard and reward yourself when it's done ..... get everything ready (bin bag, cleaning cloths, basin of water, box for stuff that is going somewhere else, tape and marker pen if you want to list what is in the cupboard on the inside of the door ......

None of these suggestions might work for you, but they might spark your own ideas about what you might like to do instead.

Take care of you 💕

[eth]

Hi @Knick @Faith-and-Hope @outlander   some excellent suggestions there.  Tagging @Mazarita here in case you want to join in this discussion.

[Knick]

Thanks @Faith-and-Hope 

I've been trying to organise online group activities with friends. It's pretty good actually- gallery visits, card games online. 

The rest is a work in progress. I love the air bnb thing.

Thanks. 

[Faith-and-Hope]

I am setting up a new home space, so it feels a bit like an Airbnb experience here @Knick 😏