Change and Mental Health

Multiple sources

Mental Health Awareness Month is May. I am starting early!

I am noticing the variety of reactions I am experiencing about Trump’s resumption of government leadership. Some days I am shocked; other days I am curious. The emotional rollercoaster is real. It is easy to see that compassion is missing.

I have normally experienced this degree of highs and lows in short periods of time as disastrous for my mental health. In the past it has signaled that I am at risk of triggered PTSD - a reality created long ago.

I need to reconstruct/reframe some of my thinking, recenter on internal strength, cut myself some slack, and take my meds! Just because I am experiencing a variety of feelings does not mean I am heading into a trauma crisis. I genuinely believe that feelings are our friends… multiple little and not-so-little signals to pay attention, to ground, and to reassert my awareness that I am resilient.

For many, this is demeaned "therapy-speak” and work; For some of us, these strategies are the nuts-and-bolts of re-stitching wholeness that require a lot more self-awareness than those judging seem to possess.

I am reminding myself of a few things I know about myself in times of uncertainty:

•  I can depend on my gut (intuition) and fine-tuned shit-detector to recognize incoherence and find steadier ground.

• I am responsible for my beliefs and responses.

• It is possible to move from surviving to thriving, just as it is possible to avert internal exhaustion. Its all in the focus and perspective.

• Writing is a time-tested mode of expression that improves my balance

I am choosing to be fairly public in chronicling my reactions because it is unbelievably quiet out there. While these personally (both the quiet and the choice to speak out) can increase my sense of vulnerability, I believe a caring community is possible and can be a source of strength. I know I am not the only one out there who is struggling. (Perhaps this is why it is so silent?) Society and leaders underestimate the impacts on mental health when change is rapid, reckless to the law, implemented with poor communication, and litle measure to down-home, regular people consequences.

Current decisions:

•  If I get overly tired, I will brush Pearl, tackle the weeds in my garden, and become less public.

• I  will try to remember to take the conundrums more lightly, rest more in my faith, and trust the next generation.

Mind your mental health, my friends.