I’m engulfed in way too much human interaction these days and that means overload of random information, mostly inaccurate, but definitely based on first hand experiences.
I will try to keep it short or it will end up being a book. These are excerpts of what apparantly healthy folks said about their own mental health:
“Stress does something to my skin, for me it’s very physical, I get red patches on my face”
“Whenever times get harder my stomach gives up. My digestion gets f***ed! And it stays that way days after my problems are solved. One bad news means weeks of upset stomach and weeks of weakness after that.”
“I get anxiety. I had exam and a mock just a day before that exam. I lost my mind in the mock and I was uncontrollable even before real exam. This affected my result. I have seen doctors but I don’t want medicines. I have tried everything else and nothing works. I can’t help it”
“Stress breaks you. I can feel my every muscle breaking when I panick. And then I’m drained for days. My bones hurt. It takes a heavy toll on my body”
“There are days I don’t want to live. I have fibromyalgia because of ptsd and doctors say it can’t be reversed. How many more medicines I can take just to manage my pain enough to live 1 normal day.”
“I think I’m pre-manic again. I am getting cramps and jerks. And I’m worried.”
Most of these people don’t even know much about mental disorders.
Stress, anxiety, depression, are the terms they try to explain with. But I get it.
Whatever happens in their head affects their body pretty much the way any illness does.
And yet we are fighting for recognition?
Mental illnesses are still not given the same importance. And people are deprived of much needed validation?
On a dinner table I can’t start counseling someone. There is a systematic approach that you have to take and patience to listen when someone opens up about their mental health and 50 other people will try to cut the conversation as it sounds like crap to them.
Sometimes I don’t know where to begin.
Maybe from listening.
Listening is such a powerful first step.
So, I’m trying to listen these days when people open up. Even though I have tons of things to suggest but just listening without interruption can take days for one person to explain the whirlwind stirred in their head.
But you can see them unburdening and the stress lines dissolving, it’s beautiful and comforting.
You see their smile shyly unfurl like a leaf in rain.
Have a great days guys!
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Kindly visit my post Warriors Invited To Raise Mental Health Awareness where I am inviting Mental Health Warriors to submit their blog’s address so that we can join hands to control this wildfire.
Copyright © 2019 stoneronarollercoaster – All rights reserved
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Here’s the link to my debut poetry collection => Swinging Sanity
Here’s the link to my post about the book –All About Swinging Sanity
Stoner on a rollercoaster 
A lot of symptoms you have described of stress are known as psycho-somatic. Our body tell us that it is experiencing stress in a physical way. Don’t shun all medical options. Some meds are helpful.
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These are experiences of different people and the first time they opened up like that before me. In that situation telling them anything within 30 minutes of conversation can make them stop. I believe in medication, therapy, excersice everything. But I think it should be a gradual approach unless it sounds like an emergency.
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Yes, it should be gradual. Low doses of low intensity meds to start with.
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Counselling ia about listening too
I would be glad to have you listen to me if I needed it x
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I’m here always 🤗 xx
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😊 👍
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You have made a great point. I used to be a social worker and active listening without judgment was an integral part of my training. Giving someone the space to honestly express themselves can make all the difference to that person’s mental health. Just hearing the words out loud can often times make the person stop and evaluate the situation from a more calmer perspective. Helping people who suffer from anxiety is tricky because there is no “one size fits all” for people. Listening is, however, so vital to helping. I enjoy reading your blog.
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Excellent post Stoner 🙂
One of societies biggest problems is they don’t listen anymore, they just hear noise and pretty soon they switch off. But there is a big difference to listening and simply hearing what is being said.
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Thank you!
I know. I read somewhere most of the times people are waiting for their turn to speak rather than actually listening. I could be guilty of that too. But you learn so much about yourself and life when you let people tell you their story. 🙂
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I hope not every quote is from a different person… That’s a lot of angsty people asking for a listening ear. Don’t forget to protect your own sanity!
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Unfortunately they are from different people, of different ages and groups. I was glad they were speaking up because they must have been bottling it up for a long time.
Speaking is a part of accepting and that is where you want to fix this. That’s when you feel you need any form of help.
I’m absolutely fine 🙂 thank you!
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You’re such a good person! Keep up the good work and good deeds!
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I’m not always this good. Lol. Was just having a phase of listening and observing. Most of the times I’m on speaking/venting else but with very few close friends.
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