Self-Care for bad days.

How do you practice self-care on days when your mental health isn’t at it’s best? Are there certain rituals your follow, books you go to or places you like to be when the world is feeling too much?

There’s no getting away from bad days. They’re part of being human and although life would be much better without them, they help us to appreciate the good times. But for some of us, bad days can feel like every day and for others, it’s a rare occurrence. No matter what side of the coin you’re on bad days are horrible and infectious not only to you but everyone around you.

“I’m not deserving.”

How do you begin to practice self-care when you don’t feel deserving of it? Good question! Every morning I get of bed I have to fight with myself to take my medication, to eat, not to weigh, etc. The list of horrible things I could do to hinder my recovery is endless while the list of self-care options is seemingly pointless. I know that any of those negative things could make or break my day and yet I still want to stick by them? Really? It makes no sense, but neither does mental illness.

When things get tough I try to think about what makes me feel better. I start with the easiest on the list which could be a quick nap, a shower or binge-watching Brooklyn Nine-Nine. But sometimes it takes a lot more and I have to actively remove myself from my thoughts. As counter-productive as that sounds burying myself in heavy metal and power-walking to clear my head is sometimes the most cathartic thing I can do for myself in the midst of a breakdown.

Top Tips for practicing self-care on bad mental health days.

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