Empathy For Minds

 There are a lot of things people do to cope with everyday struggles. I think its most important that if you know someone that is effected by mental health issue or you are, you know how to cope with it. That can mean many different things to different people. This is why it's important to know yourself and your triggers so you can live your life with some sort of peace of mind. Last blog I talked about self care which is a way to cope with struggles. Things like taking yourself out to do what you enjoy is essential. This can be something little everyday to help keep your peace of mind or just taking a mental health break if possible.  Another way to cope can include seeking support. This can be going to talk to a therapist if thats something you're comfortable with. I know if your like me that may not be something you're comfortable with but I do think its something everyone should at least try. If not sometimes a friend can act as a therapist, just being someone to listen...

 Self care is a major part of maintaining good healthy habits. Not only is self care a major part of having good healthy habits but also good mental health habits to be more specific. I feel like people have to work so so much just to get to a place where they feel somewhat ok. This leaves little to no room for things that are good for the mental because you enjoy doing them.  Self care is an important aspect in maintaining a positive headspace. Knowing when is probably the most important key to this. Having the self awareness to know when you're burnt out or need a break is really key. Thats why it's also good to have little check ins with yourself. Asking yourself questions like, "when is the last time I did something just because I enjoy it" or "How can I benefit more in the future from taking time to myself now". Taking time for yourself and doing something you really enjoy can mean a bunch of different things for different people. That can even include ...

     Being a student athlete is exactly what it sounds like, being a student first then an athlete or so they say... Being a student is already hard work, getting assignments done daily, meeting for group projects, and studying to maintain a certain gpa is hard work. Now while playing a Division I college sport, things start to get very heavy.     A normal day for me looks like waking up, going to class, then lifting, then going to class again, and then finally practice. You might be thinking where do you have time to yourself? You don't. And if you don't know how to manage your time effectively you can easily get lost in the cross fire of it all. Which is why taking the little time you do get to yourself is so important.     Having self care days has really kept me going honestly, taking time to do things I enjoy. For me that includes just going to grab coffee at a local coffee shop and just debriefing the week with one of my friends. Also just taking...

     What is stigma? Stigma is a mark of disgrace associated with a particular circumstance, quality, or person. This is a huge part of mental health and is a what goes through peoples minds when they don't want to speak up about how they are feeling.         I want to touch on the negative impact the stigma of mental health has on people. Being a black woman I've seen how the Black community acts towards mental health issues. Especially when it comes to black men, they are often told they are being too soft or what they are saying isn't that deep. This is common amongst most men regardless of color or race, they don't want to appear weak. It can be very lonely when you have no one to talk to about how you feel because you don't want to appear "soft".      This then leads to self isolation, which will then affect that individuals future relationships. When a person never talks to anyone about how they are feeling, it starts to come ...