Most of us, in some way, are experiencing tough times right now. The job market is piss poor, and the economy has been flushed down the toilet with 1-ply toilet paper because that’s all people can afford. Relationships nowadays seem to be mostly based on social media instead of in person, and don’t even get me started on the current heatwave, which makes me extremely cranky. It’s easy to want to give up. Over the past few days, I have watched people talk about their worries and concerns about where we are in present-day times, and from what I can tell, on top of everything else people are going through, they are facing a mental health crisis.
I understand the pressure and toll this life can have on one’s mental health, and I know in the moment it seems like it’s the new norm, but as I’ve come to learn, as long as there is life, there is always hope. Here are three things that helped me when I was facing a mental health crisis. First, it was support. Support from family and friends, and mental health professionals. At first, I didn’t realize I needed support because I really thought everything was okay, but as I came to know, it was a slippery slope of deception. The good thing about the world right now is that a lot of people are experiencing similar stressors, and there is strength in numbers. Even if people can’t afford professional help, it’s nice to know that they are not alone in their struggles.
The second thing that helped me was humor. Finding the funny in a bad situation can be strangely therapeutic. I know it’s hard to laugh when crying out of sorrow or despair seems more natural, but trust me, humor has its place. It takes the mind off the problem for a moment, and have you ever tried feeling bad after you had a good laugh…it’s like you have to force feeling sad again. The thing is, you can force laughter more easily than tears. There’s a great documentary that I watch from time to time called “Too Soon: Comedy After 9/11”. It’s a great piece on how laughter can help with coping with difficult situations.
The third and final thing that helps me when I’m dealing with stressful times (and for me the most important) is my faith. My faith in GOD has carried me through a lot of situations and circumstances that were beyond my control to deal with. I know, in general, we like to believe that we can do anything, but the truth is we’re just human. We were placed on Earth and left to figure things out. At least, that’s the way it seems sometimes. But if you really think about it, we really don’t have that much control in life. Sure, we have free will, and we can do whatever we want to do, but those actions have consequences, and those consequences are out of our hands. So for me, I leave it up to GOD and let HIM work it out. HE is the mastermind of life and has it covered. For me, when I accept that I simply can’t do it on my own and I need help, it takes the pressure off my shoulders to figure it all out, and I can focus on other things other than my problems, like writing and playing poker.
Anyway, these are just a few things that help me when I’m dealing with a lot and I don’t know what else to do with my life. If you’re reading this, just remember that as long as there is life, there is hope.