One of my friends mentioned how they have been living in a difficult situation. The most important thing about the situation was their overwhelming role in the household. They went to work, came home to take manage the house, care for the children, and went to bed only to wake up the next day to do it all over again. Sound familiar? They are by no means the first or last person to live that way. It’s not a lifestyle choice. It’s the circumstances we find ourselves in for one reason or another.

Mental health comes in many flavors. Functioning, semi-functioning, and non-functioning is my breakdown. Remember that with mental health, just like physical health, people sometimes move both ways on the scale. A person who is non-functioning due to major depression can eventually work their way back up to a semi-functioning or functioning state. There are always exceptions, but for some it is possible.

The Pendulum of Life

At this point in my life, I am in a semi-functioning state. My bi-polar disorder (BPD) holds me back in many ways. Not everyone realizes that BPD does not mean they experience severe fluctuating moods throughout the day. BPD shifts from mania or depressive and back over the course of weeks and months. My sister and I equate the process to a swinging pendulum in a grandfather clock. I can be in a depressive state for months. Commitments will fall through, my bedroom becomes a cave, sometimes I pig out on sweets, and my children miss me. Then the pendulum swings, and I’m in my manic state.

While I love my manic state, because I actually accomplish tasks, it doesn’t usually last more than a couple of weeks—maybe a month. I have medication which helps regulate my BPD, but medication is not the end all be all cure, and it’s not the only thing I need. Self-care is also a vital part of treating my BPD.

Define Self-Care

The most concise definition of self-care came from my alma mater, Southern New Hampshire University. They said, “Self-care refers to anything that you do to keep yourself mentally, emotionally, physically, socially, and spiritually healthy.” Even small acts of self-care in your daily life can have a big impact.

Why is it so important?

The National Institute of Mental Health provides even more information on self-care stating:

Self-care means taking the time to do things that help you live well and improve both your physical health and mental health. This can help you manage stress, lower your risk of illness, and increase your energy. Even small acts of self-care in your daily life can have a big impact.

National Institute of mental Health

Self-care impacts all aspects of our lives. The International Self-Care Foundation points out that something as simple as brushing and flossing your teeth could impact our heart health. With my friend, the gettogether we attended was their moment of self-care. They had a night to do what they wanted to do, not what they had to do. That time of relief is important to balance their needs with a break.

Remember that self-care doesn’t have to be static. You don’t need to do the same thing at the same time every week or month. If you have the opportunity and enjoy the activity, do it! Go with the flow and trust yourself to stop when life starts to get really hard. Take a moment to breath before facing life again.

I’ll write another post soon about how self-care is done. Stay tuned!