May Is National Health Awareness Month!

 

Good Monday morning, my friends! Monday Morning Coffee Talk returns next week, but today is all about Mental Health Awareness. May is many things, among them Mental Health Awareness Month. This little space here allows me to bring awareness to mental health and the need to break the stigma associated with it. Several years ago, when I was finally diagnosed with Obsessive Compulsive Disorder and Health Anxiety, I realized I had suffered silently for too long. In retrospect, I realize I was concerned about what people would think about me if they knew I had mental health issues. Those days are long gone, my friends. Finally becoming unable to live with the intrusive thoughts affecting my life and being forced to seek treatment were the best things that could have happened. Now I have the proper dosage of medication, regular sessions with a fantastic therapist, and a knowledgeable primary care physician and psychiatrist allowing me to manage these conditions that are part of my life. 

Anxiety is hard enough. Thinking you are alone with anxiety is unbearable. In sharing my experience, I hope to help even one person see that living with anxiety is possible. You are not alone in your worries, fears, anxiousness, and intrusive thoughts. I am proof of that. Recently I realized that my anxiety has lessened and that I can handle certain situations without becoming anxious or obsessive. My mind isn't ruminating, causing me to seek reassurance about things I fear. When I thank her for helping me, my therapist reminds me regularly that she is there to provide me the tools I need but that I do the hard work. Just recently, I realized she was right. I wish I could say a magic wand exists that will take all the anxiety, fear, worry, and obsessions away. But that will never be true. The truth is, I work every day to manage my OCD and anxiety. I accept that it will never be gone entirely, but I can honestly say I am managing it in a healthy, productive way. 

I have learned a few things that may help you on your mental health journey.

*Show yourself the same compassion you show others. What do you do when someone you love is struggling? You offer help and support. Do the same for yourself. You deserve it.

*Accept help. Let your loved ones in. Struggling with anxiety while trying to keep it a secret is unimaginably hard. Don't ask for reassurance. Just ask someone to listen.

*Talk to professionals. Your doctor will help you find a counselor or therapist to talk with. And know this. Anything you say to the therapist has been said before. Be honest about your anxiety, your obsessions, and your fears. 

*Medication can and does help. With your doctor's help, find the right one with the correct dosage. It might not be the first one you try but keep at it. You will get there!

*Stop Googling. Let me say that again. Stop Googling. Just stop. Stop looking for answers on the internet. 

*Find an app to help. I love the Dare Response! It is the very best thing I have found to help me with my anxiety. Click HERE to go to the website. I use the app every day.

*And finally, keep at it. Show up for yourself every single day. When you start to see a change, keep going. Like brushing your teeth or washing your face, managing your anxiety should be a part of your daily routine.

Thank you for the support you have given me over the years. You have given me the courage to continue talking about my mental health challenges. And I hope I have done the same for you. 

Have a cozy Monday, my friends!

Thanks for visiting!

(Insert cute puppy pics here.)

Billie Jo

*Google for the image.*

Mental Health Awareness Month Is Here!

 

We interrupt our regularly scheduled blog posts for this Public Service Announcement...May is Mental Health Awareness Month. I would be remiss if I did not use this little old platform I have here to draw awareness to Mental Health and the need to normalize discussions about it. If you have read here for a while, you know I have been very open about my Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder and Health Anxiety diagnosis. I first wrote about that in a post right HERE. (Just click on the word HERE, and it will take you there.) 

It took me a long time to feel comfortable discussing my OCD and anxiety with those outside my immediate family. Why? Because I used to care about the stigma attached to any mental health issue. Now, not so much. In fact, I will tell anyone who asks about my struggle with OCD and anxiety, my diagnosis, and my treatment plan, including therapy and medication. I know now that talking about it is helpful to me and anyone else struggling with any mental health issues. Anxiety makes you feel alone, as if no one understands those distressing thoughts running on a constant loop through your mind. 

Therapy has taught me so many things I wish I had known years ago. First of all, never be embarrassed or ashamed to talk about your issues. Everyone has something. Everyone. OCD happens to be mine. Another thing? I have OCD. I am not OCD. My mental health issue is a part of me. It does not define me. Also, medication can be extremely beneficial when used correctly. I am fortunate to have found an excellent psychiatrist who was able to confirm my diagnosis and prescribe the proper medication that is keeping my OCD and anxiety under control. 

I have OCD. I have Health and General Anxiety. I see a therapist and a psychiatrist. I take medication to treat my OCD and anxiety. I pray. I also homeschool my daughter, make healthy meals for my family, decorate my home for every holiday, and watch Match Game every day. I love to read. I love being a mom. And a wife, daughter, sister, and friend. I love writing this blog and reading your blogs. I love scary movies and iced coffee. And afternoon naps.

So there you are, my friends. My little contribution to Mental Health Awareness Month. I hope that it helps at least one person reading to know they are not alone. To give them that last little nudge needed to open up to someone. 

We will resume our regularly scheduled posts about puppies and coffee on Friday. In the meantime, have a cozy Wednesday, my friends. Thank you for reading!

Billie Jo

Thank You Thoughts

 Hello, my friends. I am so very thankful to all of you for your comments and prayers and thoughts and validation. I hope you know I read, and reread them all. I also felt the love of this wonderful space and was comforted by you all. I have visited the doctor and readjusted my medication, spent time in prayer, and even went for a swim in the lake! Exercise is good for anxiety, they tell me. Figures! In any case, I am feeling more like myself, and hope to be back to our regular programming soon. 

Have a cozy Wednesday, my friends!

Thank you again!

Billie Jo

Monday Morning Coffee

 

Good Monday morning, dear friends. It is the Monday of Holy Week for us, and it begins with a dusting of snow and some cold temperatures.  As they seem to do, our weekend went quickly, but it was full of productivity and rest. Yesterday we prepared our saintly meal, and while some rated it very well, others were not quite so sure! As someone who has Italian blood in her veins, I found it delicious, if different from anything I have tried. The pasta sauce included crushed tomatoes, garlic, pine nuts, and golden raisins. It called for sardines, but we decided to leave those out. Wise decision.

Today will be a quiet day as everyone returns to work. Flynn is going with Madison for a while, so I will be home alone. I have an impressive amount of laundry waiting for me, as well as a brand new book I have yet to crack open. Dinner tonight is Cheeseburger Casserole with fresh fruit, and that will be our day. I hope your day is cozy and happy, my friends. 

I have had several readers and friends message me about my recent post on anxiety. I want to share two things today for anyone who is or has a loved one struggling with anxiety. I came across the webcast I shared with you in that post purely by chance, and I am beyond thankful I did. The presenter, Ken Goodman, is a licensed clinical social worker who has spent years helping people overcome anxiety. I will link his website below. Ken has literally changed the entire way I see and deal with my anxiety disorder. If you are dealing with anxiety, I urge you to visit his website and look around. I purchased his Anxiety Solutions Series and downloaded it onto my laptop. I listen to a chapter every morning, and I have to tell you that it is helping me tremendously! He explains the root of anxiety disorders, all types, and provides tools to help overcome them. There are chapters available on his website to listen to for free, so you can get an idea of how he will help you free yourself from anxiety.

In addition, he authored a self-help coloring book that I use every morning as I am listening to the series or anytime I want to relax. I am not being compensated for this, nor is this any type of ad. I am sharing this with you from my heart because it has and continues to help me so very much. Trust me, I have read books, downloaded apps, took surveys, listened to podcasts, and nothing has come close to Ken's approach and care. 

Ok. I am done! Just a little PSA to start your day!

Visit Ken here:

Ken Goodman Therapy

Have a cozy Monday, my friends.

Thanks for visiting.

I am always happy you do!