As someone who has been living with co-occurring mental health disorders since I was a child, I’m no stranger to experiencing bad mental health days. We all have days when we wake up and struggle to get out of bed; those days when we’re not sure if we’ll be able to push through and accomplish the tasks on our to-do list. Even if you don’t live with a mental health condition, you’ll likely experience a bad day at some point.
During these days, it’s important to be equipped with the tools necessary to manage your thoughts and feelings. Bad mental health days can make us feel hopeless, but something to keep in mind is that it’s just a bad day, and you will get through it.
How to Survive a Bad Mental Health Day 1. Practice Self-care
Self-care is not a luxury; it’s a necessity and should always be prioritized. It involves taking care of your well-being and engaging in activities that fill you up. However, self-care isn’t always fun or what’s typically displayed in the media.
Some days self-care for me looks like deep cleaning my space or scheduling appointments I’ve been avoiding. On other days, it’s engaging in more pleasurable activities like being creative, meditating, or doing my makeup.
When experiencing bad mental health days, it’s understandable to not have the energy to do certain tasks, which is why it’s important to start small. Start by making your bed or showering and putting on fresh clothes. You can also set a timer for 10-15 minutes to do as much cleaning as you can. Other necessities include staying hydrated and ensuring you eat.
Doing these things may not feel like you’ve accomplished much, but the small successes matter too.
2. Utilize Distractions
Distractions are essential for the hard days. Two things I find helpful are watching a TV show or movie and listening to music or a podcast. Finding a way to distract yourself from how bad you’re feeling can help ease your mind.
Some ideas for distractions include:
Listen to music or a podcast
Watch a comfort show
Cook
Read or write
Commune with nature
Create a gratitude list
Clean out your phone
Write a letter to yourself for the hard days
Take deep belly breaths; doing breathwork
Meditate
Do some stretches in bed
3. Reach Out to Your Support System
Sometimes, when I’m having a rough day, I prefer to isolate myself as opposed to seeking support because I don’t want to be a burden or bring anyone down. I’m still learning that I can count on my support system when my mental health goes downhill.
It’s ok not to be ok and to let others know that you’re struggling. Sharing your thoughts and feelings with someone who cares is a healthy way to release what you’re holding in. It may also help you feel better.
4. Allow Yourself to Feel Your Feelings
While distractions are important, allowing yourself to feel your full range of emotions is also essential to surviving a bad mental health day. If you feel that you need to cry, allow your tears to flow freely. Crying is a healthy way to cope with your emotions, and bottling it up will only hurt you in the long run.
Tune in to how you feel and hold space for the heaviness.
5. Do Nothing
I recently had a bad mental health day, and it resulted in me spending the entire day in bed binge-watching a show on Hulu. Those of us who struggle with our mental health know how difficult it can be to have the mental strength to get out of bed or accomplish any tasks. Yes, eventually we have to pick ourselves back up and keep going, but I truly believe sometimes it’s ok to do absolutely nothing.
Give yourself the day off, and try again tomorrow.
Remember, It’s Ok Not to Be Ok
You don’t always have to be strong or hold it all together. We will all experience a bad mental day at some point, but it’s important to remember that it’s just a bad day, not a bad life. Taking care of yourself on bad mental health days isn’t easy so be proud of yourself for any task that you accomplish.
Allow yourself to feel– whatever that looks like for you, and remember that joy always returns after a period of darkness.