Mental health is often depicted as a journey; it is long and arduous, full of twists, turns, dips, and mountains, but it never quite seems to come to a fitful conclusion. Many of us are able to arrive somewhere a bit brighter than before, where we are able to work with ourselves more, manage our symptoms a bit healthier, or even accept ourselves for who we are. That is what we often strive to do when embarking on these “journeys”: to reach a better destination of psychological and emotional well-being.
Rather than a journey, I like to think of my mental health as an ongoing conversation with myself. There are times when this conversation is difficult, uncomfortable, and even painful. It takes effort to be able to look yourself in the mirror and ask yourself what is really on your mind to dig down to the root of the issues you are experiencing— but this is necessary in order to be able to heal and grow. My mental health did not begin to improve until I initiated this conversation with myself and actually dedicated the time to sit down and sift through my thoughts, feelings, and experiences.
In doing so, slowly I have been able to understand my behaviors and thought patterns better, notice when I am engaging in unhealthy coping mechanisms, and incorporate strategies into my daily life to better my own well-being. All of this is done by listening to, becoming more aware of, and ultimately working with, rather than against, myself. While I learn more about myself, land on productive topics, and have hard discussions, there is never a true destination because I am always striving to know all that I can about myself, feel the best that I can, and be well equipped to handle the off days and moments.
There are always more stones to uncover within yourself, and a large part of mental health is maintenance. You regularly converse with friends, family members, and significant others in order to maintain your relationship with them, and your self is no different! You need to put into practice what you learn, actively choose to engage in healthy behaviors, and check yourself when you are working against yourself and not doing what truly serves you.
Some of the ways I do this is by regularly attending therapy, reading emerging research in relevant fields, and trying new tools. All of this is in service of my well-being, but a large part of it is possible only because of the support of others; be it therapists, scholars, or people in my life who are in conversation with themselves, we all can learn from one another and support each other. This fall semester, I decided to begin my first regular column for Her Campus Oswego in order to share what I have learned and help to support others. “What’s On Your Mind?” will be a biweekly look into my mental health conversation, along with articles, tips and tricks, and resources for your own mental health!
Whether you are looking for tools to add to your repertoire, needing validation and empathy concerning your experiences, or just looking for your next new read to gloss over between classes, this is the column for you! Tune in every two weeks to learn the latest in mental health, and see how it can be more than just a journey, but a conversation with who you were, are, and want to be. You may even begin to ask yourself, what’s really on your mind?