Implode or explode?
Most of us have heard of the Titan submarine that imploded near the Titanic wreckage. The submarine was crushed under the weight of the water at that depth Also Known As (AKA) ‘an implosion.’ Subsequently, those in the submarine tragically lost their lives.
Humans, and manmade structures, can only handle so much before something has to give. Regular maintenance is often needed to maintain a person’s effectiveness just like the structural integrity of an object needs regular repair. The weight of mental health symptoms and/or chronic, toxic stress can have similar negative effects on our lives if not tended to. This then can make us feel like our lives are about to implode and everything will crumble around us.
On the other hand, human beings can only hand so much internal turmoil, e.g. trauma, self-critical thoughts, or rapidly changing emotions before we need to find a release – AKA explosion. This can create explosive behaviors, anger, or rage. These types of reactions can cripple a person’s relationships, get them fired from work, or harm themselves.
In this blog post, we will go over a few strategies to help relieve some of this weight to avoid an implosion or explosion.
Strategies to reduce mental health symptoms and stress
- Take a break. This sounds too simple. We can almost always walk away from any stressful situation. This allows our nervous system time to re-regulate. This strategy can also give the situation we walked away from time to cool down.
- If you can’t leave the situation, we can always tap into our breath. Breathing is something we do 24/7 yet we do not always pay attention to it. By drawing our attention and senses to this process we increase awareness to the present moment. This then allows us to respond versus react in situations.
- Ensure your diet and sleep routines promote health and wellness
- This strategy is often underrated. This activity allows us to release both internal and external stressors in a significant way. Exercise can help you re-regulate your nervous system, unleash positive endorphins, improve self-confidence, and help with connection to the present moment.
Additional Strategies
These strategies take time to work. Be patient. If they do not work, seeking professional help from a therapist near you may be beneficial. Your work with a therapist will help you develop individualized ways to manage stressors or mental health symptoms that work for you.
Additionally, therapy can help alleviate mental health symptoms and support you in working through stressors. It is important to be consistent with treatment as it takes time to build new neural networks. Sometimes people’s symptoms and stressors are so intense that psychiatric medications may also be needed. It is important to consult with a medication provider near you to ensure you are taking the correct medications. A great local psychiatric provider is Haelen Mental Health. The providers at the Haelen Mental Health facility take the time to listen to your challenges and implement a holistic approach to increase your quality of life.
If you would like to have a free 20-minute consultation submit a form here. We would be happy and honored to support you in your recovery process.
