Mind Over Matter

Psychiatric Units . What are they like? Some people have heard about them. Some people have had experiences as a patient, while others don’t know too much about what it is like. I haven’t been a patient but I did volunteer in a psychiatric unit of a local hospital. In today’s post, I will be sharing my experiences and lessons that I have learned from volunteering in a psychiatric unit.  *Note* Today’s post is based on ONLY my experiences as a volunteer. I am not an expert nor do I speak on behalf of other psychiatric units, workers and individuals who have had experiences as patients on such related units. I respect everyone's own view and experience when it comes to the topic of today's article. Volunteering in a Psychiatric Unit  I felt inspired for today’s post to talk about my experiences volunteering for the last 2 years in an adult mental health and addictions unit. I feel even more inspired to talk about how my perspective of mental illness, addictions and ...

When we feel really anxious about something, sometimes it can be really hard to cope! For those who have an Anxiety Disorder, coping and functioning with anxiety can be even more difficult. For myself with an anxiety disorder, sometimes I feel lost or unsure about how to best manage my anxiety and anxious thoughts. In today's blog post, I will be talking about and listing 50 different coping strategies that can be useful in coping with anxiety.  Anxiety can be really troubling! Whether it is anxiety about work, relationships or even about the current COVID-19 pandemic. Anxiety can be frightening to deal with! I have experienced it all when it comes to day-to-day anxiety. Normal anxiety can be troubling to deal with for any person and can impact one's mental health. For those who have an anxiety disorder especially, coping with anxiety can bring on many challenges.  For myself with Generalized Anxiety Disorder, I constantly worry about many different things in my life that seve...

     Depression is one of the most common mental illnesses worldwide. Depression is classified as a mood disorder and can severely impact a person in their life. Many people around the world have been diagnosed and struggle with depression.  Many people as well who have been diagnosed are able to find healing and cope with their illness. In today’s article, I will be talking about depression and my experiences of what I have learned during my recovery from depression. Depression. For those of you who don’t know or don’t know too much about depression, it is a mental disorder where a person feels persistent and intense feelings of sadness that can impact a person’s normal functioning. Any person can feel sad, and typically those feelings can start to fade away as time goes on. For those diagnosed with depression, the feelings of sadness don’t just go away. Depression can appear different for everyone and can present itself in mild or in more severe forms.  ...

Supporting a Loved One with Mental Health Concerns Sometimes, it can be really hard to see a family member or friend go through a difficult time in their lives. Things can be even more difficult when you notice or find out that a friend may be struggling with a mental health concern. Sometimes we may feel “stuck” or unsure about how to best support a loved one who is going through so much. I know I have felt that way at times! In today’s post, I will be discussing some ideas and tips that you can use to support a friend who is struggling with their mental health.  *Note*   These tips are personal to my own experiences of supporting a loved one who is going through a hard time. The tips I have shared are not advised as professional advi ce . Brief mention will be made about abuse, trauma, self harm and suicide.  When we see a loved one struggle with their mental health, we often want to do our very best to support them. For myself, I always want to supp...