Hello Ladies!

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Whats up, everybody ❓ Today is the 1st of February, a new month. It seems that time flies so fast that without us realizing it, we have already left the year 2023 a month ago.

Also this week, I am very interested in the topic suggested by @danigada18. Talking about the importance of mental health, this topic is indeed very related to me.

Here are the topic questions that I have chosen:

1️⃣ What actions do you recommend to keep control in difficult moments?

In 2021, I was diagnosed with Panic Disorder and Major Depressive Disorder (MDD). My experience during that time was extremely terrible. During that depressive period, I was so down, sad, and had all sorts of things going on in my head.

Many people claim to have depression, but they don't know the real signs of whether someone is truly depressed or just stressed. Here are the signs I experienced when I was feeling depressed, which I remember before seeking professional help.

1. Being in the room, lying down for more than 2 weeks.

2. Not caring about anyone, including my partner, being beside me.

3. I became extremely lazy and just wanted to sleep. Felt so lifeless.

4. I started questioning myself, my abilities, and felt very useless.

5. I would often cry alone suddenly without any reason.

6. My appetite decreased to the point that I became very thin. I was afraid to eat during that time, and even had panic attacks when eating.

There are a few more subtle signs, but I will only write down the ones that are usually symptoms of people in a depressive mode. After I started to understand my condition, I slowly began to stop taking antidepressant (luvox) and my sedatives (lorazepam) medication. I reduced my medication intake to the point where I could live without those medications.

However, I need to practice several things in order to control myself. This is not easy, and for me, there is no one who can fully recover from this mental problem and they have to do something to prevent their mind from thinking negatively or in a difficult situation.

Firstly, for me, getting enough sleep is extremely helpful for maintaining a healthy mind. I used to stay up late and sometimes had very short sleep durations. It's not good for one's health, actually. For me, getting 7 to 8 hours of sleep is crucial. However, even now, it is very difficult for me to get that amount of sleep. 😴

Secondly, I need to learn breathing techniques. I usually do a 4-second breath in, 4-second hold, 4-second breath out, and 4-second hold exercise three times a day. This helps me when I am stressed or experiencing a panic attack. Panic attacks used to randomly strike me, but not as frequently as before. Now, I am able to fight off panic attacks because I accept their presence and control them through breathing alone. It's all just a play in the mind. 🧘

Thirdly, I learn different meditation techniques from YouTube. There are various types of meditation that are suitable for different situations. For me, I sometimes do meditation when I wake up and before I sleep. Sometimes, I even sleep with my headphones on, listening to meditation tracks from Spotify that teach techniques for energizing, easy sleep, and more. 🙇

Fourth, and most importantly, is the support from the people closest to us, whether it's family or loved ones. I am grateful that my family, especially my mother and children, understand my condition during that time. Now, when I talk to them about my past struggles with depression, they are very open about it. At the very least, they are aware of the importance of mental health, and their support has been extremely helpful. 👪

Only my ex-partner at that time couldn't accept my condition, even though he himself had been diagnosed with a mental health issue (Dysthymia) before me. Not everyone is capable of being with you through thick and thin, especially when you're in such darkness.

However, I also feel that he couldn't handle my illness because he was struggling with his own mental health. And it seems that since we're no longer together, I have been getting better, and I hope the same goes for him. I consider that perhaps we were not meant to be together in both good times and bad. 🤷

I guess that's all I have to write about now. I hope that my piece can address any queries about the community's topic of discussion this week. May all of you always have a positive mindset and be happy, no matter what happens in your life. I pray for everyone's safety, and I'm appreciative that you have read my blog posts. Thank you. 🙏