Living with mental illness sucks. It’s hard, it’s lonely, and it can make the simplest tasks seem like the biggest challenges. One thing I have learned is to be gentle with myself on the hard days when my anxiety and depression feel all-consuming, rather than beating myself up. I’ve learned to just do what I can and try to give myself grace. Below are some of the things I do to help myself on the really hard days. Hopefully these can be helpful for you or someone you know.
Mouthwash – some days brushing your teeth can be too draining to attempt. On these days, I suggest just swishing a bit of mouthwash around for a few seconds. It’ll freshen your breath and help your mouth feel cleaner without requiring you to exert a lot of energy. It doesn’t clean your mouth as well as actually brushing your teeth, so I wouldn’t make a habit of it, but on the hard days it can be an easy way of making yourself feel better.
Make up wipes – make up wipes can be super helpful on days when washing your face seems like too much. I highly recommend Burt’s Bees makeup wipes as they are a cruelty-free option with good-for-skin ingredients. Again, I wouldn’t recommend making a habit of doing this since using an actual face wash is MUCH better for your skin, but on the harder days this is a great alternative.
Dry shampoo – just like washing your face, finding the motivation to wash your hair can also be hard. On these days, dry shampoo can be your best friend. It will help to absorb some of the excess oil, while also giving your hair a bit of a refresh. My favorite is the Living Proof dry shampoo, but it is a bit pricier (so worth it though). For a more affordable drug store alternative, Batiste dry shampoo also works great.
Healthy snacks – eating an actual meal can be hard some days. You may not have the energy to feed yourself, you’ve lost your appetite, the thought of eating is nauseating, or nothing tastes good. Even if these things are happening, it’s still important to provide your body with nutrition. Some of my favorite healthy snacks to keep on hand are:
- Protein bars (big fan of Power Crunch, Go Macro, and RX bars)
- Sargento Balanced Breaks (gives you a nice little mix of nuts, dried fruit, and cheese)
- Yogurt (Icelandic Provisions skyr is one of my favorites)
Meal prepping – On the good days, I like to meal prep for the week as much as possible. This allows me to pull something out of the fridge that can be eaten as is or eaten after heating it up in the microwave for a couple minutes. This way, I can enjoy an actual meal if I’m up for it without having to actually cook something from start to finish.
It’s a learning process to figure out what works best for you vs. what isn’t a good fit. Give yourself grace as you learn how to best care for yourself on the hard days. Hopefully these have been helpful for someone. If you have any tips of your own, feel free to comment them. Let’s all learn from each other. As always, I am here if anyone wants to talk. I want for this to be a safe space for anyone and everyone. Living with a mental health diagnosis is hard as hell sometimes, but it is so much easier when we have people to lean on. If you need someone to talk to, shoot me a message. I’d love to play part in supporting you if you’d like. We’re going to get through this.
Sending light & love your way!
Checkout my journaling guide, Journey to Journaling: 36 Journaling Prompts to Inspire You & Promote Thoughtful Reflection, and my self-care guide, Worth It! A Guide to Helping You Practice Self-Care. Both are available on Amazon for $9.99 as a paperback and a Kindle edition. Both are also available for $9.99 on Payhip as a digital download if you prefer a digital copy but don’t have a Kindle. Click the links below to purchase:
Lessons in the Lone Star 