Under Construction - MHWA Retreat

What does your self-care ritual look like? What are your coping habits? What has worked for you? What hasn't? How do you get through the day?
February has been a very trying month for me. In fact, it's been one of my hardest months since moving to Idaho and starting over with my life. I'm not sure if I've even been able to do any self-care as my anxiety has just returned since my move. I'm not sure right now how to help myself because I don't want to go down the same path for self-care that I previously went down. It would mean I would have to stop caring about people I don't want to stop caring about. I'd become cold and heartless towards them and though people in my past deserved that from me, these people in my life now, do not. They are my backbone even when I don't want them to be.

So in answering the questions, nothing has worked for me completely, not that I've tried to find a way to cope thus far. The only thing I can say I've done is to remind myself when I start to feel anxious is that I'm creating a problem when there possibly isn't one. It somewhat helps for the moment, but usually always comes back, especially if something is repeated or a conversation comes up again. I just breathe and try to avoid certain people or topics that might trigger my anxiety, but it is hard to do at home, not so hard at work. I still find it very hard to open up to my family when I'm having a hard time dealing with something as I'm so scared to be judged, even though deep down, they wouldn't. I also have a hard time with communicating what I mean, most times it comes out all wrong or is taken totally where I didn't want it to go. For example, I try to say what I'm going through, trying to let loved ones know it isn't them at all, it's all me, in my head, but how I end up saying it sounds as if I'm blaming them instead.
So if anyone has suggestions, I'm open to hear and try them!!


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Shhh. Whisper.....