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31 Days of Mental Health | Day 3: Loneliness This last year has presented a myriad of challenges, but it can also be viewed as a time when we all have had opportunities to gain a better understanding about aspects of the human condition. The need for social connection is so fundamental in humans that without it, we fall apart, down to the cellular level. Over time blood pressure climbs and gene expression falters. Cognition dulls; immune systems deteriorate. See when you're in pain, when you're hungry or you're thirsty — you do something to get out of that aversive state. Then Loneliness is a that fundamental trigger pushing us towards connection. The recent changes have removed parts of social connection that before were so commonplace that most of us will have given them little, if any, thought. None of us are immune to feelings of isolation and this pandemic has brought the conversation of mental health to the forefront. This means not just hearing the word loneliness yet also considering how it applies to ourselves. But I struggle with accepting this as my new-normal. Continuing to avoid social interactions, might keep me safer, but it robs me of the nourishment of positive human companionship. And that won’t do. This constant fear-state, extends to every social contact How do you approach any interaction when you are hard-wired that your actions are placing others in danger? Hello Loneliness…my old friend - Did all my previous experiences with you prepare me for life in a Post Covid World? I don’t know - But what I do know is that loneliness is not just caused by being alone, but by living without connection. After all, it is through relationships, that we refine ourselves. So, while you may not be able to receive the physiological and psychological comforts of human presence - close your Instagram, reach out and call a friend. Bask in the glory of your connections. DM for credit or removal request (no copyright intended) ©️ All rights and credits reserved to the respective owner(s) #mentalhealth #mentalhealthawareness #mental #mentalwellness #mentalhealthadvocate #mentalhealthsupport #health #loneliness
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31 Days of Mental Health | Day 2: Responsibility And the fox said to the little prince: men have forgotten this truth, but you must not forget it. You become responsible, forever, for what you have tamed. - The Little Prince What is the meaning of responsibility? To whom are we responsible and why? Often, in an attempt to avoid responsibility, we try to control someone else and make the problem theirs. The expression “taking responsibility” is ironically misleading because actually we have no choice. We are always responding to situations, even if our response is to do nothing. It’s similar to the question, who’s shit is it and whose pants is it in? As an adult, like it or not, you are responsible for everything you say and do, and you are in charge of your life. Its not easy when we are influenced by others, or let ourselves snow-ball into a reactionary sequence of emotions. Victor Frankl reframed responsibility as “response-ability”. An ability to respond to internal and external calls that address us - we’re called from within and from without. However we can choose the way we respond to these calls. If there’s something in your power to do and it doesn’t violate your boundaries, then feel empowered to do it. You are more powerful than you give yourself credit and when you respond with the best of your potential, accepting and handling whatever life throws at you, then you have the ability to dramatically improve the outcome of your choices. Of course, this requires a special kind of awareness to pull this off, to trust yourself to do the “right thing” and to be accountable to your call. It will provide you with a greater sense of agency, flexibility, and initiative that will play your hand and project into all aspects of your life. DM for credit or removal request (no copyright intended) ©️ All rights and credits reserved to the respective owner(s) #mentalhealth #mentalhealthawareness #mental #mentalwellness #mentalhealthadvocate #mentalhealthsupport #mentalillness #health #quotes #quoteoftheday #quote #quotestoliveby #quotesaboutlife