Prioritizing Our Mental Health

When we are struggling with addictions and emotional difficulties, sometimes our mental health is the last thing on our list of priorities. We find ourselves caught up in our addictive behaviors and using our drugs of choice, and we have a hard time seeing our way out of the fog. When we are in the thick of it, sometimes we neglect our mental health and forget how critically important it is to take care of ourselves.

When we are in the midst of our addictive patterns, including unhealthy relationships, our emotions are often volatile and constantly changing. While we’re dealing with our own stuff, we also have to deal with other people’s addictions and emotional challenges, especially our partners and the people we live with. We have to deal with the everyday realities of life- taking care of our families, working, going to school, paying expenses, etc. When we don’t work to ensure our minds are getting the care and balance they need, we can experience relapses in our addictive behaviors, as well as worsened periods of depression and anxiety.

When we are consumed with scoring drugs, or dealing with intense sadness, we don’t always make sure to prioritize getting enough sleep, eating nutritious food or exercising. We tend to neglect our spiritual practice because we feel so generally overwhelmed that anything beyond the bare necessities of getting through the day feels insurmountable. We might be too anxious to try to will ourselves to meditate, or too depressed to encourage ourselves to exercise. We might be able to function enough to go to work, but then to relax we binge on junk food and TV.

Many of us struggling with addictions and mental health issues are subconsciously telling ourselves that we don’t deserve self-love. Sometimes we neglect the most basic elements of self-care, and it is often because we carry within us a feeling that we are unworthy, unlovable or undeserving. We put ourselves, our happiness and our peace of mind last, and we prioritize our addictive relationships, behaviors and drugs of choice. We struggle to maintain a sense of balance within ourselves and within our lives. We don’t feel grounded or centered. Over time, our mental health declines.

What can we do to start prioritizing caring for our mental health, especially when we are caught in cycles of addiction and emotional challenges? We can start by making the choice to prioritize ourselves, and by working to believe that we are worth taking care of ourselves. We can affirm that we deserve our own love and care. By doing this, we start the process of opening ourselves up to healing.

Holistic healing is a main focus at Enlightened Solutions. We can help you find ways to take better care of yourself. Call (833) 801-LIVE.