Why Your Mental Health Matters
First, I would like to go ahead and apologize for any random rabbit trails that I might pursue throughout this post. My last neuro exam is tomorrow, and my brain is quite fried. The last nine weeks of this semester has been all about learning neuro - med school slang for anything related to the central nervous system. These past weeks have been dedicated to learning the neuroanatomy of the brain and spinal cord, the psychological aspects and disorders, and pathological diseases that affect the nervous system. I will be honest in that I have enjoyed this block a lot more than I thought I would. That being said, I could go my entire life without seeing another cross-section of the brainstem and be completely happy. For some reason those slices give me extreme anxiety.
Speaking of anxiety, let me get straight to the point. Mental health matters a lot. Mental health awareness and education should be a mainstream topic. But sadly, many aspects of mental health are avoided, and those labelled with mental health disorders are ostracized in some situations. Let's be honest. Most of us have struggled with our emotions and motivations from time to time. Life has not always been peachy and full of sunshine and rainbows. So why do we expect that from other people? And why do we push people away when they admit that they are struggling? At first glance you might immediately refute that and say that you don't do such a thing. But really? Think about it. Most of us say that we are there for those people in word only, and that is a shame. I am guilty of it too, and it is something that I am seriously working on.
When dealing with other people, always remember to be kind and show love to other people. You never know what another person is going through. In that same vein, most people will never know what you are going through internally. So be kind and love people.
Alright, let me step off of my soap box for more education on mental health awareness. Yes, it is super important to be sensitive to what others are going through; however, you should be aware of your own mental health. Being sensitive to yourself is a challenge in itself.
Mental health has been a relatively new concept to me. When I was first introduced to the subject in the first semester of medical school, I was kind of skeptical and didn't think that it applied to me in the least. I came from a background of being able to handle collegiate athletics, difficult chemistry classes, teaching Sunday school classes, and having a thriving social life. So the thought of not being able to handle the new stresses of medical school and life in general seemed kind of foreign to me. Oh my, I got my butt handed to me. I can remember about a month or two into last semester when I started wondering what I got myself into. Even though I loved working out and running outdoors, I gave up exercising because I felt like I couldn't waste an hour of study time. I had promised my dad before I started school that I would take one night off of school a week. That worked for maybe the first three weeks. After that, I would sit in front of the television and quiz myself with flash cards or write essays. That break became obsolete. I think my mental health really started deteriorating about October of last year. I was studying all of the time. When I wasn't studying, I was sleeping or in class. It was a constant cycle. I rarely called my family. I didn't go and visit my extended family close by like I had promised before the semester started. School dominated my every move. To those who knew me last semester and witnessed November and December, I apologize. I was a wreck.
I will admit that the end of last semester was not my lowest point ever in my mental health, but that is a topic for another time. However, last semester taught me a lot about myself and my priorities. One of my New Year's resolutions was to reset my priorities. So now my priorities are God, me, my family/boyfriend/friends, and then school. I have made it a point to take more time for myself this semester. One of my best friends down here and I watch certain TV shows on certain days of the week. It's a nice break for both of us. Interestingly enough, my grades are better this semester with the additional breaks each week. (I would like to believe that the increase in scores is due to a healthier mental health in addition to more efficient studying.) So, if you take anything from this post, let it be "check yourself (mental health), before you wreck yourself." Watch your mental health and notice when you might need some time to rejuvenate and just RELAX. It's okay to need those times.
I apologize that this is getting long, but I believe this is a really important topic. One of my professors said this last semester, and it has stuck with me. You cannot take care of other people if you haven't taken care of yourself first. If you are empty (emotionally, physically, psychologically), you have nothing to give your patients, coworkers, family members, and friends. So take care of yourself.
I had the wonderful opportunity to meet and talk with a lady with the nickname of Queen last night at a volunteering event at a local homeless shelter. She was full of joy and laughter. However, she was very forthcoming and admitted that she was not always happy and carefree. She admitted her struggles with schizophrenia and anxiety. She told me and my friend that she has worked with her doctors and studied the Bible every day to overcome her mental health struggles. Her triumph has given her a new outlook on life. She is determined to educate the homeless about mental health and spread the good news of Christ. I believe she will. Her joy is contagious, and her determination is evident. So, because of Queen, I will educate y'all. Mental health is important. It is just as important as your physical health. Be kind to others because you don't know what they are going through. And be kind to yourself as you are doing the best that you can.
Now, I am off to study. Have a wonderful Friday and weekend y'all!
Speaking of anxiety, let me get straight to the point. Mental health matters a lot. Mental health awareness and education should be a mainstream topic. But sadly, many aspects of mental health are avoided, and those labelled with mental health disorders are ostracized in some situations. Let's be honest. Most of us have struggled with our emotions and motivations from time to time. Life has not always been peachy and full of sunshine and rainbows. So why do we expect that from other people? And why do we push people away when they admit that they are struggling? At first glance you might immediately refute that and say that you don't do such a thing. But really? Think about it. Most of us say that we are there for those people in word only, and that is a shame. I am guilty of it too, and it is something that I am seriously working on.
When dealing with other people, always remember to be kind and show love to other people. You never know what another person is going through. In that same vein, most people will never know what you are going through internally. So be kind and love people.
Alright, let me step off of my soap box for more education on mental health awareness. Yes, it is super important to be sensitive to what others are going through; however, you should be aware of your own mental health. Being sensitive to yourself is a challenge in itself.
Mental health has been a relatively new concept to me. When I was first introduced to the subject in the first semester of medical school, I was kind of skeptical and didn't think that it applied to me in the least. I came from a background of being able to handle collegiate athletics, difficult chemistry classes, teaching Sunday school classes, and having a thriving social life. So the thought of not being able to handle the new stresses of medical school and life in general seemed kind of foreign to me. Oh my, I got my butt handed to me. I can remember about a month or two into last semester when I started wondering what I got myself into. Even though I loved working out and running outdoors, I gave up exercising because I felt like I couldn't waste an hour of study time. I had promised my dad before I started school that I would take one night off of school a week. That worked for maybe the first three weeks. After that, I would sit in front of the television and quiz myself with flash cards or write essays. That break became obsolete. I think my mental health really started deteriorating about October of last year. I was studying all of the time. When I wasn't studying, I was sleeping or in class. It was a constant cycle. I rarely called my family. I didn't go and visit my extended family close by like I had promised before the semester started. School dominated my every move. To those who knew me last semester and witnessed November and December, I apologize. I was a wreck.
I will admit that the end of last semester was not my lowest point ever in my mental health, but that is a topic for another time. However, last semester taught me a lot about myself and my priorities. One of my New Year's resolutions was to reset my priorities. So now my priorities are God, me, my family/boyfriend/friends, and then school. I have made it a point to take more time for myself this semester. One of my best friends down here and I watch certain TV shows on certain days of the week. It's a nice break for both of us. Interestingly enough, my grades are better this semester with the additional breaks each week. (I would like to believe that the increase in scores is due to a healthier mental health in addition to more efficient studying.) So, if you take anything from this post, let it be "check yourself (mental health), before you wreck yourself." Watch your mental health and notice when you might need some time to rejuvenate and just RELAX. It's okay to need those times.
I apologize that this is getting long, but I believe this is a really important topic. One of my professors said this last semester, and it has stuck with me. You cannot take care of other people if you haven't taken care of yourself first. If you are empty (emotionally, physically, psychologically), you have nothing to give your patients, coworkers, family members, and friends. So take care of yourself.
I had the wonderful opportunity to meet and talk with a lady with the nickname of Queen last night at a volunteering event at a local homeless shelter. She was full of joy and laughter. However, she was very forthcoming and admitted that she was not always happy and carefree. She admitted her struggles with schizophrenia and anxiety. She told me and my friend that she has worked with her doctors and studied the Bible every day to overcome her mental health struggles. Her triumph has given her a new outlook on life. She is determined to educate the homeless about mental health and spread the good news of Christ. I believe she will. Her joy is contagious, and her determination is evident. So, because of Queen, I will educate y'all. Mental health is important. It is just as important as your physical health. Be kind to others because you don't know what they are going through. And be kind to yourself as you are doing the best that you can.
Now, I am off to study. Have a wonderful Friday and weekend y'all!
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