Ever been in a situation where you don’t feel like getting out of bed and quitting everything? Do you often feel like crying out loud or tend to lose interest in everything (even things you love)? If yes, you might be struggling with your mental health. You might have some kind of mental illness that needs to be treated. There is no need to panic though. You are not alone. A lot of people have mental illness.

Recovery from mental illness is totally possible. You can live your life up to your maximum potential after recovery. I have been there, trust me when I say it gets better.

Ways To Recover From Mental Illness

You should remember that recovery from a mental disorder is not a straightforward process. The critical step is your willingness to be better and to recover from it. If you are reading this, it means you are willing to take some steps to get better.

I have tried several ways to cope with my mental illness. I found some ways that were quite effective for me. Here are some proven and effective ways that might help you too:

1. Don’t Let Your Mental Illness Define You:

Never ever think you are alone. You might think you are, but hear me out: You are not alone. According to research, 59% people suffer from mental illness. So you see you are not alone and don’t let it define you either.

Matt Haig (a famous author) said something really genius about it. He says ‘They (mental health problems) are something you experience. You walk in the rain and you feel the rain, but you are not the rain.’ I don’t think I could have explained it in any better words for you than him.

2. Value Yourself

Never ever let your negative thoughts control you. You might have heard that you become your thoughts. Hence, always try to think positively and good about yourself. Value and believe in yourself. Don’t be hard on yourself if you are unable to do your activities normally. Work performance gets affected by your mental condition, so it is totally understandable.

Give yourself the proper time needed for your recovery. No matter how much time it takes, give it. It will be totally worth it.

3. Seek Professional Help

The majority of people shy away from seeking professional help owing to one reason or another. However, it is not wise to do so. Awareness is the critical step of recovery. A professional can diagnose your mental disorder/illness. Hence, they can devise a treatment plan for you.

If they prescribe you medicines, take them. Don’t improvise medication on your own. They can recommend talking therapy or counseling. The treatment of most mental illnesses involves counseling. By talking, the root cause might be found and a more effective plan of treatment can be set for you. This will accelerate the process of your recovery.

4. Never Lose Hope

No matter how dire the situation is, never lose hope. According to research, having hope and wishes (that can be fulfilled) play a major role in the process of recovery. It might sound cliche, but it is true. A person who stays hopeful has more chances of efficiency than a hopeless person. 

5. Pay Attention To Your Physical Health:

Be aware of the fact that the symptoms of some disorders like thyroid disorders, deficiency of vitamins or other essential nutrients, heart problems etc, resemble mental health symptoms. That is why, it is crucial to have your diagnosis by a professional.

Make sure you stay physically healthy. Always try to

• Eat healthy.

• Sleep and wake up early.

• Get enough sleep. If you can not sleep well, try different tips to sleep well like listening to music, reading a book, etc.

• Exercise regularly or at least go for a walk daily.

• Go out in the sunlight.

• Avoid using screens at night.

• Quit smoking and drinking.

6. Practice Self-care:

Take care of yourself in every possible way. Do what makes you feel good.

• Take a shower daily.

• Dress up even if you don’t feel like it.

• Build up a healthy routine.

• Make up your bed when you wake up.

• Spend quality time alone.

• Find productive hobbies.

Note: Self-care involves different activities for different individuals. For instance, for me, reading and journaling is self-care as it helps me to fight my mental illness. Do what suits you well.

7. Participate In Charity:

One of the best ways to feel genuinely happy is by helping others. This tip has always worked for me.

• You don’t need to donate million dollars to charity centers.

• A small gesture of help is sufficient.

• Help someone with household chores

• Help someone with studies, or 

• help an older person to cross the road.

•  Smile at others.

In short, there are so many ways to help others. Just look around yourself and you will find an opportunity to help.

8. Meet Friends/Relatives:

While having mental illness may force you to stay alone, don’t do so. Reach out to others. Talk to your friends. Talk to your loved ones. If you don’t feel like talking, simply text them. It’s an era of social media. Use it to connect with others.

9. Fending Off Stigma

It is almost impossible to get rid of stigma following your way whenever there is mental illness involved. If you are surrounded by people who make you feel uncomfortable, try to avoid them. Sometimes you might experience self-stigma as well. There are different coping mechanisms for dealing with stigma. Try ways that work for you.

It is necessary to cope with stigma as it can be a hurdle towards your healing journey.

10. Set Up Achievable Goals (Breaking up the monotonous routine)

Sometimes you get bored because of your monotonous day-to-today life. In that case, set up some realistic goals. Break them into smaller tasks and tick them off one by one after completing them. This is a scientifically proven way of feeling better and staying motivated.

(Make sure you make a to-do list in a notebook or on your device’s notes app.)

For instance, If you want to clean your room:

• Start by making up your bed

• Collect all the stuff lying around.

• Place them in their respective space.

• Dust off the furniture.

• Sweep the floor/carpet and so on.

Once you are done with each one, mark it off from your to-do list. You will notice you're feeling better vibes by the end of all tasks.

11. Be Mindful & Manage Stress

It is quite important to stay mindful of yourself. You need to acknowledge all of your feelings whether they are positive or negative. Only then, you will be able to deal with them.

Learn different ways of managing stress. Stress can lead to poor mental health resulting in mental disorders.

Other tips that might help you:

• Journaling and writing.

• Meditation or yoga.

• Breathing techniques.

• Listening to calming music.

• Watching funny videos.

• Avoid watching sad videos.

• Laugh out more.

Keep in your mind that recovery doesn’t necessarily mean curing your mental illness. Instead, it’s more like learning to live with it and not your performance getting affected by it. The important point is you accept yourself, feel better about yourself and start living your normal or close-to-normal life.

Comment down if you have tried one of these tips. Let me know what worked for you.