Rethink Blog - RETHINK

My story of Self Harm and Overworking to Cope with Mental Health, by Rethink Advocate megane Jacques

4/2/2021

[TW: SH, mention of self h*rm]
This blog article was written by Rethink Mental Health Advocate, Megane Jacuqes:

I was about 11 years old the first time I intentionally cut myself. Things were already pretty difficult for me and at some point I needed a way to regain control on the pain I was feeling. I wanted to be able to inflict myself pain, but most importantly be able to stop it and limit it as I was suffering so much from my anxiety that I felt I didn’t have control on anything. I had first heard about self harm in a « puberty guide for girls ». They had good intention by shedding some light on self harm, but the way they focussed more on how it felt, rather than the consequences afterwards, led me to think it wouldn’t be such a bad coping method.

It was quite visible, I always cut my left arm, at the exact same spot, again for control, and as it was hard to hide it, I didn’t have a choice but to tell my mother what I had done. It was incredibly hard to say out loud, I was so scared she would get mad at me. We talked and fortunately, she simply told me that although she understood my gesture, she’d preferred if I found another way to cope. She even helped me convince my school to allow me to wear a vest in gym class, because I was starting to get teased about my cuts that were visible. You see, my action was so emotion-based that I hadn’t even reflected on the fact that my uniform didn’t always allow long-sleeved shirts.

Mindfulness May Not Be So Great After All

3/29/2021

This blog article is by Tina Arnoldi for Theravive. Theravive is a network of licensed therapists and psychologists committed to helping people receive the best mental health care available. Through building bridges with others, we continually strive to lower mental health stigma. To learn more, visit https://www.theravive.com/cities to view the original blog visit https://www.theravive.com/today/post/mindfulness-may-not-be-so-great-after-all-0004709.aspx

“Be mindful”. But does that guidance really help? It has become common advice and there are proponents of mindfulness. However, a recent study in PLOS Medicine found that while mindfulness programs may have specific effects on some common mental health symptoms, they are no better than other interventions.

How Sexual Trauma as a Youth Led To My Repressed Depression

3/22/2021

A blog article by Rethink Mental Health Advocate, Natasha Lettner, from her blog, Natashawrites
[TW: SA, r*pe]

I began writing poetry in my teens. Writing is most comfortable for me when it comes to expressing my emotions. Up until very recently, this was how I show my love in relationships. Even still, here I am using my writing as a way to share this story with you!

I remember finding an old box of notebooks back before I moved out for college. The pages filled with emotions and feelings that were so dark that I scared myself. I couldn’t believe that I could write the words that I was reading. There was mention of wanting to disappear forever. I didn’t care about harm coming my way and in so many pretty words I welcomed it.

This was a sign of depression and didn’t even know it.

I lost my voice when…

How to Deal With Difficult People

3/20/2021

In business, like the rest of life we will often encounter people who are just that little more difficult to get along with. Some use the term "personality conflict" to describe the situation, yet this suggests that there is some sort of unbreakable barrier and that the problem is somewhat unfixable, since it is highly unlikely somebody is going to change their entire personality for the sake of better work relations!

My story with eating disorders by Bianca Parker

3/12/2021

[TW: ED]
To be honest, it took me a while to think about whether I really want to write this article or not. Because, to be honest, it's hard for all of us to seem vulnerable.

But it is so normal and beneficial to "look vulnerable." It is so normal and beneficial to be human. It is so normal and beneficial to want people who are going through what you have been through to be inspired by you.

My story with eating disorders began around the age of 14. Then I wanted terribly to respect the beauty pattern imposed by society: I wanted to be thin, like the rest of my close friends. I was asking myself all kinds of questions, I didn't understand what was wrong with me, why I couldn't have their flat abdomen, or their thin legs, or their lives. I wanted to have their lives.

I gradually started to limit myself to one meal a day. Then to none. After a certain number of days of eating only half a tomato, my craving for sweets killed me and I nibbled on everything I caught. That's what the first episodes of bulimia looked like.

Mantra for Mental Strength

3/10/2021

Creating and reciting a mantra is a great actionable tactic to improve mental strength on a daily basis. You can easily create a mantra by following the four-part structure detailed below.

What is a mantra? A mantra is a phrase (typically short, concise and memorizable) that you can recite to yourself regularly to validate, motivate, and support yourself through life's inevitable adversities or every day. By doing so, you can reinforce self-worth, self-love, self-compassion and ultimately your emotional resilience and mental strength.

Mantra

How do you cope with your pain? by Corinne DeCost

3/10/2021

negative coping mechanisms

[TW: SA, r*pe]
I’ve tried many ways to cover the pain I felt inside after my rape.

The first was love. I wouldn’t be alone with my thoughts at night if I wasn’t alone at night.

It can be common for sexual assault survivors to act out sexually in attempt to erase what had been done, to prove that it didn’t matter, to reclaim the experience of sex.

I also found comfort in the codependence of these early relationships. I figured if they could take on some of my problems, maybe the burden wouldn’t be so much to bear. Of course it doesn’t work that way. Companionship can bring comfort but it doesn’t heal the pain within.

I wasn’t left feeling whole. Submitting myself further to men was not going to heal the pain that a man had caused. Diving quickly into new relationships created chaos in my personal life that did not contribute to healing.

The second was drugs. I wouldn’t have to remember how I felt if I couldn’t remember and couldn’t feel.

What Stops You?

2/20/2021

Have you ever had a terrific idea which you didn't act on? Of course you have. I don't mean anything fancy either. Nothing earth-shattering. Just a plain old-fashioned good idea which would have made you more money. But you didn't get moving on it.

Oh well.

I have a friend I'll call James. James is an independent management consultant and a deep, creative thinker. I have great respect for his abilities to understand his clients and develop unique solutions for them. But he isn't very successful. His business is ok, but hardly booming--and certainly not where he says he'd like it to be. He works with interesting people--just never enough of them. And aside from soliciting referrals, he does nothing to increase his overall practice.

The funny thing is, this guy has more brilliant ideas about how to build his business than anyone I know. The problem is he doesn't implement any of them. James is just one of those people who stops before he ever gets started.

So much for James. What about you?