Traumatic Experiences Community Daily Check-in Friday 8th Friday 2017

Happy Friday!,

I wrote this for my blog. Due to positive reactions. I thought maybe we could talk about it in today's discussion.

Four things to ask yourself while recovering from a mental health disorder. While researching I found four thought provoking questions: each question helps you to strengthen your mental health, your morals and your happiness.

1.Were you a person others can respect today?

After someone has gone through a significant trauma the lines of right and wrong turn into a blurry grey. Some like myself, feel bouts of impulsivity. It's an uncomfortable urging feeling of not knowing what you're capable of. Heather A. Berlin, PhD, MPH and Eric Hollander, MDW writes The concept of impulsivity has many different aspects and definitions, but in general it covers a wide range of actions that are poorly conceived, prematurely expressed, unduly risky, or inappropriate to the situation and that often result in undesirable outcomes, or more simply put, a tendency to act prematurely and without foresight. Moeller and colleagues defined impulsivity as a predisposition toward rapid, unplanned reactions to internal or external stimuli without regard to the negative consequences of these reactions to the impulsive individual or to others.

2. If you were to relive today what are three things you could change to make today better?

Asking ourselves to think in this positive way can be challenging. Forcing us to think more positively can help us focus on the good things. Change your thinking. Written by The PSYCHLOPAEDIA Team Positive psychology is not about being happy all of the time. It focuses on understanding an individuals strengths as well as their preferences, achievements, qualities, goals and hopes, and works to complement traditional therapy and treatment. Learn to live with your mental illness. With no cures for mental disorders, such as bipolar disorder, its important to focus on how you live with your condition. We want to manage these conditions and decrease the symptoms, Professor Murray says. These are problems that have to be carried rather than treated and we want to help people carry them more comfortably.

3. Did you make a positive impact on the world today?

When it's hard to feel happiness I find myself volunteering to help others with mental health issues. Written by Joanne Fritz, Socially, the benefits to volunteering show up quickly and have long-term effects. Social interaction improves mental and physical health, according to Psychology Today. The benefits of consistent socializing include better brain function and lower risk for depression and anxiety. You also improve your immune system. Depression, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, low self-esteem, and even Obsessive Compulsive Disorder have all been helped by volunteering. When people with OCD, PTSD, or anger management issues volunteer, they feel more connected to others. They have an increased sense of purpose. Connection and meaning translate to decreased symptoms and improved social function.

4. Did you experience any negative emotions today?

As someone who suffers from Bipolar 2. It's important to keep a mental checklist of your moods. Especially the negative moods. By realizing your triggers your able to better maintain these moods. James Bishop explains why tracking your emotions is important.

1.Triggers and warning signs. By using a mood diary you can monitor the patterns in your life and identify negative influences (or triggers) that you need to avoid, and early warning signs that your health is deteriorating.

2. Wellness strategies. A mood diary can help you to find the small things, as well as the big, that help you to stay well. It can show you the impact of the positive strategies that you adopt on your well-being.

3. Planning for health. Optimism is a case in point. It is designed for a person to bring together an understanding of their triggers, early warning signs or symptoms, and wellness strategies. It gives them a better understanding of their health and helps them to develop a plan for remaining well. That is the key. The purpose of a mood diary should be to plan for wellness, not just keep a record of illness.

4. Actively participate. Rather than be a passive recipient of treatment, or just seek treatment in reaction to a new episode, a mood diary can help you to have more involvement in your health and a sense of control. In general people achieve better health outcomes when they educate themselves and are proactive about their health.

5. A health professionals dream. By keeping a mood diary you can provide your health professional with a precise, detailed history. It removes the problem of memory recall and gives an accurate picture of what has been happening. It gets to the bottom of what is or isnt working, which helps them to give more relevant, appropriate advice and treatment.

What are some questions that you feel are important to ask yourself each day?

Which question was the most helpful for you?

Did you struggle with any of the questions?

Traumatic Experiences Community Daily Check-in