The third key to improving mental health is “not going to extremes.”
Of course, it’s critical to pay attention to your mental health.
But aren't you rushing, only wanting to “get better as soon as possible”?
It’s normal for someone to take time to recover their mental health. However, you could find yourself pushing yourself beyond your limits by not wanting to worry your family or feeling dissatisfied with your current state. In recovery, you go back and forth between good and bad states.
Also, you may feel confused, frustrated, and saddened by your ambiguous mental state while dealing with your mental health. Sometimes you get tired of trying to get better as quickly as possible and feel like you’ve reverted to your previous unstable state. At times, you might just want to be apathetic, thinking that you’re doomed to be sad anyway.
I think we polarize mental health into “good” or “bad” states and have a stereotype that we must be in the “good” state. But as I learned how to take care of my mental health, I began to think that “recovery” means accepting one’s current state and engaging in a dialogue with their mind, living in harmony together. Therefore, even if your mental health isn’t reaching its ideal state, it doesn’t necessarily mean that you’re failing.
Imagine this:
Let's say you’re currently in a dark, uncomfortable environment. In the opposite direction, you see a bright, sunlit land. However, there’s a fast-flowing river between you and the bright land, making it impossible to swim to the other shore.
What would you do in this situation?
Even if you try to swim to the other shore, you’ll be swept away.
So, let's build a “bridge.”
If you don’t cross the bridge, in other words, if you don’t create a state of “in-between” light and dark, you won't be able to reach the place you want to go. You must use the materials of the land you’re standing on to the best of your ability to build a bridge.
There may be times when things go wrong, but you’ll build a sturdy bridge through repeated failures. When you’re building a bridge, you’re already on the path to recovery, so there’s no need to worry. You’ll be proud of yourself one day when you’ve successfully built a great bridge.
So far, I’ve introduced how to deal with mental health in a series of three articles. The keys to improving your mental health are: living slowly, choosing your relationships, and not going to extremes.
The happiness that comes from adding color to one’s life, once a black-and-white world, is truly immeasurable. You’ll genuinely feel alive from the bottom of your heart. I’d be happy if I could help you do so through my articles. If there’s something you’re interested in, like a theme or keyword you’d like me to write about, please let me know.
Please don’t forget to be kind to yourself.
Let’s move slowly to the other shore. The sun doesn’t go away.
It may be obscure, but it's always there, gently watching over you with warmth and care, even during cloudy or rainy times.
Written by Luna
Translated by Kyoko Itagaki
Edited by Emiru Okada
Graphics by Ren Ono