Mental Health Survival Tips

When situations are too much for a person to handle, they go into a crisis. Getting out of a crisis can seem impossible when the heart is racing, it is hard to catch your breath, or crying becomes so overwhelming you feel the tears will never stop. How to get out of a crisis takes a little know-how, a lot of effort, and many times support. This is not the time to self-medicate because you need to experience these feelings for your own development. Otherwise, the crisis will continue to return.

Yeah, unfortunately, nobody ever taught us how to deal with our emotions. In fact, we are only as strong as our emotional makeup. We are emotional beings and this case becomes very apparent when we are in a crisis and find it difficult to think, cope, and sometimes even speak. The words may be inside your head, but why aren’t they coming out?

Working at the first Mental Health Urgent Care center, I treated over 7,000 clients in my 11-year tenure there. Day in and day out we saw 98% of the disorders listed in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual (DSM). Therefore, the following is a list of the top tools I recommended for people to use in case their emotions are so overwhelming that suicide seems to be the only option.

1. Breathe

Slow down, get air into your system and try to calm down your body. Fill your lungs with air and gently release it. Panic attacks often happen when we subconsciously hold our breath and the heart gets starved for oxygen, so definitely get your lungs fully working.

Why do we hold our breath? Often children will do this when there is traumatic situations that are too overwhelming to cope with. If you’ve suffered from early childhood abuse, it is highly recommended that you to go through therapy to process through those ancient wounds. Just because you play make-believe the issues are behind you doesn’t mean that is true. Our subconscious mind holds onto every tidbit of information that has happened to us, so it is important to purge these wounds once and for all.

2. Hydration

If we do not have the proper amount of fluids in our body, anxiety can result. My doctor recommends half your body weight in ounces of water. Yes, water, sugary or alcoholic beverages may have contributed to your feelings, and as the saying goes, we are only as good as what we put into our body.

In moments of crisis, it is important to eat the right things and drink water and lots of it. And, again up to half your body weight.

3. A positive focus.

Henry Ford said: “If you think you can if you think you cannot, you’re right.” If you focus on the cannot, then you will not heal. Focus on healing. See yourself succeeding and getting through this most difficult time.

A great technique is writing down all your negative thoughts and ripping them up. Replace negatives with positives. I can heal. I am healing. Our words are powerful and focusing on what you do want needs to be emphasized.

4. Grounding

When the body and mind are charged, a simple fix is placing your bare feet on the ground. This is called grounding. Electricians know that electrical circuits need to be grounded. Since we are also energetic, it is important to ground ourselves. There are health benefits. High blood pressure and intestinal issues respond well to the continual use of grounding.

 

 

5. Intimacy

Intimacy doesn’t refer to sex, it refers to one on one conversations with another person. According to Dr. Carl Rogers, in allowing a person to talk freely of their situation, it helps a person access deeper parts within themselves and come up with their own solutions.

If you are talking with a person in crisis, let them talk. Refrain from giving advice. When we give advice, we are telling that person what we would do and they are them. Let them come up with their own solutions because it helps to empower the person.

Note: As a therapist, I tell myself to shut up while a person is talking so they can work things out themselves.

6. Make yourself the first priority.

Many people are in a crisis because of lifestyle. If you are continually caring for others before yourself, you are draining yourself. If you are not in balance, how can you help others in the first place? This is doubly important for parents. Those who make the children’s needs more important than their own often get into a crisis. It is okay to take time out to go to the bathroom alone. Make sure the child is safe and care for you.

Why people make others more important is a great topic in therapy. This is a hot issue with so many in crisis. I remember one homeless person I treated at the Urgent Care Center who found money on the ground and handed it to another homeless person, even though he was starving. He wanted to please someone else so he could feel happy about himself. I asked him what the hungry side of him thought about that action and that became a turning point for him. Yes, it is okay to take care of yourself first, so you can be around to take care of others.

7. Take a time out

Why is taking a break so important? Because the constant pushing is taxing on the mind, body, and emotions. It is okay to take a break and do nothing. Take a time out, let your thoughts fade, body relax and come to a feeling of inner peace. Put down the phone and other electronic devices. When was the last time you were simply with you in the silence? Believe it or not, this takes some practice. Here is where meditation can be of benefit. Simply relax and focus on the beauty of the world and the people in it.

8. Move your body.

My doctor recommends at least a half hour of walking a day. If you cannot walk, swim, or make your legs go in a walking motion. When we are active the blood circulates and goes to the little intricate places inside that needs to heal. Use it or lose it. This is what I told my father who refused to move around after he retired and was dead a few years later. Your body was designed to move so do your part.

9. Staying in the here and now

“The past is history, the future a mystery, but now is a gift and that is why it is called the present.” I don’t remember who’s saying that is, but generally, the people I treat are stuck in the shame of their past or fearing the future. In therapy, you can focus on processing through your past wounds and visualizing success in the future. Why focus on the worst things that may happen and create panic for yourself when that problem didn’t ever take place? We call that creating future negative fantasies. Why not create positive future fantasies?

10. Visualizing success.

As mentioned in number 9. Why not focus on the best things? I often tell people, I have faith that my future self can handle the situation. It is so important to have faith in yourself. Each day we grow and change. If that nasty thing you are so worried about does happen in the future, that future self of yours will be better able to handle it anyway.

Please leave a comment and let me know what helps you out.

Compassionate Care is Always Available

There are many more tools and strategies you can use in your pursuit of happiness. Here is where we come in. Contact us at Basic Steps Mental Health and let us support and educate you on this journey back to your loving heart center. Imagine living a heart-centered life, regardless of what is happening externally. We’d love to be of help.

For 25 years, Dr. Scott Alpert, the clinical director of Basic Steps Mental Health, has treated over 7,000 people with mental health and addiction problems, using a Psychological approach that mixes and matches ten of the top approaches used in the industry. We are here virtually and in-person to help you get through this COVID-19 pandemic and many other difficulties you may be experiencing.

May you have good mental health.