One of the biggest reasons for creating this blog was to allow others to share their mental health journey, to show them and others’ that their struggles are more common than they assume. I put an email out to people I have spoken personally (at the beginning of the year) and asked them to submit their stories in discovering their diagnoses. After reviewing their submission, it became very apparent that mental illness is very prevalent in the Filipino community.

Suicide Prevention Month

September is suicide prevention month. I want to be 100% transparent and tell you that it will be a mentally hard month for me. I am preparing myself to feel all the feelings but also acknowledging those are past hurts that I must heal from.

Help is out there

If you or someone you know needs immediate help and is unsafe to leave the location, please reach out for help. Self harm is not the answer — ever. There are emergent resources available to you.

• Crisis Text Line: Text HOME to 741741
• National Suicide Prevention Hotline : 1-800-273-8255
• Call 911
• Go to your nearest emergency room
• Go to your nearest in patient mental health facility

You can read about other ways you can seek help on my past blog series, Asking for help.

If you are wondering if you are suffering from mental illness, you can take any of the mental health screenings I posted in a previous post here.

My general self care tools

I’ve decided to be proactive find all my favorite ways to quiet all of the negative thoughts and actions. This has been my way of coping and managing my mind while living a full life. I have learned over time through trial and error, what feeds my soul and what drains me. After a few years of being more mindful, I have created a general self care routine that feeds my positive thoughts and propels me forward with hope. I am sharing my running list of tools and coping mechanisms in the hopes that it will jump start your own self care routine and find tools that work.

• Exercising at least three times a week. 
  • my minimum amount of exercise is one mile on the treadmill or indoor walking path
• Talking with people I trust with my feelings of sadness
• Getting adequate rest
• Limiting screen time
• Reading or listening to self help books 
• Talking to my therapist
• Reassessing my antidepressant dosage
• Listen to worship music
• Spending time with my kids
• Spending time with my husband 
• Taking CBD or cannabis indica
  • CBD – Sublingual or as a vape pen
  • Cannabis indica – flower, vape pen, or oral consumption
• Eastern medicine
  • Acupunture
  • Reiki
  • Ear seeds
  • Gut therapy
• Guided meditation
• Giving myself grace and limiting my movement through the day
• Allowing myself to
  • Be sad, frustrated, overwhelmed, etc.
• Not allowing myself to stay in a negative mental state for more than a day
• Listening to past church sermons that resonated with me

Have you tried anything on my running list? I’d love to hear what works for you!

Support each other, heal our community

Could you please join me for the month of September by supporting those around you who need support AND asking for help if you are struggling? I believe reaching out, while extremely uncomfortable and difficult, is the only way we will be able to help those around us as well as ourselves. While the work to heal past hurts, hang ups, and habits is no easy feat, it will heal you and those around you.

Moms supporting moms

Come back next week as I share a story of one of my favorite bloggers and a person I am honored to call my friend, The Barefoot Preacher. Jennifer has dealt with chronic illness, melanoma, and parenting (and homeschooling) a child with special needs. Her journey while extremely difficult, shows how sharing your story helps heal those around you.

Remember – It’s ok to not be ok. Tomorrow is a new day!