Reduces Risk Of Trauma

Written by Andi Bazaar | Aug. 7, 2022

“It’s easy to allow your PTSD zone to take over and ignore the people you love and situations could get out of hand, it’s ok to be vulnerable and say yes I do need help and get counseling. Encourage people to do the same.”

“anything can trigger it and it brings you into a zone where you can get angry and irritable, you can have anxiety and have panic attacks."

For anyone suffering from PTSD, Depression, Anxiety and any Mental Illness tis is a reminder to you and myself that we didn’t choose this but we definitely have all the strength we need to get through it.

Remain strong in prayer, be perfectly okay with not being okay. Be patient with yourself, do not ever blame yourself and most importantly never feel ashamed of how you are.

Please take your medication, along with that attend therapy if you are able to. Know what medication you are on and the side effects of it, be well informed about your diagnosis. This will help when you begin to learn healthy and effective coping mechanisms.

Please remember this, medication does not heal grief or loss or any emotional scars. It helps us function so we are able to actually deal with what we struggle with, therefore therapy is very important.

For those who have loved ones who suffer from mental illnesses:

• please be kind, be patient and pour them with positivity.
• please do not try and take their pain and try to fix it, that is not healthy for you or them. take care of you while you help them through this.
• please be there to listen and give perspective.

When your loved one seeks help, try and be there as much as you can. If you are unable to do so, that too is okay so do not beat yourself up when you’re unable to but in many situations your loved ones need an ear and just a hug.

Sometimes, it helps when you can have normal days. Days that remind your loved ones of who they are and what they are, encourage them to do fun activities just so they can get out of their heads for a bit.

I have Depression, Anxiety and PTSD. One thing I cannot hear anymore is “but you don’t look mentally illness and it seems like you’re having fun!” — theres no certain look that people with mental illnesses have. We all look different and believe it or not we do smile and we are capable of having fun.

Just because I’m mentally illness I don’t have to show it 24/7 for you to believe me, I’m actually very good at putting on a mask most of the time mostly because whenever I do get into a period of depression people told me to “lighten up” because I’m such a “downer."

So tell me, how am I supposed to look happy and “mentally illness” at the same time? because apparently, both seems to be wrong. If I don’t look like I just cried my eyes out I’m “faking” my mental illness and if I look like I did cry my eyes out I’m just looking for attention.

Being mentally illness does not mean you’re sad all the time, I’m capable of feeling good. I’m capable of laughing and truly meaning it even when I’m stuck in a depressive episode, I am still capable of feeling positive emotions — they’re just a little less exciting then.

What truly saddens me is the way people treat me, the way society treats me and not only me but everyone else who is mentally illness.

We are not here to proof to anyone that we’re struggling and yet so many people require us to do so on a daily basis, when I’m out with my friends and say that I don’t want to drink because it’s affecting my emotional well-being I get pressured into drinking anyway.

When I face my dad and have to listen to another rage about how “mentally ill people should just pull themselves together and work,” I want to die right on spot. When I tell people I can’t do certain things because I’m mentally ill they look at me as if I‘m super disgusting.

I know it’s not easy to live with a person that’s mentally ill in your circles but can’t we just all start trying to be a little more understanding?

A little more open-minded, "why is it so hard to respect people’s decisions when they know best what’s good for them?"

I for instance try as much as I can to be open and clear about what is going on inside of me, I’m not afraid to tell anyone what I’m struggling with but many people are afraid and I’m here for them to give them the voice they don’t have themselves and still I face so many people daily who tell me to shut up.

• who tell me that i’m just doing this for attention?
• who say that i don’t know what being mentally ill feels like because i have wife and kid and some great friends and i’m so tired.

I wrote out list of things I’ve learned in IOP to help recognize or treat burnout and just be a better SW or person in regards to my Bipolar/PTSD in mind, thought I’d share in case anyone else who struggles with burnout or mental health problems might find it useful.

What leads to burnout isn’t universal neither is what restores us, practicing consistent and rigorous mindfulness is the only way to successfully nurture myself appropriately to avoid significant periods of burnout.

Some activities that are touted as rejuvenating forms of self care (i.e manicures) exhaust me further, I can only refill my cup if I’m in touch with myself enough to actually know what will refill me. My emotional and psychological response to social media fluctuates, what’s comforting or supportive one day can cause anxiety and dread the next. It’s my responsibility to continuously check in with myself and interact to the degree it supports my well being.

No amount of money is worth missing a therapy or psych appointment over sleep or a nourishing meal or daily exercise, these are important staples for my mental health and must be non negotiable at home on tour and during extended dates.

Not all clients are going to bring out your sparkle or you theirs, if feeling emotionally fragile try to prioritize those that share natural chemistry. There is no shame in ending a relationship with a kind respectful client that lacks the level of connection you need.

If at any point there is the urge to self medicate to alleviate strong undesirable feelings, it’s time to take a step back and address the feelings at hand. Social substances should only be consumed with joyful intention not as a means of avoidance.

Trauma responses are more common during periods of burnout, making a daily effort to heal past traumas is extremely important and reduces risk of shutting down and making trauma informed choices from the dorsal vegal, rather than staying rationally in my ventral vegal.

"while accumulated childhood trauma is not your fault, it is your responsibility to heal it as to not traumatize others."

Learning from my experience and offering myself compassion while still holding myself accountable via daily journaling is important to track progress, see patterns and keep an ongoing accountability process to grow into the kind of person I want to be.

A SPECIAL THANKS TO:

• Dr Oliver Schofield (Consulting. 1)
• Henrie Louis Friedrich (Analyst)
• Clayton Euridicé Schofield (Editor)
• Seth Gryffen (Consulting. 2)
• Timothée Freimann schofield (Photographed)
• In appearance: Matthew Torre-luccá Schofield (Model)