How to be Supportive- 5 Tips
Supporting someone with a mental health diagnosis can be extremely difficult. You might not understand their symptoms or what they are going through or you might be afraid of saying the wrong thing and making them feel worse. There is no specific guidebook on how to help someone. Sure, you have this blog post, many others, and even actual self-help books out there. Those are great, but mental health isn’t cookie-cutter nor is supporting someone through their mental health struggles. I encourage you to gather as much information as possible and see what applies to your loved ones through their journey.
Positive Affirmations
The phrase “positive affirmations” seems to pop up everywhere now. We scroll on social media and they are there. We hear about them on TV shows and movies, and now our kids’ teachers are using them in the classroom. Great exposure, but what the heck are they, and why are they important?
March is Brain Injury Awareness Month
Brain Injury Awareness Month is observed each March. The purpose of this is to bring awareness to brain injuries, often referred to as TBIs (traumatic brain injuries), concussions, or ABIs (acquired brain injuries). TBIs are often caused by external factors. These could include car accidents, sports, and falls. They are often categorized by severity, ranging from mild to severe. Concussions are a form of mild TBIs. ABIs are injuries to the brain that are not caused by genetics or birth trauma. These could include stroke, seizures, meningitis, or other infectious diseases. You may have also heard of or seen chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE), which is a progressive and fatal brain disease after repeated TBIs.
Toxic Positivity
Have you heard of toxic positivity? If not, let me define the phrase for you. Toxic positivity is the belief or idea that no matter what the situation is, you should maintain a positive mindset or try to find the positives in the situation.
Hygge... How to Pronounce it & How to Make it a Lifestyle
Have you ever heard of the Danish word, hygge? This word has been pronounced in a variety of ways, but its proper pronunciation is “hoo ga.” If you’re still struggling, I would recommend typing it into a search engine and having the search engine say it for you.