There are many different causes for mental health challenges, but at the root of almost every mental illness is a lack of self control. When we don’t feel in control, we indulge in addictive behaviors, not only substance abuse but our behavior and emotions as well. We can be addicted to our emotions if we cannot stop them. An addiction can be described as anything that you feel has control and power over you. If I was to say all day long, this disease has control over me, what would I create, and what would I act on? It’s our thoughts that move us to action. If I was to say all day long, I want to eat a cheese burger, what would happen eventually?
This feeling of being out of control stems from a long perpetuating set of beliefs that have in many cases been lingering for a long time. What we believe we expect at one point or another. What is OCD, other than an overactive mind focused and obsessing over a particular situation, or event?
Overcoming your mental health challenges is about discipline and retraining your mind into self empowerment. It’s remembering you created these thoughts from your misconceptions, environment, or others’ opinions. Saying it’s merely a chemical imbalance is stating that’s it’s something outside of you creating the disorder. When we leave it to an outside source, we have no control, and we’re destined to a fate out of our control. The only control we’ll ever have is through our thoughts, words and actions. Recovering is about creating a new set of beliefs, and expectations. What creates anxiety other than your expectation of fears about your future?
One of the best means of eliminating or reducing your anxiety is to be still. What is the opposite of anxiety or an overactive mind? Quieting your mind. Relaxation, mindfulness or meditation are a few examples and there are many more. The more you apply relaxation practices, and quiet your mind, the more you train your mind to be in a space of tranquility. Setting a time for a relaxation technique such as meditation can retrain your mind. Consistency is key. When we stop the practice, often we revert back to old ways of thinking, because our mind needs persistence and discipline to be retrained. Nevertheless, you’ve been programming your mind for so long, sometimes, it takes time to see progress.
What is anxiety, depression or manic depression other than a belief you cannot control or manage the illness? If it was controlled or managed, would you always be having reoccurrences? There are physiological reasons for it, and biological reasons as well. However, the only control we have is our reaction to the illness, and the action is expressed through thought, word, and behavior.
Mental illness doesn’t have to be a reoccurring theme in your life. You can heal and you can manage your health challenges, and not allow the illness to control you. Recovery requires a persistent determination to reprogram your mind into self empowerment and discipline. Practice being at peace with life, practice being optimistic, and practice the art of letting do. Set the course, speak to your challenge saying you’re nothing but a belief or expectation, and I can change you now.
There’s a time to focus on the solution but there’s also a time to focus your energy in another positive direction. Give yourself a break every once in a while. Be your source of inspiration. Find things you’re passionate about so you will stop focusing so much on your illness, and you’ll feel a greater purpose as you discover your dreams and goals. Sometimes a fun or uplifting distraction is the best way to focus on a new chapter, and create a new life for you. In doing so, you’re focusing on something more productive than your addictive behaviors and emotions. You’ll discover a balance of discipline and distraction from your problems is the means of recovering one step at a time.
Healing is always occurring, as your body is constantly changing. Allow it to change gracefully, and allow your soul to discover the wisdom that comes with age. Embrace the journey, and appreciate the moments of change. Allow yourself to break free from the cage of confinement, and allow yourself yourself to break free from the cage of powerlessness, pessimism, and bitterness. Mental illness doesn’t have to reoccur throughout a lifetime, and even if it does at times, you can practice and retrain your mind into self empowerment and self discipline.
Practice, repetition, and balance is key to recovery and greater peace of mind. You’ll discover the best means of letting go, and retraining your mind, is focusing on your potential, and not your lack of self control.