Your Mental Health Triggers Don’t Take A Holiday
We know that mental health matters – but we might forget in summer
Two ice cream cones, one with pink ice cream and one with yellow, dropped onto a blue surface
Did you know that many mental health conditions have bodily triggers? According to a well-circulated article in the Economist, of all places, “evidence is accumulating that an array of infections can, in some cases, trigger conditions such as obsessive-compulsive disorder, tics, anxiety, depression and even psychosis”.
Eek.
And conversely, many mental health conditions trigger physical reactions. I wrote a LinkedIn post about this, because I’ve recently noticed I have several bodily signs of anxiety and depression, such as infected fingers from compulsively biting the skin around my nails too much.
Side note: I never intended to be a mental health writer, but mental health is such a huge part of my everyday life that to ignore it would be (excuse the on-the-nose word) madness!
Brace yourself, Trigger
All of our worries should melt away in the summer, shouldn’t they? Our cares should disappear like an ice cube in a long G and T during long, lazy days in the garden, trips to the seaside and even holidays.
Nnnot necessarily.
Mental health triggers can happen at any time and, in my experience, especially when you don’t want them to occur.
There’s no good time or bad time, there’s just time
It doesn’t matter what amazing adventures you take yourself on this summer, your mental health matters. Always.
It’s so easy to think that a holiday itself will be the cure for tension, worry, frown lines and knotted stomachs. It certainly helps, but you still need to do the work of taking care of your brain.
I think summertime blues is very similar to what I’ll call Christmas syndrome: you can look forward to something so much it hurts, but if you bowl in headfirst without the merest pause, you won’t have given yourself a chance to figure out what you really need to keep things on an even keel.
Understanding your mental health triggers
It took me a long time to recognise this about myself, but holidays are big triggers for a tumultuous noggin. I put pressure on myself to have a nice time, relax, appreciate everything I see – and generally try to look like the serene ladies on the front of the Seasalt catalogue.
But what about what my brain needs? It often shouts out for what it wants – but I usually ignore it for a couple of days and skip about in my nautical t-shirt before wondering why I feel sad on day three.
As soon as I listen to my brain, I must accept what it tells me.
A colourful beach ball floating in a blue swimming pool in the sun
Don’t forget to pack your mental health first aid kit
So, whether you’re like me and escape somewhere that’s not too hot for a holiday or you’re jetting off to the balmy Bahamas this summer, make sure you remember to pack your mental health first aid kit.
This can include (but is not limited to):
A daily five-minute mindfulness session
Walking or exercising each day
Being honest if you don’t feel up to something
Limiting social media to once a day (or abstain completely)
Being aware of your alcohol intake
Continuing things you enjoy at home like reading or cooking
In short(s)
We all know that mental health matters, but that can be easily forgotten in the summertime when everything should be fun and carefree.
But if you recognise your mental health triggers and the ways they manifest in you – from knotted stomachs to headaches, sore shoulders and bitten nails – you can pause to think about how you feel and what you want to get out of your holiday, then take steps to make sure you have fun and relax.
Self-care equals happy holidays!
P.S. Did you enjoy this blog post?
I could write one for you, too! I’m a freelance copywriter and I specialise in providing food and lifestyle businesses with copy for their consumers, plus I’m an anecdotal mental health writer too.
Get in touch for a little natter and maybe a virtual ice cream if you fancy.