The mental health recovery journey can have its own set of challenges, and building resilience during such times can facilitate the healing process. If you or whom you love is experiencing mental health issues then this blog can help you explore multiple ways to make this journey a little smoother.
Through this blog, we have tried explaining the concept of resilience and listed multiple ways to build resilience in the face of mental health challenges. While the recovery journey may not be linear, with proper mental health support and your inner strength, we shall try our best to fight with all the obstacles!
What is Resilience?
Imagine a child learning how to walk, the number of times the child might fall down and still get up with the hope of continuing to walk successfully – In very simple words, one may say that the child is showing resilience by standing up each time after the fall!
Thus, resilience can be explained as an individual’s ability to rise back from adverse situations and overcome hardships just as the little kid does while learning to walk. Life can be full of ups and downs; we may experience a lot of difficulties and mental health struggles can also be a few of those. During these times, building resilience, a superpower that enables one to cope with whatever comes their way can be helpful.
Imagine the smile of that child who after falling multiple times is able to walk steadily for even 3 minutes, well, that is probably what resilience looks like!
Building Resilience One Step at a Time
Life can be full of ups and downs and to ensure a smooth journey, resilience can play a notable role. Here are a few of the many ways in which one can make an effort to build resilience:
1. Social Support
One stick can be broken easily however if five sticks are held together, it can be challenging to break them. This shows how strength can be found in togetherness. Similarly, as humans, social support can play a crucial role in building positive well-being. Nowadays, loneliness is also becoming a common concern and therefore developing social support can help overcome that as well.
Support groups, volunteer activities, and improving one’s communication skills to effectively develop and maintain relationships are some ways through which one can develop social support.
2. Growth Mindset
Being hopeful, having a positive attitude towards life and confidence in shaping a better future are some ways through which one can try to help self during distressing times. A growth mindset can be encouraged by mental health professionals through testimonials of their client’s successful recovery journeys.
The person who is recovering from mental illness can be mindful of their thought processes, whether the thoughts are helpful or harmful can be reflected upon. Psychologists can further help with cognitive reframing through individual counselling sessions. Mental health professionals and caregivers can help the person find a purpose in life, develop a healthier routine and try celebrating the simple joys of life!
3. Developing Self-Compassion
The individuals can try to be kind to themselves as they are beginning the journey of seeking help for their mental health concerns. Psychoeducation by professionals regarding what one might experience during the healing journey can help the person be a little more prepared. Engaging in basic acts of self-care such as good water intake, participating in yoga class, going to the gym etc can go a long way in this fight with mental health challenges.
One can also be mindful that as one is experiencing mental illness, their life may change, and there may be times one is unable to function as one could earlier therefore it is important to be compassionate to self during these times and reach out for support.
4. Humour
This journey of coping with mental health disorders might be one of the toughest times of one’s life. An active coping strategy for helping this journey become slightly easier is through humour. While it may be difficult to find humour in such tough times, resilience building is all about becoming stronger than the obstacles of life.
A healthy sense of humour can help in lightening the situations and looking at things from the bright side!
5. Altruism
Prosocial behaviour, compassion towards others, and being altruistic are a few ways through which one can support others as well as oneself by building resilience. Individuals who can identify positive changes in well-being through proper treatment support can further encourage others who might still be at a stage wherein they are being diagnosed and puzzled about the next steps.
This prosocial behaviour of helping people may further contribute towards building resilience not just for oneself but guiding others as well regarding resilience building!
Build Resilience with Athena Behavioral Health
Building resilience in the face of mental health challenges can become a lot easier with Athena Behavioral Health by one’s side. We are one of the best mental health hospitals in Delhi NCR, India for diverse concerns such as depression, bipolar disorder, anxiety disorder, addiction-related concerns, schizophrenia and so on.
With both in-patient and out-patient treatment facilities, and an expert team of mental health professionals providing evidence-based treatment and an empowering environment for your healing journey – We are your perfect mental healthcare partner!
To learn more about our services please feel free to reach us via mail at custimercare@athenabhs.com or call us at +91 9289086193 and we will together embark on this resilience-building journey.
FAQs
Question 1 – How can one become resilient?
Answer 1 – One can try becoming resilient by practising acceptance, engaging in self-care activities and seeking professional help if needed.
Question 2 – What is resilience in the context of mental health?
Answer 2 – Resilience can be understood as the ability to fight and overcome the obstacles that one is experiencing. For example, imagine someone diagnosed with clinical depression making all the efforts to seek help, work on their concerns and successfully overcome depressive symptoms.
Question 3 – Name some common mental health challenges.
Answer 3 – There can be a plethora of mental health issues such as anxiety, depression, addiction, schizophrenia and post-traumatic stress disorder.
Question 4 – How to improve one’s mental health?
Answer 4 – Building resilience, regularly practising self-care, exercising, yoga, meditation and seeking professional help can be a few of the many ways to improve one’s mental health.
Question 5 – What can be challenging while trying to build resilience?
Answer 5 – One may experience self-doubt as one embarks on this resilience-building journey however with consistent efforts and proper support one can feel better.
