Why we should make self care a priority
To mark Mental Health Awareness Week, we spoke to Michelle Ainsworth, resuscitation officer and Mental Health First Aider at Newham Hospital, about the importance of self care.
For some time I have suffered with anxiety since the loss of a close relative, and a number of other stressors. To cope with my anxiety, I have had to learn lots of different methods. However, the best advice I’ve been given to date is: It’s ok not to be ok.
When we’re feeling low it’s important to not to overstretch ourselves or try to overcompensate and hide how we’re feeling. Simply accepting and working through why we’re not feeling ok is what will ultimately help us to move forwards. This means recognising when we’re not feeling 100% mentally and taking the time we need to heal and rest emotionally.
Remember tomorrow is a new day, a time to reach new goals, and make new plans and to start again. Allow yourself to feel what you are feeling today. Trying to push feelings down, ignoring how you feel on an emotional level or on a physical level will cause more harm in the long run. It is perfectly natural to be experiencing higher than usual levels of anxiety, especially given the current pressures the NHS is under as we work to fight against covid-19 pandemic.
Acceptance of self is not an easy task, we are often our own worst critic.
What may help you at this challenging time is to become aware of how you treat yourself and how you judge yourself. Start to challenge any negative automatic thoughts. We all have such thoughts, but if they become overwhelmingly negative, they will increase our anxiety and low mood, and decrease our self-worth and self-esteem.
Here are some tips to watch out for if you are feeling depressed or low in mood:
- Look at your sleep patterns. Sleep has a huge impact on our moods. If you are not sleeping well, you will experience low mood, fatigue and low motivation.
- Try and use this time to find some form of exercise you enjoy, maybe going out for a walk in nature. Just being outside is good for our soul.
- Food is also important. We need to put the right fuel in our engine to get us moving What we eat impacts our mental and physical wellbeing. Experiment with different foods.
Ultimately as healthcare professionals we need to take care of ourselves before we can take care of others. Make self-care a priority and ask yourself - what do you need to do today to think and feel good about being you tomorrow!