As mental health pertains to spiritual wellness I suggest you do what works for you as sincerely as you can but be careful to “avoid dogma”. In other words, if you practice a religion or culture and not doing your best can result in feelings of guilt, stress, and many other unhealthy feelings. Avoiding dogma and realizing that true spirituality is the connection one has with a higher being within (higher self/higher power) we can be open-minded to all sorts of suggestions from the divinity that breathes through us. Regular meditation, yoga, and affirmations such as “I am healing,” “I am not mentally ill; I’m mentally able,” and “I can do it” can make a great mental and spiritual difference in the life of someone with a mental health diagnosis.
It is important that if you feel as though you may be severely depressed or in any other mental health crisis, don’t take it for granted. Talk to someone you trust and take action for your own healing. I was once diagnosed as Bi-polar. Through Holistic Living the symptoms were reversed and the doctor who I was seeing at the time said there was no way I was Bi-polar. I haven’t taken any medication in four years to the date of this writing. Get a doctor who you feel comfortable with, one who doesn’t give you a prescription and send you on your way after three minutes of each visit. Keep the Doctor around in case you stumble but don’t wait for the doctor to tell you that you can overcome, KNOW IT IN YOUR HEART! Then take all the necessary actions to prove it to yourself and let the doctor know what YOU are doing for yourself.
Know when to get help and when to be the help. Read the following articles and come up with a way to help yourself and/or community.
Want more? Be sure to check out “Wash Your Hands” in The Hood Health Handbook: Volume 1 !
