Guide on How to Cope With Mental Health Disorders

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Do you have concerns about how to live your best life while dealing with a mental health disorder? Too often, people put limits on themselves in relation to this, which keeps them from reaching their full potential. Zenith Behavioral Health provides an extensive program teaching how to cope with mental health that puts you back in the driver’s seat. Our menu of therapy modalities and access to effective medications help treat a wide selection of mental health disorders. These approaches set you up to succeed by enjoying better mental health. 

How to Cope With Each Mental Health Disorder 

Too often, a person who has a mental illness feels all they can do is try to get through each day. They feel powerless to learn how to feel more in control. Learning how to cope with mental health disorders proves possible if they know where to seek guidance and quality help. Of course, anyone with a mood disorder should make sure they are attending therapy sessions that help them, as well as taking any needed medications. While every mental health disorder and how a person experiences it is unique, there are some core ways to use to help a person cope with each type of mental health disorder.

Anxiety 

Some core ways for how to cope with anxiety include using proven techniques to manage stress and achieve relaxation, such as meditation and yoga. Identifying potential triggers can help a person anticipate how they might feel and plan for reducing the anxiety that comes with exposure to them. Using workbooks or writing in a journal can also help a person with their emotions and thoughts. They should also remember that even when experiencing a panic attack, it will end. 

Depression 

How to cope with depression often begins with avoiding the temptation to isolate. Even if the person doesn’t feel like getting out of the house, it can help improve their mood. Journaling and using workbooks can also help them process their thoughts and emotions. It’s also important to eat a healthy diet and get regular exercise. Moving the body, even in low-impact activities, can help alleviate depressive feelings. 

Bipolar Disorder 

When it comes to knowing how to cope with bipolar disorder, keeping a schedule should be a focus. Having a routine helps people manage their bipolar disorder. This includes waking up, eating meals, taking care of daily tasks, and going to bed at about the same time every day. Additionally, doing an intake of what causes stress in a person’s life can help them make a goal of reducing it wherever possible. 

PTSD 

Anyone interested in how to cope with PTSD can start with breathing exercises. Learning how to breathe deeply can help regulate a person’s stress response. As well, mindfulness can play a helpful role in reducing stressful moments and preventing flashbacks. Mindfulness helps a person stay in the moment and aware of their surroundings, instead of getting lost in their thoughts and past events. Using self-soothing methods like aromatherapy, listening to relaxing music, and lying down with a weighted blanket can also help a person cope with PTSD.

Schizophrenia 

A big part of learning how to cope with schizophrenia begins with learning to accept that this disorder doesn’t mean the person can’t live a fulfilling life. Most people with schizophrenia respond well to professional treatment, and the majority of them find themselves able to improve their symptoms. Coping well also means the person should attend all necessary treatment appointments and take their medications regularly. As well, it’s important to identify stressful situations and life events and work to keep them to a minimum.

Borderline Personality Disorder 

One effective way for how to cope with borderline personality disorder involves listening to music. The individual should identify their troubling emotion and play music that evokes the opposite response. For example, when feeling depressed, listen to positive music, and when feeling anxious, play relaxing music. 

Another technique is to participate in highly engaging activities that occupy the mind. Avoid passive pastimes like watching television or playing video games, and instead exercise, dance, clean out a closet or perform volunteer work. A person with borderline personality disorder should learn that urges to engage in harmful activities do not have to be acted on. Practicing to feel the emotion but not act on it often shows that the feeling ends without the person taking negative action.

Mood Disorders  

Mood disorders often improve when a person focuses on eating a healthy diet and getting regular exercise. As well, making journaling a habit can help with how to cope with mood disorders. Using a diary or workbook can help the person identify their emotions and learn how to use healthy coping skills to deal with them. Additionally, a person can feel more in control of a mood disorder if they plan for regular activities that help them destress. These can include listening to music, making art, having a conversation with a friend, or something else that promotes relaxation.

Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder

Having a stressful job, home life, or relationships can trigger a rise in OCD symptoms. Part of learning how to cope with obsessive-compulsive disorder includes learning to identify stressors and working to change them. It can also help to engage in activities like yoga, meditation, or mindfulness in order to help a person’s mind feel calmer. 

Keeping an OCD journal can also help a person make more sense of their illness. The individual can keep track of what situations trigger them and what thoughts and actions occurred. They can use this to explore what evidence supports their fears that cause many of their OCD symptoms. Practicing mindfulness can also play a part in staying in the moment and avoiding being swept away by obsessive thoughts and compulsive behaviors. 

ADHD 

Learning how to become organized can be a big part of how to cope with ADHD. Because even just one task can seem overwhelming and set off symptoms of ADHD, like finding it difficult to focus, breaking a task down into small steps can help. The person can create a checklist and mark each subtask off as they go. They can also use daily planners and calendars to help them stay on target. 

As well, learning to prioritize can make a real difference. The individual can list out what they need to get done, such as studying for a test, completing a home project, or starting a new hobby. From there, they can decide what to do first, which helps them stay focused and on track.

Man learning how to cope with mental health

Overcome These Mental Health Conditions in Phoenix, Arizona

Having a mental health condition doesn’t mean you can’t learn to manage your symptoms and live a full life. Zenith Behavioral Health in Phoenix employs a staff full of professionals who understand how to treat a variety of mental health disorders with care and expertise. We offer several types of therapy and medication management that help people reduce and eliminate many side effects of poor mental health. This allows them to set goals for living the life they want without worrying that mental health conditions have to limit their success.

If you want to find out how to cope with mental health by using our treatment program, visit our admissions page now. Getting started on achieving better mental health can start today.