The importance of self care <3

Eleanor Longden - The Voices in my Head

Hi everyone, this is my first post but I stumbled upon a TedTalk last night that really resonated with me and I thought I’d share.

Eleanor was diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia in her first year of college and after battling with self-harm, hospitalization and so on, has gone on to achieve the highest level of Psychiatry/Psychology degrees in America. She talks about her journey and how "cooperating" with her voices and showing them compassion helped her to cope with her condition, eventually without the need for medication.

I don't suffer from schizophrenia, but I think this coping mechanism could definitely apply to many mental health problems, including my own. I have BPD and suffer from anxiety which often entails intrusive thoughts or "voices" that tell me I am worthless, I shouldn't go out, I should be wary of others, etc. 

Rather than suppressing these feelings with medication or strategies that involve avoiding the problem itself, I've found taking a more accepting and compassionate approach is amazingly helpful. 

Often these thoughts, voices, whatever you want to call them, represent the vulnerable parts of ourself that need the most care and attention. 

I hope at least someone finds this as inspiring as I did - the power of respecting and caring for yourself (or the more difficult parts of yourself) is often underestimated.

Peace and Love xxx