Tags
comfort, food, groceries, happiness, mental health, mental illness, mentally ill, schizophrenia], self care, therapy, Treatment, wellness
I read an article two weeks or so ago about self-care and how it isn’t about a manicure or pedicure or a bubble bath. How real self-care is about getting yourself to the doctor, dentist, making a budget and sticking to it, and all manner of adult things that make our lives run smoothly.
I feel like much of my life is self-care (not overlooking my husband’s role in my care). I have to eat at a certain time for my medication to work. I have to watch my food intake, so I don’t gain too much more weight. I have to watch my sugar, so I don’t develop diabetes. I have to get my blood pressure checked regularly. I have to keep my weight down because of high cholesterol. All of these things are side effects of my medication, and there is more – checking my liver for damage, etc.
There are things about being an adult that brings me a sense of comfort, stability, and pleasure. The same type of feeling that is used most commonly when people talk about self-care, but with what I am referring to it fits more under the way the author of that article meant self-care. One of those things is grocery shopping. I love grocery shopping. My husband and I usually go to the store once per week, sometimes we make a list and sometimes we just wing it.
I love picking out my food for the week and stocking up on things we use regularly. I also like to buy myself treats. This time of year, tea is a big thing for me. During the spring and summer I don’t drink tea after dinner, but during the fall and winter, I drink it almost every night.
When we get home, and we have 24 rolls of toilet paper, twelve rolls of paper towels, a pound of coffee, a few boxes of my favorite cereal, and all the fruits and veggies and cheese we will eat for a week, I feel secure. I feel comfortable. I feel safe. Yes, I even feel happy. (We don’t use that much toilet paper or paper towels in a week, but when we buy them we get enough for a long time.)
Finding the little things in life that contribute to my well-being is important. Knowing that I feel the best with a full refrigerator, full pantry and full cupboards mean I will make an effort to go grocery shopping once a week. The same is true of my medications. When I have one to two weeks left of medication, I order it from the pharmacy. I never want to create a feeling of panic or an emergency over a lack of medication.
I know these things are simple, but not all of our treatment or those things that keep us well have to be super complicated.
I’m into the little things. I am. Those little things add up to mountains (and little things can be both positive or negative), and I for one want to be prepared for the terrain.
I so agree. One of the things that’s most stressful about my son’s current routine is that he’s taking a medication that requires him to get a blood test the day before he gets it refilled, wait for the results to come in, and then get the prescription, just as he has no pills left. At first we had to do this every week; now we’re down to every two weeks, and we’re looking forward to shifting to once a month blood tests. They’re really critical, since the medication can drop your white blood cell count all of a sudden, but running all the way down on his main pills makes both of us anxious.
LikeLiked by 2 people
Oh, boy! That would stress me out, too. I hope he gets to go to once a month very soon.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I agree as well. The little things are an essential part of the foundation when it comes to managing mental illness.
LikeLiked by 2 people
🙂
LikeLiked by 2 people
I agree that self care is defined by many factors. We are at our best eating heallthy exercising regularly, getting enough sleep and avoiding stress as much as possible. My kids buy me massages and those are maybe twice a year, so I really take advantage of my aroma therapy daily and for me it is self care to remember to diffuse my lavender and more recently chamomille to help me feel calm every day not just as a rare treat. Being able to do these little things is a form of therapy…
Pax
V.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Great post. Simple but truthful of how important small things are in life. I’ve turned a huge corner being on track of my medication with the way I eat food. One question, I am struggling to get my medication in advance as the doctor says I need to order it on the day I run out. This is ridiculous and effects a lot of things in my daily life. How long or how did you go about being able to order in advance? Perhaps UK is different. Also, I read your blog quite often and Feel very comforted by your thoughts on psychosis, they are very similar if not the same to my own. Keep going!
LikeLiked by 1 person
I don’t know why I can get my medication early. As soon as I get down to about two weeks worth of pills, the pharmacy allows me to order. Maybe, you could ask your doctor if you can order early? Thank you for reading my blog and for your support! Good luck!
LikeLike
Hey Rebecca! I get my medication early too.They call me or i call them when it’s about two weeks worth.They mail it to me.So nice of them!! Grin.How are you ? I am doing well.Talk to you soon,my friend!
LikeLiked by 1 person
I’m doing fine, thank you!
LikeLike