THREE WAYS TO BE PREPARED FOR A MENTAL HEALTH ANNIVERSARY
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON LEVEL21 in 2018
April was a hard month for me. I had been bracing for the impact & the impact was still strong. But, when it came, everything came back; My insecurities, the way I was feeling at that moment; April 26th was the sixth month anniversary of my suicide attempt.
1. Foresight.
When you consider vulnerable to a traumatic memory, you can be on the lookout for its triggers and expect -- and thereby diminish their impact. Awareness of an anniversary reaction means knowing what moments are important to you.
Remind yourself that the days or weeks leading up to an anniversary date – and even ones after, may be tough ones for you. Though it's often impossible to predict precisely what a trauma anniversary will bring up for you, preparing ahead of time could make a date a little less anxiety-provoking and stressful.
Creating and sticking to a planned schedule on the day of the trauma anniversary can be super valuable: Remember that what works for you may not work for everyone when trying to plan a schedule. Therefore, you may want to consider taking time before the upcoming trauma anniversary to plan out what will help to get through the day.
3. People.
Our family and friends are often the best medicine. An essential element of self-care is maintaining solid social bonds, talking to people as much as fits your needs, and spending time with others. Reaching out to friends and families, engaging in enjoyable activities, and seeking out those you like and trust all can be excellent antidotes during a vulnerable time. Tolerating an anniversary reaction is best done when a strong support system surrounds you.
Sharing the date with others can make you feel less isolated when the anniversary of a difficult day approaches. Please resist the urge to shut down or withdraw as it can worsen depression. If you find you're struggling with your trauma the day of the anniversary, remember that you're not alone. Loss affects each of us differently, so remember to not put a time limit on your grief and healing.
When you experience a traumatic incident, it can be extremely emotionally draining.
4. Limit media.
I LOVE social media; as a millennial & as a writer/blogger. I love using the platform to reach people to talk about my experience. But, like so many other people, I compare myself to other people & it tears my self-esteem apart. So one thing that I did during that month was limit my social media use & I'm still doing it today. It used to take me 5 minutes to get to the 'You Are All Caught Up' on Instagram takes at least thirty minutes. I'm not saying my screen time has gone down (because it hasn't); I spend a lot of time playing games on my phone now, but hey, baby steps, right? In terms of what media you should limit, it will depend on what the anniversary is and what has helped in the past.
One of the most empowering things you can do to prepare for a trauma anniversary is reflecting on where you are today, your progress, and your journey. When you take a moment to see yourself transitioning from victim to survivor to 'thriver' it can be a great time to acknowledge your resilience.
