Tag: mental illness

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Five Ways to Combat Burnout

I am burned out. Crispy. Weary. On the struggle bus. How about you? I sat down with Cadi Jean and talked about ways to recognize burnout. Hopefully, you have taken some time to tune into your body and are making changes to move toward wellness. Today I am sharing her suggestions to help you on that journey. Here are five ways to combat burnout.

Five Ways to Combat Burnout

  1. Rest. Not active rest that might look like scrolling on your phone, talking to a friend, or watching TV. Rest that looks like sitting on your porch, closing your eyes and breathing, or laying on your couch with your eyes closed.
  2. Change your diet. Your health is the #1 thing you should try to support during busy seasons. Aim to eat the rainbow through fruits and vegetables. Minimize caffeine and stay hydrated.
  3. Read a self-help book. Recently I read a book called Atomic Habits by James Clear. It has been a really powerful read that is impacting every area of my life.
  4. Call a friend. Maybe a close friend, or perhaps a friend that you have been distant from. We all need community in our lives.
  5. Take time off if you can. I know we are not all lucky enough for paid time off, but if possible, try to carve out a day or two. Sometimes a break from work is just what the doctor ordered.

Introducing Zoe

Taking her advice to heart,  I have started using an app called Zoe. Have you heard of it? I am not a big diet fan, who is? I have been so impressed by this process and have seen a huge difference in my energy level since starting the program. The program does not just tell you to cut calories or eat certain foods. It actually assesses three aspects of your metabolism: blood sugar, blood fat, and gut microbes.

The process is fascinating. When you begin you wear a glucose monitor and can see how certain foods impact your blood sugar in real-time.  Zoe walks you through short educational snippets and asks you questions in an effort to garner reflection. You send in stool and blood samples and they provide reports- mine were no bueno. But knowledge is power, right? So I am working a little bit every day to change my habits and am coming to understand that some of the foods I thought were “healthy” are not, in fact, healthy for me. If you are interested in $35 off your journey to health use this link.

These are only five ways to combat burnout. The key is to commit to at least one.  What are some things that you have tried to combat burnout? Share with us in the comments.

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How to Recognize Burnout

How to recognize burnout. Seems like it should be easy, right? I mean, we live in our bodies and we would know if we are teetering on the edge of burnout, wouldn’t we? One would think so, but that is not always the case.

Sure, there are typical signs. Depression. Anxiety. Loss of interest in things that used to give us joy. But did you know that burnout can manifest itself in small sneaky ways that compound over time? It’s true.

We have all heard of “nervous breakdowns” haven’t we? While this might be a phrase that you hear whispered in the break room about a colleague who just cracked all of a sudden, a nervous breakdown is usually the end result of a lot of warning signs that went ignored for far too long. So how do we recognize burnout? Let’s take a look.

Learning how to recognize burnout is as easy as listening to your oldest ally. Your body. The problem is that we are so plugged into technology, so busy running the rat race, that we often don’t slow down or pay close enough attention. Let’s look at some of the signs.

Physical

  1. That lingering headache that you get every single day…could be a sign. Not always, but could be.
  2. Digestive distress. When your body is always in a heightened state of fight or flight, your digestive system can suffer. You know those butterflies you get before a big event? It is not a coincidence. It is your body reacting to stress.
  3. Body pain that can’t be explained and that has baffled your doctors.
  4. Breakouts in your skin.
  5. Hair falling out.

Emotional

  1. Nervous energy. That tired but wired feeling.
  2. Sadness that is unexplained and won’t go away.
  3. Loss of interest in things that used to give you joy.
  4. Feeling foggy and unable to complete simple tasks.
  5. Avoiding things that need to be done like doing laundry, paying bills, or making a meal.

Honestly, these are just a few of the signs and symptoms, and in isolation, they may not mean burnout at all. But no one knows your body better than you do, so if your body is whispering, try to listen before it has to scream.

Now that we know how to recognize burnout, how do we combat it? Join us next week when we talk about this very topic.

 

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Is Being Transgender A Mental Illness?

Is being transgender a mental illness? Before I met my daughter, I did not know a transgender person. Growing up in the 80s and 90s, Sally Jessy Raphael would flaunt her red glasses and Maury Povich would sensationalize people under the guise of an interview. In these seemingly polite, congenial conversations, transgender people who transitioned later in life, discussed their transition. In addition, family members, usually their children, would march on stage to answer questions about how the person’s “choices” harmed them.

Now seeing through the eyes of a parent, I witness the shame and harm levied against the transgender community. In fact, on a recent Super Soul Podcast Oprah described feelings of remorse for her contribution to tabloid television and committed to never “demean, diminish embarrass or dehumanize others.” I appreciate Oprah’s willingness to acknowledge the past and commitment to uplift my daughter and her peers. I too want to uplift our transgender community by highlighting four truths:

1) Transgender people are not a circus act. The majority of transgender people just want to feel comfortable in their own skin. Just like their cis counterparts, some transgender people choose to perform in the arts, on stage, and in public. To stereotype transgender people as flamboyant or attention-seeking is a generalized, oversimplified idea of a particular type of person. Simply put, it is irresponsible to further a narrative that dehumanizes any group of people. To calls into question their value to society. Further, promoting this farce strips transgender people of their uniqueness and humanity and encourages violence.

2) Transgender people do not have a mental illness. It is a learned misconception that transgender people “choose” to be trans. It is a degradable, deleterious narrative to label transgender people as crazy or mentally ill. Labeling others in this manner cements the idea that a person’s very existence is criminal and should have access to fewer rights and privileges. We see this harmful rhetoric play out time and again against marginalized communities.

3) Identifying as transgender is not rare: According to the Williams Institute, in 2016, approximately 0.6 percent of adults in the United States identified as transgender. This translates to just over 1.3 million adults. Centers for Disease Control data from 2019 reveal that 2% of students surveyed identify as transgender. These numbers are believed to be underreported for fear of reprisal due to transphobia and discrimination.

4) Shaming is harmful to everyone. Each of us has the power to listen instead of casting shame or judgment. To seek to understand those who are different from ourselves and relish in the beauty of diversity. It is time to acknowledge the enormous burden of manipulative and intentional shaming, even when it is subversive. To speak louder than those in power who use humiliation and the criminalization of the transgender community as a rally cry to their constituents.

As Oprah stated in her podcast, “what we dwell on is what we become.” It would be difficult not to dwell on the overt discrimination, segregation, and criminalization being placed on transgender youth. Elected officials have the audacity to debate their right to play sports, use an affirming bathroom, right to medical access. It is killing our transgender community. Literally.

If you are looking for resources or book suggestions, please visit our website at Narwhal Magic Kindness or the Human Rights Campaign‘s Guide to Supporting Your Gender Nonconforming Child. Please also feel free to reach out to me directly at contact@allarewelcome.blog.

So, is being transgender a mental illness. If you know me at all, you probably didn’t need to read this post to know the answer. But, I hope you walked away feeling more empowered to challenge someone who believes it is.