If you have just been through a crisis, you are not alone. The majority of people in this world endure traumatic events or health emergencies in life. Adversity does not have to hold you back from achieving your greatest potential in life. There have been testimonials about how people bounce back from a crisis with mental resilience. Alter San Diego Crisis Intervention has all the resources to support you in rebuilding that resilience.
Grounding Yourself in Certainty
A crisis throws life off balance and can make people feel that they are losing control. The first step towards self-care after a crisis is to just focus on what you can control. You should not be digging deeper into the chaos because that will waste your time and energy. Instead, try to invest time and energy into certain things.
For example, there are always things in the home that happen with certainty, such as the mundane but important daily routines of meal preparation, sending kids to school, housecleaning, etc. Focusing your attention on things that you can control will gradually ground you in reality. This sense of certainty is highly important because that is what a crisis takes away from you.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, many people suffer from mental health challenges because they have lost this sense of certainty. Some people turn to maladaptive practices such as substance addiction, but addiction also robs people of a sense of connection with reality. In sum, a sense of certainty and being grounded in reality can be healing to people after a crisis.
Reflecting on Lessons Learned After a Crisis
The most challenging times can also be the most revealing moments about human nature. A crisis may teach you more about yourself. While avoiding the temptation to replay regrettable memories, it is important that you take time and reflect on some lessons learned.
For example, maybe a nervous breakdown shows that you have not been taking care of yourself lately due to work-related stress. Or maybe you have been backsliding on going to support group meetings. A mental health crisis can also reveal the severity of your dual diagnosis. It serves as a wake-up call to seek treatment for both your mental illness and substance addiction. Hopefully, these reflections can lead to actions for change.
Practicing Gratitude After a Crisis
Now that the crisis is past you, it is time to feel grateful that it has not led to more negative consequences for you or your family. There is always something you should feel thankful about, such as the support of family and friends, or the timely intervention by health professionals.
Gratitude is how people build mental resilience after a crisis. Even during the toughest times, you can always learn how to count your blessings. That takes a profound change of perspective on life. This does not mean that you ignore the pain. You still need to seek treatment, but looking on the bright side can help you further heal.
Evaluating Your Priorities
Whether it is due to mental illness or bereavement, a crisis forces us to re-evaluate what our priorities in life are. A major life crisis can cause you to pause and challenge your previous ways of living. For example, if you almost lost your life in an overdose, recovery is a time to reflect on how much you have prioritized your health.
People living with mental illnesses, such as anxiety and depression, may isolate and withdraw from family and friends. Maybe a crisis will make you realize how important it is to stay connected with your support system. Family and friends ought to be your priority because these key relationships give meaning to life.
Recognizing Your Inner Strength
Another important foundation of post-crisis recovery is self-love. Maybe you have long succumbed to narratives about your own weakness, thinking “I cannot handle this” or “I will not be able to get through this.” Looking back should make you realize how much inner strength you had. It takes deep self-love and self-appreciation to see your value.
Self-love means that you should trust in your ability to deal with whatever life throws your way. That is where mental resilience comes from. This does not mean you do not need support from others. On the contrary, it is because of self-love that you do not hesitate to seek treatment or intervention. With these resources, you still need to do the heavy lifting of self-preservation.
More Best Practices for Post-Crisis Self-Care
Apart from the above-listed advice, there are other best practices, such as surrounding yourself with positive people who care about you and can motivate you toward full recovery. Patience is also needed because recovery is more like a marathon than a sprint.
Mindfulness meditation is a good way for the brain to destress and heal from the traumatic stress that you previously experienced. You need to be persistent and patient with building it into your daily routine. Lastly, activities that bring joy and beauty into your life can also help you heal. If you work with Alter San Diego Crisis Intervention, our experts can support you all the way toward full recovery.
After a crisis is in the rearview mirror, there are still many things you need to know in order to reach full recovery. While some people may require more intense inpatient treatment, most people need to practice self-care at home. But effective self-care is easier said than done. You need to caution against many temptations to relive the traumatic past while still being able to learn from it. This is the challenging job to rebuild mental resilience. You need to work with a team of experts who can coach you on how to practice self-care. Alter San Diego Crisis Intervention has the best team to support you. Call Alter San Diego Crisis Intervention at (866) 986-1481.
