why do i always have a headache?

today was a self care day. i guess.

sometimes i cannot shut my brain down and it results in a bad headache. so today, i thought i would talk about self care. self care is such an important part of living, especially living with a mental illness.

it was really hard for me to grasp the idea of self care because it felt very selfish. i’m struggling with that idea still but it’s getting easier. here are some of my self care ideas, some are pretty standard but others, i like to think, are unique.

ideas for self care:

sleep. it seems so basic but it’s such a huge part of my ocd and depression. when i was really struggling with my sleep cycle, sleeping only 2 or 3 hours a night. now that i’m on meds for sleep, i’m tired through the day. i try to limit my naps because too much sleep can be detrimental.

shop online, but only build a basket – no check out. it’s easy to get in trouble financially, especially if you are off work or on disability. i  find something soothing about shopping with out the $ commitment. if i have more energy i’ll go to the mall and walk around while looking at merchandise (usually only during the week, as weekend mall madness stresses me the f out)

walk the pooch. even if feeling tired and gross, i’ll try to walk my dog. walking makes him so happy (and less likely to poop in the house). something about making him happy makes me happy.  also, getting moving and exercising a bit helps release happy hormones.

do something silly. there’s a part in me that’s just ridiculous. usually i try to push that part down to be “normal” and “not crazy” but f that. sometimes you need to embrace the crazy and laugh your ass off. doing something, like drawing eye brows on my dog, makes me laugh so hard and that is usually the best self care i can suggest

good luck on your journey.