Diagnosis Status Archives - Wounded Birds Ministry

A Mental Illness Diagnosis Means a Better Life Is Possible

It’s exciting to witness that moment when someone realizes that their diagnosis means that a better life is possible for them.

Asking for Help Is an Important Skill

There are several excuses we give ourselves to explain why we don’t ask for the help we need. None of them are accurate, though we believe they are.

I Should Be Able to Handle This: Ending Chaos

Everyone hits a crisis point, a point at which they look around at their lives and wonder how they got to that point. Life is chaos, and chaos destabilizes.

Crisis Survival: How to Control the Uncontrollable

Emotional crises can happen anywhere and under even seemingly simple situations. Learning to manage a crisis scenario is critical.

Control Issues Aren’t About Control

Controlling situations takes away a level of worry and anxiety I’ve often experienced. Then I learned something: Control issues aren’t about control.

Triggers: Understanding and Management

Triggers are events (usually small) that sends us back in time to relive a traumatic event. They apply to all types of trauma and vary in their intensity.

When a Cycle Causes a Mood Change

Many of our mood changes are cyclical. By tracking our moods, we can learn the identifying factors of a cycle change and take steps to manage them.

Cycles and Triggers: An Overview

We can learn to manage our cycles and triggers and influence their impact upon our mental health. Doing so helps us get to a place of peace.

Giving Means Letting People In

One piece of standard advice from mental health professionals to those on the road to recovery is to start giving. Sure, I’ve had a few moments when I’ve been glad I volunteered, but I’ve also felt resentful of the imposition on my time. Resentment and a giving heart do not go hand-in-hand. This time was different.

How I Changed My Relationship with Alcohol

I’m not an alcoholic. I’ve never attended meetings, no DUIs, nothing matches what you might expect. Yet, my relationship with alcohol was a problem.

Ways Our Support Network Can Help Us

What we see as sufferers is not always what you see as our support network. You have an opportunity to help us significantly in our recovery journey.

It’s Probably Just Me: When We Feel Isolated

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“It’s probably just me” properly translates to a much more powerful phrase: “I’m the only one, and I’m all alone.” It’s not true. You aren’t alone.

How to Get a Mental Illness Diagnosis

When we decide we want help by getting a mental illness diagnosis, it can be confusing to figure out where to start. Here are some simple steps to follow.

Have an Effective Talk Therapy Experience

While medication, good diet, and consistent exercise are important in treatment, there is another component that is equally important: Talk therapy.

The Grieving Process: The True Stages

When we suffer a loss, we go through a grieving process. You may be surprised to learn the true stages of grief and how we experience them.

Grieving the Little Deaths in Our Lives

We often define grief as big, profound losses. What we miss in this simplistic definition are all the “little deaths” we experience in our lives.

Explaining My Bipolar Diagnosis to My Parents

“Did you know that ‘you’re so sensitive’ and ‘you’re so intense’ are phrases commonly associated with people who have bipolar?”

Mindfulness As a Tool to Overcome Emotional Numbness

When we are numb to our emotions, we lose control of our environment and feel disconnected from those around us. Getting back in touch with our emotions helps us accelerate our return to mental health. Mindfulness is the key to uncovering and rediscovering our emotions.

The Importance of Routines to Our Mental Health

Routines—we all have them. Some of these routines are intentional – such as the bedtime routine – and others are ones we fall into. Routines are important for all of us; they create predictability and provide comfort. As we look at establishing healthy routines, we’ll provide a list of five steps to help us identify and tweak existing routines, and to build new ones.