👀 It’s Meant to Be Mental

#104 | Can something be both good and bad for you?

Can you believe this year is almost over!?

Even though we still have almost two months of 2022 left to live through, I can’t help but gasp at lightning speed with which it has whooshed past. 

For me, the end of each year is a reflective time, as I’m sure it is for many of you. Like every other year, this year was forged with changes – both inside and outside me. I can’t claim that each change was met with grace and poise (some I met with rage, confusion and deep distrust), but they held their ground, and in the end, so did I. 

Apart from the winning combination of therapy and medication to treat my own mental health challenges, I relied on another seemingly frivolous source for insight and wisdom when things got too fuzzy and burdensome.  

I’m talking about Instagram. Yes, you read that right – an app that has been found to have a detrimental effect on mental health.

It’s complicated. Let me explain.

Instagram, in itself, with the way it’s designed to capture and hold our attention for as much time as possible, is obviously Not Good for our mental health. But some people are out there, talking about mental health in ways that can help others. 

A huge chunk of the mental health advice doing rounds on the endless scroll is superficial or even dangerous. 

But today, I wanted to share some accounts I follow – accounts run by mental health professionals who have practices beyond the virtual realm. I don’t want to sound dramatic, but many of their posts have anchored me when I felt like I was drowning in an ocean of my own ruminations. 

Here they are:

@yourdiagononse: Run by psychotherapist Todd Baratz, this account tells it like it is – listing practical advice on dealing with our emotions, relational challenges and limiting beliefs. I love it for its lucidity and the bright, pop artsy graphics. My favourites are this, this and this. 

@nedratawwab: This is therapist and NYT bestselling author Nedra Glover Tawwab’s Instagram account, where she posts regularly about relationships, boundaries, and making changes to our inner lives with patience and acceptance. My top picks are here, here and here. 

@theeqschool: Emma Rumansik, a teacher, shares tips, tools and reminders for tough times. I loved this post and this one too. 

If you’re in need of a pick-me-up, go check out some of these accounts. Maybe you’ll find something that soothes you. 

Proiti

P.S. Disclaimer: As with everything else on social media, take the mental health advice you read on Instagram with a pinch of salt.