A holistic approach to mental healing means taking into consideration the mental, biological and spiritual aspects of a person. In this blog post I am going to discuss how I healed my intense anxiety through a holistic approach.
If you’re currently struggling with any sort of mental health issue please first seek help from a mental health professional before reading this post.
One day I started experiencing anxiety attacks out of nowhere ( or so I thought). In fact, in hindsight I realise that I always did struggle with anxiety in certain aspects of my life. I just never knew what to call it or how it actually felt. In my experience the anxiety or panic seemed to come on at the most random times but it was actually a result of a situation I was in.
Feeling stuck in your head is the most paralysing feeling ever. Thoughts seem to be running at the speed of light in our minds. You just can’t seem to enjoy any activity to the fullest because you’re always in your head.
When you don’t have peace of mind you realise that nothing else really matters and you can’t function at your best. You can’t pour from an empty cup so make sure that cup is filled to the brim!
I can finally write this with a calm mind which I am so eternally grateful for and even if one person finds this helpful I’ll be happy. These are all the approaches that helped me to heal my anxiety during a tough time in my life:
Holistic Approach to Mental Healing: Mind
Therapy
Therapy babes. Don’t be afraid to seek therapy. It’s quite sad that there’s still a negative stigma around seeing a therapist. There’s plenty of options available, like virtual sessions if you want to be in the comfort of your home. Sometimes it just helps to speak to someone who has no bias opinions.
The best part is that you can explore until you find someone suited to your liking. There’s no hard and fast rule really and I found that having a therapist brought my anxiety levels from about an 8/10 to a 5/10 within a few sessions.
There truly is nothing wrong with seeing a therapist/psychologist; only narrow-minded people filled with suppressed emotions would judge you for it.
Discussing with our loved ones
Regardless of the situation that’s bringing you down it always feels like releasing a valve when we vent to our family and friends. What’s that line? “A problem shared is a problem halved”.
Talk about what’s bothering you and you might gain some valuable advice. Remember everyone has been through something and sometimes they can guide you with the experience they have. You don’t need a lot of people but good quality, loyal people.
When you feel those emotions getting too heavy to handle just ask a loved one if you can talk to them about it. They’re always there to help.
Journalling for mental healing
Don’t feel like talking about it? Then it’s time to start journalling.
If you’re like me and loveeee pretty, magical journals then you’ll really enjoy adding this activity to your day.
When I’m alone or not in the mood to be around people I usually put my feelings and thoughts on paper. You can write about literally anything, that’s the beauty of journalling. Don’t try to make the writing perfect or write in an “orderly” manner.
Let it release all the demons! Rather them on the paper than in YOU.
Start Creating a Vision Board
A common cause of feeling anxious or in a depressed mood is feeling like we’re “stuck”. Doing the same routine every single day, seeing the same people everyday and not making any grand progress in our ambitions can lead to us feeling like we’re in a rut. I think it’s extremely common for people of all ages to sort of question what they’re doing with life.
By creating a vision board you’re taking a cloud of confusion about your future and giving it a pretty outline. You can be as extravagant as you want. Your life is in your hands and once you step out the way you will achieve a life better than your dreams.
Having a physical vision board will help you to remember where you want to be and align yourself with that world. You’ll find that you won’t entertain things or people in your life that are simply bringing you down. It’s also a really fun way to distract your mind.
Body
Yoga
I don’t think I can recommend yoga enough. It could also be applicable to the spiritual approach in mental healing. Every movement in yoga has an intention and purpose behind it.
There’s plenty of free yoga videos online from well-educated instructors. Find one that suits your needs and enjoy it as a daily activity and a means to heal the mind and body.
Exercise
I’m sorry I can’t lie to you guys, I’m not the biggest fan of exercise. It was never really a priority until I recently had a mindset shift. See, there’s just too many benefits to working out, and breaking a sweat can happen from a variety of different exercises.
I do belly dancing once a week at the moment and I’m starting to gym too! There are plenty of studies that show exercise helps in reducing stress and anxiety. It also releases happy hormones for us but if anything, use it as an excuse to get out and dress as a sporty queen *wink wink*.
Self-care
When was the last time you had a relaxing bath, used a face mask or went to the salon? Basic self-care activities can help us destress a whole load.
Write down what self-care means to you and then do it in the coming week. Don’t feel guilty about treating yourself because the love you have for yourself is the only thing you can guarantee.
Check out these self-care ideas for a busy week if you’re a bit unsure of where to start.
Holistic Approach to Mental Healing: Spirit
Meditation
Meditation is a saving grace. I always vouch for it but when I had anxiety on another level I realised just how important it truly is. It kept me from entering a downward spiral and instead lifted me out of it. Check out this post about how meditation can help reduce your anxiety.
It’s amazing how much insight one can have while sitting still. I use the Sam Harris meditation app: Waking Up and it has been changing my entire perspective on life day by day.
Seek Spiritual Counselling
When we speak to a religious figure it can bring about comfort, hope and even a temporary peace of mind. We realise that everything is happening for the betterment of our lives.
A guru or priest, for example, can help you shift your perspective and start seeing things in a more positive light. Once that happens we can move through and past our difficult situations with more grace and compassion.
Pray
Whoever or whatever you believe in you can still pray in your own way. Maybe you believe in the universe; then you can manifest feeling better. Maybe you believe in a specific God or perhaps you know there’s a higher power but you don’t see a form. Regardless of your beliefs you can always find a way to connect with your “higher spiritual self”.
Breath Work
Breathing techniques can help you before a panic attack, during a panic attack and afterwards too. The best way to bring yourself down from an anxiety/panic attack is to breathe.
There are different methods one can use, personally I like breathing in for 4 seconds, holding for a second or two and then breathing out for about 6-8 seconds. It instantly calms me down. The breath is a fascinating process; we should pay more attention to it.
Summary
These are the methods I used to bring myself out of a week of intense anxiety. Of course, with the unconditional love and support of my family and friends.
Life will always throw situations at us that could cause mental struggle and that’s okay. The way we deal with it is the mark of our strength.
The reason therapy is number one on my methods is because it is extremely important to speak to a professional. So again, please seek professional help before/while trying anything else.
Thank you for taking the time to read this post and thank you in advance for prioritising your mental health. Nothing is permanent; not even our worries.
Comment below your favourite ‘holistic approach to mental healing’ method.
I’ll see you soon. Love and light, always.
XOXO