But there is something good in every day.

Mental health can be a bit of a minefield topic, and that's because everyone's experience of mental health is so different. 2018 started off really well for me - I didn't experience an "anxiety day" until late January, so by my count I was doing well. And then February happened. And February has been a roller-coaster. One week I felt fine, the next I was hit by three days of severe anxiety in a row (resulting in increased stress levels, what felt like never ending crying and dizziness, and a mere few hours of sleep each night). And then I woke up and it was gone, as quickly as it had started. But I wasn't out of the woods just yet, and just like that, a wave came over me all over again. February - you have exhausted me.

Everyone experiences mental health difficulties differently, but here are a few things that I find helpful when I'm having a bad day:
- Put down your phone - when I'm having a bad day I can get obsessive over social media, which makes me feel worse. I try and turn my phone off for at least an hour when I feel my anxiety coming on.
- Do the thing that's worrying you - avoidance of the thing that makes you anxious actually increases your anxiety as your world becomes smaller and more limited. If possible, take the bull by the horns and do that thing that's making you feel anxious.
- Develop a proper sleep routine - I struggle to sleep when my anxiety is bad, so I make sure that I have a calming tea, something like Clipper Snore and Peace, set aside an hour before bed to read a good book, and make my room as calming as possible.
- Avoid alcohol - alcohol is a depressant and makes me feel so much worse. I definitely can't go near the stuff when I'm feeling rubbish.
- Take a bath - I find this so helpful when I'm having a bad day. I run a really warm bath, add my favourite Lush Bubble Bar, put on some calming music and take time to let my mind chill out.

I hope you're all taking time out of the daily grind to take care of yourselves.

Em x