Self Care
How do I practice self care?
Good self care enables you to better care for yourself and others, especially if you someone in your life has survived trauma.
- Maintain your lifestyle. It can be difficult to stay emotionally strong if you are mostly focusing on the traumatic event or series of events. Maintaining your lifestyle and continuing to do what you enjoy is important for your emotional wellness. If you enjoy painting, cooking, exercising, spending time with friends, or other activities, keep them up. It may seem challenging to make time to do these activities, but they can be helpful self-care strategies in the long-run.
- Make plans. Sometimes talking about what happened can help you cope with your feelings, and other times it can make you feel more stuck. Make plans that give you a break from talking or thinking about the trauma. It could mean starting a new hobby or revisiting one you already enjoy. You could go to dinner with a group of friends who understand this isn't time to discuss what happened. Maybe you prefer a solo activity, like going on long walks. Let this be a time where you can take your mind off what has happened.
- Reach out and talk about it. It’s normal to have a difficult time processing trauma. It can continue to be difficult as time goes on and you begin the healing process. You can consider talking to someone who is trained professionally to help you deal with these thoughts and feelings, like a mental health professional. Caring staff are available to help you process your feelings by calling our Mental Health Crisis Line at 419-289-6111, Rape Crisis Domestic Violence Safe Haven Hotline at 419-289-8085, or making an appointment with your Appleseed provider by calling our office during normal business hours 419-281-3716.
- Take time to relax. Relaxation looks different for everyone. You might consider meditation or deep breathing exercises. Maybe journaling helps you sort through your thoughts and find peace. Build time into your day for these moments of relaxation so that you don’t skip out.
Adopted from: Rape, Abuse, & Incest National Network
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