How are you, dear ones? Are you okay? This is an updated version of my check in posts from 2021 and 2020 to encourage you to check in to see how you and your loved ones are as well as to offer mental health resources. I will update this post periodically to add more resources.

Please know that you are not alone if you have experienced mental health symptoms.

Mental health is so highly stigmatized that many people delay treatment for eight to ten years or never seek the support they need and suffer alone instead. We need folks to be encouraged and supported in seeking care for their symptoms instead of experiencing discrimination or marginalization for having mental health concerns.

Symptoms Check In

Monitor for the symptoms listed below as shared by @sitwithwhit  and seek support if you notice any of the symptoms listed. Meeting with a mental health practitioner or seeking more urgent care when you notice the symptoms on the right of the chart below is highly recommended. 

It’s okay not to feel okay and it’s also really important to take care of yourself when you’re not feeling well. Please consider one of the resources below if you are in need of support.

Resources for Support:

• National Suicide Prevention Lifeline 1-800-273-8255
• 988 is a new three-digit dialing code that will route callers in the U.S. to the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline starting July 16, 2022
• Crisis Text Line (Text HOME to 741741 if in crisis)
• BlackLine for BIPOC in crisis (Text or call 1 800 604 5841)
• NJ, NYC, & National Resources Against Domestic Violence (text LOVEIS to 22522)
• The Trevor Project for LGBTQ+ Teens: 1-866-488-7386
• National Runaway Safeline 1800runaway.org
• Trans LifeLine for Trans Folks: 877-565-8860
• Center for Substance Abuse Treatment samhsa.gov
• National Alliance on Mental Illness nami.org
• Resources to find a mental health provider include Open Path Collective (sliding scale rates), Therapy for Black Girls, Therapy Den, QTPOC Mental Health Practitioner Directory and Inclusive Therapists. Please also consider asking your primary care provider for referrals or utilizing your insurance directory of providers if you have insurance. It can take time to find the find right provider. NAMI and the Mayo Clinic offer tips on what to consider when looking for a provider.

Radical Care Check in Reflections. Don’t Give Up:

adapted from the work of Sinope

Have you hydrated or eaten recently? Food and water are our medicines. Nourish yourself regularly. 

Have you showered or changed your clothes recently? See how it feels to take a shower, wash your face, brush your teeth, and put on clean clothes.

Have you gone outside today? See what it’s like to gaze up at the sky, to receive the warmth of the sun, to feel the wind touching your skin, to sit in the grass for a moment and allow yourself to be held by the earth.

Are you having trouble sleeping? Explore a supportive nighttime ritual that allows you space from technology. Perhaps enjoy chamomile or passionflower tea, allowing your body to relax and let go of the day. Allow space for your rest and sleep time to not be invaded by guilt, regret, or judgment. Let go of anything that did not go as you like or anything that you did not get to complete. See how it feels to express gratitude for the precious moments. Explore some gentle stretches and deep breathing. Perhaps you can listen to soothing sounds if you find that supportive for sleep. See Lissa’s post about rest and sleep for additional ideas.

Have you moved today?  Allow yourself time for supportive movements if that’s swaying, rocking, stretching, shaking, walking, dancing, and whatever else is supportive for you.

Have you said something nice to yourself in the past day?  We are often the harshest critics of ourselves. Why not name and see the good in yourself and really allow yourself to receive the message? Perhaps use an I am statement as well such as I am loved, I am enough, I am healing, I am grounding, I am letting go, I am whole, I am here for you, I am home, I am love.

Have you touched anyone or anything today?  If you are alone in quarantine, feel free to hug a cuddly stuffed animal or pillow, offer yourself gentle touch resting a hand on the belly and chest following the rising and falling of your hands with each cycle of breath and offering yourself love and care in that warm contact, and if it’s supportive you may explore using a weighted blanket or wearing a weighted item of clothing. Weighted blankets allow for deep touch pressure which can help support grounding and calm, increased happiness, and improved sleep for some.

Have you rested today? Please rest. Even when you’re engaged in doing, allow there to be space for rest. Allow there to be space for rest and not just doing. We often overexert ourselves whether it’s physically, emotionally, intellectually, socially, or via technology. Always allow yourself time for rest. Know that we always need it.

Do you feel like you’ve gotten nothing done today? Can you be easy with yourself? Forgive yourself. Surrender to where you are today. If you have the energy, take care of one task on your to do list and let that be enough. As you have more energy and capacity, you will be able to do more. Trust that. Be patient with yourself.

Do you feel not enough?  You are so incredibly worthy in a world designed for none of us to feel worthy for one second of the day. You wouldn’t exist if your life didn’t have meaning. You matter. Your life matters. You have thousands of ancestors at your back who love you, who care for you, who root you on. Lean into them if you ever doubt your worth. They’ve got you.

Does it feel like too much? Take a deep breath. Slow things down. If it feels supportive, lie down on the earth whether this is literally or figuratively, connecting with the stability, centering, and nurturing energy of the earth. Allow the rootedness of the earth to fill throughout your body. Set everything down onto the earth, all the burdens, the worries, all that needs to get done. When you’re ready, pick up only what you need in each moment. You don’t need to carry it all. Remember that. 

Wait before making any dire decisions.  Sometimes things can seem really hopeless in the moment but with time, perspective, and external support, things can shift and change. Give yourself time. Give yourself care. You can do this. You can get through this.

Please reach out. Please seek help if you need it. Please check on yourself and your people regularly. Let’s take care of us all.

Thank you for taking the time to read this post. I hope it’s of support and that we are all able to receive any care we need. Please note that this post is intended as informational only and is not intended as medical advice nor as a substitute for a consultation with a mental health provider.