looking after yourself

I am currently feeling sorry for myself. I have a sore throat and feeling really wiped out, generally speaking "a bit under the weather".

Over the last 24 hours that I have been feeling like this I have spent a lot of time sleeping, I haven't been out, and I have been eating comfort foods.

I have made myself hot chocolate, found some telly to binge watch, and perhaps a film or 2. With my concentration span one or usually lasts all day.

Someone came round with some food for me yesterday and to check up on me. I was really grateful as I really didn't have the energy to cook myself and it was really kind to be thought of.

I haven't felt guilty about all of this, because the best thing I can do to recover quickly is to listen to my body and what it is saying ,which is to rest and relax and be gentle on myself.

Its made me really think about how I react when I have a bad mental health time. I tend to try and ignore it, pretend it isn't happening and hope it goes away. I try to carry on as normal, but it never works and usually makes me feel worse.

I feel guilty and tend to stop looking after myself so well. I get angry at my limitations and frustrated at the world for not understanding.

I find all that "self care" stuff alien, and "not for me". I can go without that, I just need to carry on and I'll be ok, thank you.

I am going to challenge myself to treat my bad mental health days in the same way I would a cold. Treat myself to those "nice tissues", eat the comfort food, spend time in bed if I need to, look after myself more, be creative. Have a nice cup of hot chocolate.

Self care makes sense for a cold, so why not for mental health?