Hope

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Hello - after going through a difficult time with your mental health, what gave you hope? Was it a sudden realisation or a feeling that came slowly over time?

It is interesting to think that when we are in a mental health crisis we lose sight of hope for the future, but getting it back can be a relief and can foster a more positive approach to life. Just some thoughts

[Mudcakes]

I have found dbt helpful. When I have done it and focus on skills I actually feel hopeful.

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Thanks for sharing Mudcakes. It seems amazing to me how much my outlook can change. There was a period of time I felt overwhelmed and had no hope for the future. I feel more hopeful now. When I was down, I didn’t think I would ever feel hopeful. Fortunately I was wrong.

I have been talking to a psychologist and it has been so helpful. I am not sure of the technique that she uses on me as it just feels like talking - but her perspective is insightful and she has strategies to help. I am also on medication so I think that is helping.

[randomxx]

Hi there picture.

lt's great stuff that you can think on hope bc there's always hope, things can always change later on. life can turn so many corners and right when it all looks like this is it, something can change big or small.

And good for you to Mudcakes , we all have good things to focus on and once again no matter how big or small, free, whatever, like a nice day, beautiful park or like you something we can do or things about ourselves or if we're lucky someone around us, God knows. But l do know and l read or hear it it everywhere to but we've gotta remember to smile and enjoy whatever we can, we just tend to forget them when we get so low. 

For myself, and l don't like it this way and it's a bad way to live to really but yeah, the good stuff always seems so much about the future or when this when that for me which they reckon is the worst. l mean it's good to have something to look forward to for sure but so important to enjoy the whenever whatever we can of the here and now to even if it's just  a great cup of coffee.

So last few yrs l've really tried to be making a point of the here and now as well and for me that has helped a lot for sure.

rx

[Psychdiaries2]

Hi there,

Something for me that gave me hope was when I was struggling with intense anxiety, I started to practice breathing techniques and gratitude. I really felt like it soon flipped anxiety on its head! Of course, it took time but it really helped for me. I think just focusing on the present moment was the best thing I tried to do since it can be so overwhelming to constantly worry about the future. Trying to take everything one step at a time really helped me. Also, just resting helped me a lot to have a clear mind. I remember that summer after I was struggling, I went to the beach a lot with my family and soon started to feel like I could just breathe. I realised that even though I still struggle, I could still find things that made me happy and fulfilled. 

Take care everyone 🥰

[therising]

Hi Picture

This is a brilliant topic you raise, which can lead people to become more conscious of what brings them hope. Truly brilliant.

Now that I think about it, I suppose there are a number of things that bring me hope. Some of them include what you already mention, such as a sudden realisation or revelation, a change of feeling (the way I'm feeling or sensing my challenges) and a change of vision. If I can be led to see a different way forward through my imagination or see more clearly the nature of the challenge/s I face, this can definitely change things.

Some other things include a change of inner dialogue and a greater sense of wonder beyond what feels or appears as hopeless. When people wonder with me, as to why I could be feeling what I'm feeling, not being left alone to wonder what the suffering's about also brings me a sense of hope. If I can go into my imagination and find whatever or whoever it is in there that brings me a sense of clarity and guidance, such a form of meditation tends to give me not just revelations but hope as well. If I thought about it even more deeply, I imagine there are a number of things that have led me to experience hope over the years. In the process of having searched for whatever it is that's led me to a sense of hope over the decades, I've actually developed a lot of 'go to' strategies out of desperation (now that I think about it). 

I've not thought about it until you led me to become more conscious but hope can be felt only when it's there. We could have 99 people not bring us or offer us even the slightest traces of hope yet the 100th person we meet brings it and it's then that we can feel it. We could have 99 revelations that may lead us to maybe just an ounce of hope yet the 100th revelation could bring us more hope than we could ever imagined and it's then that we can feel hope in its entirety. Feeling hopelessness doesn't necessarily mean there's anything 'wrong' with us, it may simply mean there is not enough hope to sense or no one or nothing has gifted it to us yet and that's why we can't feel it. 

Your brilliance has helped shed light on what can be so hard to find at times ☀️🙂❤️

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Thanks everyone for the kind and thoughtful responses.

I think I will also try focusing on things to give me hope in the present and try breathing techniques, yoga and meditation to see if these help me. I also like the idea of spending time in nature - the hills and beach.

It is amazing to me that our viewpoint can change over time, when it feels so fixed at a particular point in time. I will need to remember this if I ever have a mental health crisis again. Nothing is permanent 🙂

[trying_my_best]

I start feeling hopeful when I think about how close I am to finishing my degree and being able to go out and help

people. And when I don’t feel hopeful about my degree, I think of my partner, friends and family and feel grateful for them, which gives me the motivation to keep pushing through my degree.