October 10th is Mental Health Day; so let’s take a moment to check in.

Physically

Start with your toes and move your attention through your body stopping to examine pain, discomfort, or tension. Often, we ignore, or push down our emotions, so they manifest in our body.

• Are your feet tingling or tense? this can mean there is a large stressor or fear looming in your mind. Take a moment and acknowledge the fear or stressor.

• Are you unable so stand still, rocking on your feet or bouncing your leg? This is often caused by restlessness that can be a symptom of anxiety or mental exhaustion.

• Tight hips and hamstrings? Yes, this a common for runners, but it can also be a place that becomes tight with extreme emotional distress or PTSD.

• Do you have low stomach pain or discomfort in your bowels? This can be linked to poor sleep, emotional distress, and depression.

• Have you lost your appetite, or are you unable to stop thinking about food? Take a moment and acknowledge that your body needs to be nurtured and fed. Our ability to eat, and what we allow ourselves to eat can be correlated to our perceived self-worth.

• Are you experiencing upper stomach pain, indigestion, or heart burn? Similar to low-stomach pain, this can be caused by anxiety, stress, lack of sleep, or depression.

• Are you experiencing lower-back pain? Similar to the hips and hamstrings, lower back pain can be a symptom of unresolved trauma or PTSD, as well as attributed to a tense stance caused by anxiety or stress.

• Is there tightness in your chest, or are you having difficulty breathing? Tightness in the chest and shortness of breath can range from symptoms of prolonged stress to the beginning of a panic attack.

• Are your shoulders tight or is there pain in your neck? While this is often attributed to stress, it can also be a symptom of repressing any emotion or feeling overpowered by another force in your life.

• Is your jaw clenched or your upper neck tight? This is often attributed to anger or extreme stress that is causing the person to withhold their true thoughts and emotions.

• Are you having trouble focusing your vision? Eyesight can be obstructed by a racing mind or fixation of thoughts.

• Do you have a headache? Tension headaches and migraines can both be caused by stress and anxiety, as well as be a symptom of depression or unattended emotional needs.

Mentally

Once you have acknowledged where there is pain physically in your body; take a moment ti examine your thoughts and mental status. If you are having trouble knowing how you feel, try answering the following questions:

• Is there something causing me stress?

• How am I feeling in my relationships today?

• How am I feeling about work?

• How is my home life?

• Am I looking forward to something?

• What are my energy levels? Am I excessively energetic, or am I having trouble motivating?

• How have I been sleeping?

• When was the last time I ate?

• Am I able to focus?

• Am I able to notice any emotion? If not, why could I be detached?

Having difficult focusing, thinking, or taking care of basic needs (eating and sleeping) are all symptoms of stress, anxiety, depression, or other emotional burdens. Take time to look at what might be taking a toll on your mental strength.

Emotionally

Finally, look at how you have been experiencing your emotions recently. This can range from tearfulness, anger, the feeling shut out. Take a moment to look at your recent interactions, or times when you were able to react and notice the leading emotion. Was it anger, sadness, tearfulness, hopelessness, exuberance? Why did that emotion lead the charge. Emotions are not so clear all of the time. For some, anger might present similar to sadness, depression might show up as ambivalence .

What to do if you are not “okay”

As cliche as it has become, it is “okay to not be okay.” If you are feeling emotionally or mentally unwell, you need to deal with the pain, just as you would if it was a physical ailment hindering your running. There are many ways to deal with difficult emotions that are neither dwelling or repressing. First, try using coping skills to move through the most painful part and to the other side where you can begin healing. A good tool to find coping skills is the ACCEPTS model.

Activities: what are pleasant and attainable activities you can practice that help you to feel better? For many athletes, working out is a great solution, but going low impact, such as creating art, reading, or spending time with a friend can be beneficial as well.

Contributing: Finding something to do that helps you to feel productive can be a wonderful way to move pas a difficult emotion, especially if it is stress related. Cleaning up your space, cooking, or completing a small household task are all attainable ways to contribute.

Comparisons: Comparing yourself to others is a cause of pain a frustration; however, remember how you have dealt with difficult emotions in the past, or praising yourself on how far you have come in life can be a great tool in moving forward and celebrating yours strength.

Emotions: Generating opposite emotions can be enough to get you out of a funk and to a health place to practice self care. Watching a favorite TV show, hanging out with a fun friend, or listening to music from a joyful time in life can spark some peace and help tip the scale.

Pushing Away: Is there a particular stressor that is causing uncomfortable emotions? Push it away; toxic friendships, forced obligations, or particular situations can cause pain. If it is not needed in your life and is causing you unhappiness, push it away.

Thoughts: Do you have a circulating negative thought? Or maybe you are telling yourself a negative story. Reframe the thought in your mind, or replace it with something positive. Journalling can be a great tool in redirecting thoughts, as is speaking to a therapist.

Sensations: Touch and feel can be powerfully connected to our emotions. If you are having trouble regulating, running your hands under cold water, cuddling a pet, wrapping up in a soft blanket, or squishing stress-puddy can help redirect your mind and create a sense of calm.

Once you have used coping skills, make sure you have a safety plan for the next time the intrusive thoughts and feelings come. Have a person you can reach out to, make an appointment with a therapist or doctor, or have a system in place for self care the next time you are not feeling okay.

You are valued

You are not alone, remember that no man is an island. You are cared for deeply and have a team behind you, even if they are not always visible. There is no shame in reaching out for help and sharing your experience.

You are not a burden. Your friends and family may not always have the right things to say; if fact, in trying to show you love, they might make things worse. They are also human. Ask for help, and if your people are unable to help you in the ways you need, reach out to the professionals.

Your emotions are valid. Do not compare your struggles to anyone else’s. What you feel is unique to you and worthy of your emotions and care.