How did you bounce back from the lowest phase of your life?

4 comments

1. I got out of the Navy. Bouncing back was as simple as being out of the Navy.

   From there I went to school, met a girl, etc….

2. When you hit rock bottom the only direction left to go is up!

   But seriously, everyone at some point is going to go through a really shitty time in their life. You’re not alone. This too will pass.

   Do positive things that you can control: go for a walk, exercise, clean your home, help a friend. Accomplishing these things will make you feel better. From there, focus on the things you need to do to improve your situation in the long-term.

3. I worked with a therapist and talked to friends. Was going through issues in my marriage and had to separate and start a divorce process. I allowed myself to be vulnerable with people close to me, and that helped a lot. So a combination of working with a professional and having a support network.

   And of the people close to me, one person was a co-worker at my previous job who a common friend told me to reach out to. This co-worker went through something similar to me a few months prior in her relationship. Well she became one of my closest friends over the last two years, and we still stay in touch very regularly. If I didn’t reach out to our common friend when I needed help, I would never have had the support I needed to get through the toughest time in my life.

   Short of it is you’ll be surprised who shows up to help when you need it. Flip side of that is I have friends I reached out to wanting to see them, and two years later they still haven’t tried to make time for me. You never know who will be there for you, but just reach out to whoever you can.

4. therapy, psychiatry (if you think it’s necessary), exercise, tap into your friend/social network, some form of meditation.

   This is the proven shit to improve mental health. You might not be able to do it all at once, but you need to trust the process of getting back on your feet. When you’re back you will have learned lessons and become a stronger person.