Dear Gabby,
My life sucks. It might sound like I am exaggerating, but I have so much stress I feel like I am going to have a mental breakdown soon. I am working a lot of jobs in order to get ahead in life and I am also fighting with my boyfriend, and on top of that my boss keeps annoying me and school is starting. Also did I mention I am not getting along with my family. It’s seriously a disaster. I really wish I could just take a break from everything and breathe, but I can’t since everything is in full force right now. How do you stay sane basically in life and what do you do when you feel a mental breakdown coming?
Sincerely,
Can’t function
Dear Can’t function,
Whew! Sounds like a lot! Trust me, you’re not the only one going through craziness even though it may seem like it. I understand how hard it can be when you have a variety of responsibilities and stress thrown your way, but learning how to cope is the most important.
Everyone is fighting his or her own battles—remember that. However, it’s how you handle them and deal with the stress. Stress is inevitable. You’re always going to be going through rocky periods of time, but in order to keep growing and stay focused, you need personal tactics that you follow in order to keep yourself grounded; and yes, sane.
I think the best advice I can give you is make personal time. It allows you to breathe and focus on what you need to do without others around. Also have a journal and a to do list, these two items help immensely.
Venting is really nice, but if you’re like me I don’t have very many people I feel comfortable with to vent to, so a journal is a great place to let out all of the emotions. Having a to do list also frees my mind, so I am not constantly thinking about everything I need to accomplish. I can focus on one thing and then mark it off and move on to the next.
I hope this helps you. Remember to breathe. It might sound easy and obvious, but a few deep breaths can really make a difference in how you handle situations.
Good luck,
Gabby