The government shutdown has captured everyone’s attention. Every American is affected in one way or another, as news media argue about whether this is a solution and if so, what to.
For women with mental health issues, shutting down can be a tempting solution. It is easier to isolate, to stop participating in the outside world, to cease functioning or taking care of oneself than to face the hidden truths behind depression and anxiety.
No matter what a woman’s mental health issue is, whether it is substance abuse, shopping addiction, anxiety or issues of self-worth, it can usually traced back to a distorted belief system. These broken thinking patterns often begin with some small event in a woman’s past. Women do not see their own truth, or the flaws behind their thoughts and behaviors, because it is easier to live in a lie. Women become addicted to survival tools rather than owning their own truth.
Brookhaven Retreat’s philosophy is that self-ownership is necessary for a woman to get well. She must see past the veil of lies she has constructed for herself and into the simple, sometimes very painful truth. Once that happens, she can begin to get well. Often, when that finally happens, women begin to see clearly and participate in their treatment with increased purpose and determination.
Self-ownership leads to growth. Survival tools like isolation and shutting down only prolong the problem. By analyzing the fracture and working on the distorted ways of thinking that they have created as a result, women are able to rebuild their core selves and create lives of worth and happiness.
Mental wellness is about knowing the truth, not isolating. About exploring the fractures within ourselves, not shutting down. Only through active participation can we begin to fix our hurts. Which of your beliefs and thought processes could be examined and refined? Do you ignore the root of any of your behaviors?
