Episode 22: Deep Diving Into Your Mental Health: Forming a Care Plan

In this podcast episode, we explore the crucial importance of prioritizing your mental health and forming a care plan tailored to your unique needs. Acknowledging that mental health is just as significant as physical health, we debunk the notion that there is a one-size-fits-all description of good mental health. Everyone's experience varies, and understanding our triggers, emotional baselines, and reactions becomes vital for self-awareness.

The episode emphasizes that nurses, like anyone else, can face fluctuating mental health due to personal or biological factors. We learn that addressing our mental health is a holistic journey encompassing mind, body, and soul. By actively participating in the creation of our care plan, we regain a sense of control, leading to a reduction in mental health symptoms.

The episode encourages listeners to identify specific areas of their mental health they wish to address and take small steps towards improvement. Practical suggestions are provided, such as creating a peaceful environment for better communication or joining supportive self-help organizations to combat anxiety and depression.

Listeners are prompted to reflect on who is caring for them and reminded that self-care is essential. The episode advocates for open conversations about mental health with loved ones and emphasizes the empathic support that can come from sharing experiences and seeking assistance. Tune in to this insightful podcast episode to gain a deeper understanding of mental health and the significance of forming a care plan.

Transcript

Intro
 To say it’s been a crazy few years would be an understatement. We live in an ever changing world, one constantly challenging people to their very core. It is because of this we aim to create assuredness in an uncertain world. 
 
 Welcome to the Project ReNew podcast, a show for nurses - and angels looking to help nurses - and anyone in search of motivation. Let’s bring you and your passion back to where you were when you first started out. Let’s reignite that fire together.
 
  This is the Project ReNew Podcast.


Deep Diving Into Your Mental Health: Forming a Care Plan 


The Problem
Your mental health is just as important as your physical health, and do not let anybody tell you otherwise. There is no perfect description of what good mental health looks like, as it is so unique to everyone. The same can be said for poor mental health-what someone might experience as a low mood, others may call it a normal day. This is why it is so important to be introspective, looking inwards, understanding your triggers, your baseline of your emotions, and how you react to certain triggers in your life. Whatever path in life you are taking, whether you are staying in nursing or planning your exit, it is important that you keep your mental health and wellbeing a priority.

As a nurse, your mental health can fluctuate for many different reasons. This could be personal reasons, such as experiencing a divorce whilst nursing. It could be biological factors, such as having fertility issues whilst nursing. Everybody's own path is so unique, and you cannot compare your mental health to anybody else's. 



The Explanation
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Recovering from your trauma is a holistic experience that involves your mind, in your body, and your soul. By writing your care plan yourself, you are regaining your own sense of control in a situation that was totally out of your control. This will most likely reduce the mental health symptoms you are experiencing. A care plan calculates what your needs are and what you are going to do to support your recovery. Care plans are often used in Healthcare settings to show good practice with patients in their care and recovery. However, not engaging with a care plan you have written leads to negative outcomes-so don't just say it, actually do it. You have the power to change your life.



The Solution
First, you must identify what it is specifically about your mental health that you want to address. Take it in small baby steps - Rome was not built in a day. 

If your poor mental health is leading to brain fog and reduced communication skills, you may want to get yourself on the path to communicating clearly again. Perhaps your communication skills are causing mistakes in your practice, or causing arguments in your personal life. You could address this by trying to maintain a peaceful, quiet environment. If this is not possible, you can politely request all important conversations to be taken in a distraction-free environment, like a staff room. For those who are in communication with you everyday, such as a parent or manager, schedule very short opportunities to talk to them throughout the day. This is because a shorter length of time chatting is much less stressful to your brain, leading you to remember things more.

If your depression and anxiety has gotten the better of you, you may feel reluctant to socialize. This could be due to heightened anxiety that everybody is going to laugh at you, or make fun of you. It could be because you are not happy with the way that you look, or simply because the thought of leaving the house is all too much right now. A way that you can address this is to join a local self-help organization, one that speaks to your heart. This could be informal, like a book club, or formal, like a charity that supports mental health in your local community. By attending a social gathering and sharing stories about your experiences, this will make you feel less alone and will provide you with normal support.



A Question to Consider
You have spent your whole life caring for others-but who is caring for you? You might automatically reply saying your mother or father, but as an adult are they truly caring for you? Really, the only person who can care for you at this moment in time is yourself. Only you can banish the Demons inside your head. Talking to the people in your life about how you are feeling is an excellent way forward, and it allows people to check in on you and ask you how your journey of self-discovery is going. do you understand. also ask the reader to listen to the podcast in a empathic way.


Outro
  We really hope you enjoyed this episode of the Project ReNew Podcast. Stay connected with us through www.ProjectReNew.Co. You can also join this discussion on Twitter @ProjectReNewPod, and on Instagram at @ProjectReNewPodcast. If you would like to speak with us, please send us an email through our website. As always, thank you for pushing your mindset and your heart towards a better reality. This concludes the most thought-provoking part of your day. Don’t forget to like and subscribe to stay fully up to date. Until next time, be kind to yourself, and to
 each other.
 
 

 As a fellow nurse, I want to take a moment to express my appreciation for each and every one of our listeners. 
 
 As nurses, we are all part of an essential and noble profession, and our dedication and hard work make a real difference in the lives of our patients. 

As Brené Brown says, ' Resilience is the ability to move through difficult experiences and to come out on the other side with wisdom and compassion.' 

Our podcast is dedicated to exploring resilience from trauma and the pandemic, providing practical advice and reviews of symptoms to help our listeners navigate these challenging times.

It's important to note that the information provided in our podcast is for educational and informational purposes only.

 The content is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical or mental health advice, diagnosis, or treatment.

 Always seek the advice of your physician, other qualified healthcare provider or mental health professional with any questions you may have regarding a medical or mental health condition.

 As a colleague, I encourage you to continue to listen to our podcast, engage with the content, and use it to enhance your nursing practice and further your professional and personal growth."