Travelling with Mental Illness

July. The month of vacations. Should you let a mental illness keep you from enjoying a trip out of town? Absolutely not!

Travelling brings with it a certain level of uncertainty which can be fun to the adventurous but daunting to the rest of us. Even if you are well supported and stable at home, how can you prepare yourself to travel and ensure your mental illness will not get in the way of seeing the world?  Here are some tips to help you get the most of your vacation this summer.

1.       Be Prepared: If disorganization and battling the unknown triggers anxiety for you (which is completely normal), being prepared in advance can help you feel at ease and you will feel more ready to deal with situations as they come up.

o   Ensure you have enough medication to cover you for your whole trip and a few days extra just in case. Also ensure you have the necessary documentation for your meds if you are questioned at the border (consult your doctor about this).

o   Buy medical insurance so you can rest easy knowing that if something does happen to you while you are away, you won’t be faced with a hefty medical bill when you return home.

o   Make lists! Making lists of what paperwork you need to have with you (passport, Visa, flight documents, etc) as well as what clothing you need to pack and other toiletries you’ll need will help you prepare in advance and ensure you don’t leave anything crucial behind.

2.       Know Yourself: Only you know how your mental illness affects your day to day life. Travelling disrupts your daily routine and it’s important to remember to eat, sleep and drink water as much as possible while you are away to keep your body functioning at its best. Knowing yourself includes acknowledging your limits. Listen to your body and allow yourself to rest when you need it before you get too overwhelmed to function and risk losing out on new and fun opportunities on your trip.

3.       Seek Support: The standards of care and stigma surrounding mental health are unfortunately inconsistent around the world. However, depending on your length of stay and location, it may be possible to seek out support where you are going that is similar to home. For example, if AA meetings are a part of your schedule and recovery, finding an AA meeting to attend while away may benefit you. As well, many cities have their own crisis line or Distress Centres that you can call and many of these are 24/7. This website has a list of many different countries and the helplines available: Your Life Counts

4.       Seek Help Upon Your Return: If you notice that you are unable to settle back into your normal routine upon returning home, don’t be afraid to seek support from your doctor or mental health professional.

5.       Have Fun! Try to enjoy yourself as much as you can. The world is your oyster. Stay safe and have fun!

Resources:
http://ourhealthyminds.com/MentalHealthand/ArticleDetails/tabid/60/ArticleID/149/Default.aspx
http://www.travelinsurancereview.net/tips-and-advice/travel-safety-tips/travel-abroad-with-a-mental-illness/

Summer Depression

Summer Depression

June has arrived. Nice weather, kids excited to be out of school for the summer, everyone is packing up their towels and umbrellas for the beach, and you might not be feeling so great about any of this.

You might feel guilty that while it seems to be the most beautiful time of the year and you “should” be enjoying some fun in the sun, you are instead feeling down and depressed. This can happen for a multitude of reasons and you are not alone!  Here is some information about summer depression and what you can do about it.

Causes of Summer Depression

Disrupted Schedules:  It is quite easy to stick to a daily routine throughout fall, winter and spring. With the daylight hours extended in the summer, kids home from school and summer vacations disrupting work, sleep and eating habits, being thrown off your schedule during the summer can most definitely have a negative impact on your mental health.

Disrupted Budget:  Summer can be expensive! The allure of time spent eating and drinking with friends on a patio on a nice evening in July is strong but the bills can add up. Not to mention summer vacations can be expensive, and if you are planning to send the kids to summer camp or have to pay for childcare, having your budget disrupted can cause extra stress.

Heat: Summers in Ottawa, much like winters in Ottawa, can bring extreme weather that is hard to handle.  If you don’t have air conditioning, sleeping can become difficult in the extreme humidity and cooking over a hot stove can be unbearable. If you do have air conditioning, you might find yourself becoming a bit too cozy in the comfort of your cooled living room and could start isolating or avoiding going out into the heat or missing out on activities you used to enjoy that you are no longer engaging in due to the weather.

Body Image: Hot weather and outdoor summer activities often call for more exposing clothing which might have you feeling self-conscious about your body. With social media a major part of our lives, it’s really easy to see pictures of your friends seemingly having a great time in their bathing suits at the beach while you are left feeling down and out by your body. Feeling bad about your body contributes to your mental health and may prevent you from doing activities you could find or used to find to be really fun.

Solutions

Consistency: Keeping your circadian rhythm in check helps with keeping emotions regulated. Even with extended day light hours, try to keep your sleep schedule consistent throughout the summer. Make use of black out curtains to ward off daylight if needed.

Prepare your wallet: If you know that you will be taking time off work this summer or paying to send the kids to daycare or camp, start preparing by putting a little bit of money away in the early months of the year. This will help lessen your financial strain come summer time and you will be more able to enjoy the summer without worrying about your bank account. Try to pick activities that you know you will enjoy, rather than ones you feel obligated to partake in. You can also make use of less expensive activities like local splash pads to have fun and beat the heat!

Feel good in your skin: Wearing more exposing clothes in the summer can be intimidating but it can also be fun to find new pieces that accentuate the parts of your body that you do like. Summertime clothes are often more colourful and flowing than warmer clothes and for women, a maxi skirt or dress is comfortable, cool and easily hides things you might not want to be seen around the beach!

Get Help: If you feel your summertime blues are worsening or not going away, please contact your doctor for help. The Distress Centre is also available 24/7 and we are more than happy to listen and provide support not only during the summer but all year round!

Resources:

http://www.webmd.com/depression/summer-depression?page=2

http://www.health.com/health/gallery/0,,20719721,00.html/more