EPISODE #141- Building Mental Health Stamina: Overcoming Depression and Boosting Resilience

Have you ever wondered how to build the mental endurance needed to tackle depression head-on? Join me, Tamera Trotter, on this transformative episode of "When Over Depression," where we explore the concept of mental health stamina and its pivotal role in overcoming the inertia that depression often brings. We'll uncover practical strategies for developing essential coping mechanisms, finding a sense of purpose, and building lasting resilience. Discover how simple actions, like improving your sleep quality, fostering social connections, and even laughter and music, can substantially boost your mental well-being.

Additionally, I introduce our comprehensive course, "14 Days to Mental Health Wellness," packed with invaluable resources, including videos, podcast episodes, and my personal journey of mental health recovery. I'll share vital advice for those grappling with suicidal thoughts, highlighting the devastating impact such a loss would have on loved ones. Stay connected with our past episodes for ongoing support and insights as we navigate the path to mental wellness together. Don't miss next Friday's episode of "When Over Depression" for more empowering discussions on self-care, resilience, and living a life filled with purpose and fulfillment.

Chapters

• 0:10 Building Mental Health Stamina
• 15:07 Overcoming Mental Health Challenges

Transcript

Speaker 1: 0:10

Hello and welcome. To Win Over Depression, your beacon of hope in the realm of mental health. I am your host, tamara Trotter. I am your companion on the journey to reclaiming joy and resilience, and this podcast will unravel the vital importance of managing your well-being amidst life's challenges. From practical strategies to uplifting stories and expert advice, each episode is a roadmap to cultivating mental wellness and overcoming the grip of depression. Whether you are seeking solace for yourself or supporting a friend, here you will find the tools and inspiration to navigate the complexities of emotional health. Join me as we embark on a transformative quest to prioritize self-care, resilience and the triumph of the human spirit. Let's together redefine the narrative of depression and embrace a life of purpose and fulfillment.

Speaker 1: 1:17

Today on when Over Depression, we'll be talking about stamina. So let us first define what is stamina. Stamina is the ability to sustain prolonged physical or mental effort. So, as we know, when you suffer from a mental illness, you must exhibit stamina in order to remain proactive in fighting this debilitating disease or condition. And a lot of us, we just don't have stamina necessarily, because it's something that is built up over time. However, whenever you have the ability to increase your stamina, you are automatically going to improve your mental health state or condition. And so why is this true? It is true because we know that, and studies have shown, that when you are depressed, you do not feel like doing anything, and that is why, when you exhibit stamina, you basically are demonstrating your ability to push yourself beyond normal measures, yourself beyond normal measures. So I want you to evaluate where is your stamina level?

Speaker 1: 2:52

Let me give you an example. In the morning, when your alarm clock goes off, how many times do you hit snooze? Or how many times do you keep your eyes open for a moment and then just roll back over? No, that's not something that happens just to those who suffer with a mental illness. However, it is true that we must exhibit more stamina than the average person who does not suffer with a mental health condition. So, in the morning, when your alarm clock goes off, there has to be, or should be, a certain amount of time before you have to get out of bed, because what will happen is that I don't feel like it, mentality will sink in and you are likely to stay in bed for much longer hours longer possibly. So when we set ourselves up to succeed and we have our mindset in place and we've made a concerted decision about what we're going to do on a specific day. We must build up as much effort stamina of effort in order to make that happen. It is much too easy for us to decide I suffer with a mental illness or I'm depressed and therefore I don't have to get up.

Speaker 1: 4:16

So here are several reasons as to why stamina is crucial when it comes to managing our mental health. It is a coping mechanism, because physical stamina improves our ability to cope with stress and remember. In large part, what we deal with that causes us stress and strain in managing our symptoms of depression is our ability or inability to cope with stress. Therefore, when we exercise regularly, it boosts our mood and it automatically reduces our anxiety. This can especially be beneficial for anyone who's who has a mental health challenge.

Speaker 1: 5:10

Building our stamina also will assist us in being consistent about routine and structure. Building stamina often involves setting and achieving goals which can create a sense of routine and purpose. One of the reasons that we may lament about our mental health condition is because we feel that we are lacking purpose, and that's why physical and mental activity is crucial. This structure can be comforting and help mitigate feelings of chaos or instability, which is often associated with a mental health condition. When you are able to foster and build stamina, you are developing your resilience. It teaches you to push through discomfort, which can translate to better strategies when facing emotional and psychological challenges, because we know that there will be inevitable times in our lives when we have to push ourselves through discomfort. When we set up a strategy that we're going to employ, we are more than likely to be able to get through whatever the situation is. Also, higher stamina leads to increased energy. It makes it easier to engage in social activities, hobbies, even therapy, all of which are crucial when recovering from a mental health condition and building up and improving our well-being.

Speaker 1: 7:06

I cannot stress enough how much sleep matters. Your sleep quality is linked to your mental health. If you take a nap every day, 10 to 15 minutes, you are going to feel overwhelmingly better, because when we sleep, our body can heal itself physically and emotionally, and better sleep enhances our mood, our cognitive function and reduces our symptoms of mental illness. When we have stamina, we are more likely to engage in team sports or group exercises, which also enhances social connections and reduces feelings of isolation and helps us to create a supportive community. So what is your mental health stamina? Which of the components that I just mentioned are things that you're doing? I want you to examine them. The first was our ability to cope with stress. Second, finding purpose. Third, making sure that we are developing resilience, that we are developing resilience. Next, increasing our energy level, improving our quality of sleep and building our social connection. Just like we stay at home and we don't go outside and get the 15 minutes of sunlight that we need, if we are not engaging with others, then we are making it very difficult to be proactive in managing our mental health.

Speaker 1: 9:00

Did you know that two things really will help with your mental health? Number one is laughter. When was the last time that you laughed at yourself or you were simply tickled over something? If you need to watch something a comedy show or something that is going to make you laugh, that is going to help you. The next thing that you can do is listen to music. When was the last time that you listened to some upbeat music? If you start your day the first 10 or 15 minutes with music, it's going to automatically get your adrenaline flowing and you are going to begin to feel that the day is going to be successful, begin to feel that the day is going to be successful. If you play jazz music or classical music, which helps to calm your mood. If you do that throughout the day, you are going to improve your situation. Think about doing this on a day when you expect that there is going to be a lot of possible tension or stress. Maybe it's something going on at work On those days. During your breaks, during your lunchtime, turn on some music so that you can get to that better place.

Speaker 1: 10:26

When we are proactive and we decide that we are going to take charge of our mental health, we are actually doing ourselves a favor. In addition, neurotransmitter regulation helps with stamina. Physical activity helps to regulate serotonin and dopamine, which are crucial for mood regulation. Improved stamina from regular exercise can enhance these effects, contributing to better emotional balance. When we have stamina, we have mindfulness and presence. Engaging in physical activities often encourages mindfulness, being present in the moment. Remember how much we talk about mindset and how important that is. This practice can help reduce anxiety and depressive thoughts, making it easier to manage mental health symptoms.

Speaker 1: 11:34

When we have good stamina, it is a boost in our self-esteem. Individuals often feel a sense of accomplishment and pride. This boost in self-esteem can counteract negative self-perceptions commonly associated with mental illness. Remember, one of the main other issues that we face with depression is chronic fatigue. So remember, when we are tired and we don't get enough rest, it exacerbates our condition because chronic fatigue is already a symptom of depression. So, whatever you can do, when you exhibit stamina, you have reduced fatigue, which can help you fight the symptoms of chronic fatigue and can lead to greater overall energy and motivation to engage in daily activities.

Speaker 1: 12:33

When you have stamina, you have an increase in your cognitive function, so regular physical activity has been shown to enhance cognitive function, including memory, attention and executive functioning. These improved cognitive abilities can aid in better decision making and coping strategies. One of the main things that we face when we deal with the mental illness is not being able to make a solid, good decision based on credible information. It's going to also help in you dealing with coping with issues that come up in your life. Increased stamina also allows for emotional regulation. So, again, engaging in physical activity serve as an outlet for pent up emotions and stress, making it easier to handle emotional fluctuations. When you exhibit stamina, develop a long-term commitment and discipline skills that are going to translate in other areas of your life, including treatment, adherence and managing daily routines. When you have increased stamina, it is going to increase your motivation. You're going to find yourself more motivated to tackle other aspects of your mental health, such as seeking therapy, developing healthier habits and pursuing interests that bring you true, pure joy. So stamina is critical as we manage our mental health and figure out how to get to that better place where well-being exists.

Speaker 1: 14:29

I never want to end my podcast without thanking all of you so very much for listening. You continue to be the best part of Win Over Depression, remember. You can find us on LinkedIn, twitter and Instagram at Tamara Trotter. Please like and subscribe to my YouTube channel, also called when Over Depression. You can also find us on Pinterest at TT Mental Health Expert. You can also find us on TikTok. We'd love to have you subscribe to our TikTok channel. Look up, tamara Trotter. That's T-A-M-E-R-A. You can also find us at 14 Days to Mental Wellness.

Speaker 1: 15:07

We offer a course called the 14 Days to Mental Health Wellness. It is comprised of lots of videos and podcast episodes, personal lessons from yours truly, tamara Trotter. It's really worth checking out. Again, thank you so much for listening. If you are contemplating suicide, please do not take your own life. Your friends and family will miss you immensely and will always wonder what they could have done for you to stay on earth. If you need to go back and listen to my episodes, please do so. Stay in the game of life and I'll see you next Friday on when Over Depression.