I remember what it was like hitting rock bottom. I hit it hard. I had checked myself into the psych ward twice and was dealing with a dull, achy feeling. Whoo boy, was that hard! Thankfully, I had and still have God, my husband, and mom on my side. I also found the right combination of medications and saw a therapist. It took a few years, but it was worth it. 

We each have our own ways of hitting rock bottom, but it’s never easy and should never be treated lightly. What if you’ve hit rock bottom and are currently trying to claw your way out? I have some advice for you. 

1. See a therapist. You need to get your head in order and discover why you got to where you are today. Therapy may sound scary because it takes so much work, but if you find the right therapist (which may take a few tries), you will learn how to deal with your emotions properly. What could be better than that? 

2. See your doctor. Is medication right for you? If so, then you’ll need to find out with ones work best for you. It may take some time to adjust to the new medicine, but that’s OK, you’ll be fine. Just go back to rule 1, which is to keep seeing your therapist, who will walk you through adjusting to your medication. Also, please remember, you aren’t weak for taking medicine. Don’t let anyone shame you for taking medicine for your illness. It’s just taking responsibility. You wouldn’t say the same the same thing to someone with the flu, would you? Why should a mental illness be any different? 

3. Keep a solid routine. Go to bed a wake up at a decent hour every morning and every night. Have things that keep you busy consistently throughout the week that you feel comfortable with. This will help you adjust back to regular living. 

4. Invest in God/family. If you’re religious, invest in your religion and start taking a more active role in your faith to help you heal. For me, it’s the Bible. Another thing is to lean on others, such as family and friends. Once again, for me, it was my husband and mom. Make sure you have someone that you can go to whenever and be able to talk to, this is very important. 

You will get out of this rut. Anything worth fighting for takes time. You didn’t choose this illness and it’s not your fault that you have it, but you can become a fighter and slowly pull yourself out of it. 

Sarah regularly blogs for IBPF and has done some YouTube Videos for their channel. She now writes on a regular basis for the Dallas Morning Post as well.