Regulating Yourself

Whilst on the path of self advocacy you will encounter people with different opinions about mental health. Some of these opinions will be very old fashioned and possibly offensive. You may need to take time after these encounters to regulate yourself emotionally and this is perfectly normal. You may have experienced multiple situations where your mental health, integrity and dignity has been erroded by inconsiderate and uncompassionate view points that have been aired. Take self advocacy in small steps. Remember there is always a reason to be transparent about your experiences and they are just as valid as anyone else experiences. Dont be put off if you find that some people have outdated or offensive opinions. If you encounter this then perhaps they are people who you will need to moderate your interaction with until you feel strong enough to interact. It may be that for some you will never have a constructive conversation with them because their opinion is so entrenched they will not be the type of person you can reach. Take advocacy in small steps managing what you can when you can feel empowered that you have made an attempt and dont be put off by the stigma of mental health. Stay strong!