Kevin Breel Talks Depression

Today I wanted to share with you what I think is an incredible testimony of a man discussing his battle with depression. In this TED talk, comedian and mental health activist, Kevin Breel describes the isolation and pain of depression  as well as discusses the cultural stigma concerning mental health conditions.  It's extremely powerful and insightful.  Here's just one quote from Breel's talk:

If you think that true strength is never showing any weakness, then I'm here to tell you...you're wrong. You're wrong, because it's the opposite.

What is mental health?

Too often when we have discussions about mental health, many of us tend to focus on deficits, challenges and difficulties. This does make some logical sense as the phrase was coined by the medical community. But, I would argue this model refers to severe emotional difficulties, leaving out a large portion of the population who may not present with actual clinical diagnoses.

My philosophy is that we should all embrace and welcome a definition of mental health similar to the perspective of how we view physical fitness. Like physical wellness, mental health is not only about challenges but it also about how well we can perform and emotionally maneuver throughout life.

Consider this, we don't think of people who have not run marathons as deficient do we? We don't normally consider them to be "unfit", right? However, they are able to perform extremely well in a given set of circumstances with proper training. Well, the same can be said for mental health.

Many of us come from communities where emotional health issues were overlooked, or as is most often, not explicitly addressed on a day-to-day basis. Unfortunately, sometimes that leaves us without the experience or "training" to adequately identify our feelings and then develop strategies to manage them and the world around us.I encourage you to consider this definition of mental health from the World Health Organization:

Mental health is defined as a state of well-being in which every individual realizes his or her own potential, can cope with the normal stresses of life, can work productively and fruitfully, and is able to make a contribution to her or his community.

I like this definition because it encompasses a level of "fitness" of sorts. It relays the message pretty clearly that mental health is not only about those with the biggest challenges, but it also encompasses all of us who appear to live , love and productively contribute to our society. To me, that's a hopeful message that lets me know that all we need as a society is a little more "training".

How are you preparing to run the race that is your life?

App Spotlight: Breathe2Relax

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Today's post features a free app available in the iTunes Store and its called Breathe2Relax.

Diaphragmatic breathing or "belly breathing" has been shown to help reduce stress, lower blood pressure and increase overall feelings of peace and relaxation. Breathe2Relax is an app that helps you learn the skill of belly breathing so that you can enjoy its benefits practically anywhere.

Most of us haven't learned how to breathe deeply to get the benefits of belly breathing. If you suffer from severe anxiety or have a history of trauma, engaging your mind-body connection by using belly breathing can also be extremely helpful. That being said, while this type of breathing can be very therapeutic, it can also be very triggering for some folks so it may be very helpful to have the support of a therapist to guide you through this practice especially if you fit the above criteria.

I think Breathe2Relax is an especially good app because it not only helps create a relaxing ambient environment, but it also features a video demonstration of the proper way to belly breathe. You can also personalize your inhale and exhale timers so that your in-app coaching is tailored to meet your unique needs and abilities. With a quick and easy setup, I think most people could benefit greatly from this cool piece of technology.The Breathe2Relax app is free and available both in the iTunes and Google Play stores.

3 Tips to Achieve Work-Life Balance

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These days it can be extremely challenging to achieve a healthy balance between work and the rest of your life.  And living a balanced life is essential for a healthy mind.  It can even help foster productivity.  Here are 3 Tips to Achieve Work-Life Balance.

Keep it simple

It's often all too easy to get caught up in the drama and stress of the workplace, especially when you have complicated office dynamics and mountains of work to get through.  The next time you're feeling overwhelmed, take a few moments to re-energize and simplify.Create a to-do list once you arrive to your office ranking the toughest tasks of the day to the easiest.  Tackle the tough stuff first in the day when you have a lot of energy and work your way down.  That way you can leave the office at the end of the day knowing that you worked through your toughest tasks even if you didn't make your way all through the list.  If you're feeling particularly overwhelmed, don't shy away from asking for help. Chances are co-workers will be glad to help you out especially if they know they can rely on you when times get a little tough for them too.

Take a break

Huffington Post recently published an article titled, "Americans Are Too Afraid and Stressed to Take Days Off from Work" in which author Jillian Berman reported that about 40% of Americans don't plan to use all their paid time off this year.  That's a high number!  While some of us may feel that our jobs really need us for our excellent work, as humans with full lives we also need (and deserve) a break.  Taking time off for a vacation is a simple and obvious way to give yourself a little break. If traveling isn't your thing, or not cost-effective for the moment, consider a staycation and visit some local sights in your city or town or catch up on some much-needed leisurely reading.

Unplug

Over the past thirty or so years, technology has become an increasingly bigger part of our daily lives.  That can often leave us feeling stressed out and overworked if we spend time away from the office answering emails and taking calls. Every job can stand a little down time during the day so if you struggle to step away from your gadgets, try starting with a 15 minute tech break and gradually increase your time until you reach a time you're comfortable with. You may even want to take a nice long bath to ensure you can't hear or see that phone of yours.

While everyone's work circumstances differ greatly I hope that these simple tips might help you gain a little more balance in your daily life.

The Plight of the Perriot

The term "Perriot" refers to a type of clown that often appears with a white face, clean and well fitting clothes and usually a sad or trouble disposition. Think your average mime trapped in a box.

I can't help but think about the Perriot as the world recently lost one of its most talented comedians, Robin Williams. Following his long battles with depression and substance abuse, the incomparable talent committed suicide in the home he shared with his partner on August 11, 2014.

Like many, I was saddened by the loss of such a brilliant talent, and from what others say, a kind soul. Many people couldn't wrap their heads around the idea that a person so vibrant and full or brightness and energy, a man who brought laughter to so many, could possibly be so overwhelmed with hopelessness that he would take his own life. Unfortunately, I can not say that I was completely shocked by his death. Let me explain.

Not only had Williams been public about some of his personal battles over the years, but he also wasn't the first celebrity comedian who talked about their struggles with depression. Comedian Kathy Griffin has talked about her personal battles with extreme sadness, so has Joan Rivers. Dave Chapelle. Tom Green. This list goes on.

I don't even pretend to state that somehow comedians are more prone to bouts of depression. But it does seem that there is something likely healing about being able to turn one's sadness into another person's happiness. After all that is what comedy is all about; the goal is to make sure that the audience laughs and has a good time.

When comedians, especially, discuss their battles with depression, I can't help but think of the Pierrot. I can't help but think of this very put together and polished "clown" who lives to make us all happy, all the while feeling constrained by some invisible box of depression.

If you know someone, or you yourself struggle with depression, find the help of a local mental health professional in your area. The National Suicide Hotline is also a great resource if you are more comfortable starting there.

Whether you are a comedian or not, there are times when we all wear masks of happiness when we are faced with life-altering challenges. Don't be afraid to seek help and start a new path of healing and resiliency.