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My Personal Experience with Mental Health & Nutrition
"I had daily struggles in dealing with anxiety and depression, and many people face a spectrum of ongoing issues in their lives with mental health. These issues can involve loved ones or partners, children, disabilities, illnesses or disorders, and work or school. Ongoing mental health challenges affect our ability to balance life and health. However, the biggest challenge for me was taking responsibility for my mental health.
After 20 years of living through the hardships of addiction and experiencing some homelessness, I completed and graduated from an outpatient treatment program. This is where I first learned about mental health and its connection to addiction.
Unexpectedly, my counselor spoke about how nutrition is essential to brain function and moods. They said, “Nutrition is key to long-term recovery.” That statement changed my perspective and changed my life. I realized that there was a way out of the vicious cycle of addiction, out of the difficulties of hiding from anxiety and depression. I could take care of my mental health through counseling and nutrition. Counseling was a way for me to talk through distorted and automatic thoughts to understand the behaviors related to mental afflictions. I was able to re-write my narrative by educating myself on my unique issues of anxiety and depression, and I learned how they affected me daily. My remedy was to incorporate healthy nutrition and education to replenish my body with the nutrients and vitamins it needed to function at its natural potential.
Since 2010, my life and total health have been restored with the holistic approach of counseling, nutrition, self-care, and my faith in God. I significantly contribute to my long-term recovery and improved mental health by eating these superfoods/foods and ingesting vitamins and nutrients. So, if you are attempting to find alternative methods or additions to improve your mental health, try eating superfoods/foods and taking vitamins and nutrients to raise the optimal level of your total health (mentally, emotionally, physically, and spiritually). Note: Each individual’s mental health needs are unique, so please consult with your physician and/or a mental health professional for the best course of treatment for your individual needs.
Most importantly, if you are looking for someone to talk to about mental health and all that it encompasses, there is help. AMAAD has behavioral health counselors who have lived experience and can help navigate through challenges."
Lea Collins
Behavioral Health Therapist Counselor
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