A regular health and lifestyle column from Corinne Yeadon, of the Being Better private therapy practice in Skipton

IT’S accepted that self care techniques are helpful in maintaining global wellbeing, but what if your mood is slipping and your ‘go to’ strategies are proving ineffective?

It is a fine line between balancing self care and forcing yourself to keep going to distract from feelings and thoughts.

Doing something may provide a sense of control, but this can rapidly backfire and become demoralising if the desired effect is not achieved. This can lead to unhelpful internal dialogue and self questioning that is akin to telling yourself off which only serves to cement feelings of inadequacy and low mood.

The past few years have not been without challenges, people may have been affected to a lesser or greater degree but impacted none the less. This puts me in mind of those close to us experiencing hardship and distress, the default is often to declare, “It’s not me going through it.”

As caring, loving people supporting a loved one through crisis has a bearing on our emotional wellness. There have been a lot of changes and losses to manage, these things catch up and have a tendency to crash land.

It is crucial to take a step back to allow ourselves the space and time to reflect and process feelings with the knowledge that this is not a permanent state. Acknowledging we are struggling is half the battle because then and only then can the business of recovering begin. Sometimes we need time to switch off and restore.

It can help to try things that may help providing this is without pressure or expectation and it is balanced with self soothing and down time. It may go against the grain taking time out from work, but it’s important to bear in mind that sickness leave is exactly that leave to recover and recharge, not a holiday.