With Blue Monday (said to be the most depressing day of the year) happening on January 18th, we chatted with Canadian therapist and TikTok star Nadia Addesi to gain some actionable tools and tips to nourish a healthier mind and outlook for the next 12 months. —Vita Daily
Hi Nadia! Needless to say, 2020 was a roller coaster of a year, and many of us still feel burnt out and anxious. With the transition to 2021, there seemed to be an extra sprinkling of toxic positivity and unattainable New Year’s resolutions floating around online, adding another layer of challenges for folks dealing with mental health issues. What are your thoughts on this?
If you know me and follow me on TikTok you’d know that I often speak out about toxic positivity because I think it’s so dangerous to our mental health—especially if we’re already struggling. Spreading messages such as “just be happy” or “positive vibes only” is not benefitting us in any way; it’s making us feel like, “Why can’t I be happy just like the influencer I’m following?” or “Why don’t I have the ability to have positive vibes only?” This negatively affects our mental health. My stance, especially as a therapist, is to not be overly positive or negative, but rather to find a place in the middle that is as realistic as possible. If you’re following an account that is promoting toxic positivity and is negatively affecting you, I would suggest limiting your consumption of that account if you can.
The theory behind Blue Monday is that this is the time of year when people are most cold and riddled with guilt that their New Year’s resolutions may have fallen by the wayside. What are your thoughts on this?
It’s important to set realistic goals for yourself. When coming up with 2021 resolutions, I like to make my resolutions more general and focused on smaller tangible changes, to ensure they’re achievable and don’t lead to disappointment. I also don’t put too much pressure on myself because if I’m not able to achieve a resolution, I don’t want that to negatively affect my mental health. Be gentle with yourself and spend some time on Monday doing something you love.
What are your top tips/best advice regarding creating and cultivating a more positive mindset to better manage our mental health during this odd COVID-continuum? Any actionable steps we can take at this time?
To cultivate a more positive mindset to better manage our mental health, it’s important to maintain social connection, which can be difficult during the pandemic. Find an online community, or social connection, to support you. For me that’s my TikTok community—I feel like the platform creates a place where everyday people from different backgrounds, experiencing similar things can connect with each other through stories and ideas that help us recognize and celebrate our commonalities. This sense of belonging to a broader community and a sense of connection—with individuals, interest-based communities, and a global community—can help folks dealing with mental health challenges understand they’re not alone in this experience. Another strategy I often suggest is doing exercises that dig deeper into your anxiety, but will also help relieve the physical symptoms. For example, meditation and progressive muscle relaxation. While therapy is a great option to look into, not everybody can afford it or feels like it’s right for them. I think TikTok creators in the mental health space, including myself, need to continue to spread helpful and evidence-based information and education, to make mental health resources more accessible to folks looking for help.
What will you be doing in 2021 to nourish a healthier mind and outlook this year?
To nourish a healthier mind and outlook this year, I always make sure that the goals I’m setting for myself are intentional and have a direct impact on how I’m improving myself. I’d say the biggest thing I do and will continue to do in 2021, is to maintain a schedule and routine that takes my mental health into consideration such as eating properly, exercising and meditation. I’m all for self-care!
share:
Be the first to comment