Why am I Feeling Like a Failure: Put Mental Health First

 Simone Biles (the medal-winning American gymnast) had withdrawn from the woman's gymnastics Tokyo Olympics 2021, saying she was not ready to compete. So when there was much TV hype about this, ‘why am I feeling like a failure,  put mental health first’.

She told her fellow gymnasts, ‘I wish I could go back and that I could compete, and I would be successful despite my mental health’. Then Simone suggested, ‘I can be successful despite my depression’. That's true, and that is the type of strength that we should all strive for. Simone's also went on to say, ‘My mental health is non-negotiable. I have to be honest with myself and you guys. I let myself get too overwhelmed, too severe and forgot to live in the moment and enjoy things. For getting myself back on track, I have first to be healthy. I have to get well. Then, I have to make sure I can physically go out there, do my best, and not hurt myself or anyone else’.

On Mental Health Day, a day we recognize the toll mental illness can take on society. Depression is the leading cause of disability worldwide and the second leading cause of death. Depression is a severe disease. It can affect anyone. People suffering from depression often have feelings of worthlessness, guilt, hopelessness and low self-esteem. Thoughts of suicide can also accompany depression.

Treating mental health isn't a quick fix, but I firmly believe it needs to be a priority for all, especiall if you are feeling like a failure.

Your thoughts can go round and round with worrying thoughts. Even if your mind is on something else, your mind is always thinking. It's very focused on thoughts, ideas, plans, goals, and of course, feelings. But, it's also very focused on everything related to it, things we can't see, think about, or touch. It doesn't have any limits. It's a living, thinking, alert, absorbing being. Sometimes, that mind goes off on one of its tangents, which usually leads to a severe mental health crisis. It feels like your head will explode because you can't get it to focus on just one thing. But, then, that thought, idea, plan, goal, etc., causes you to start seeing things, hearing things, feeling something that you usually would never see, hear, feel, etc., if you weren't overwhelmed.

Everyone deals with different feelings at different times in life. Depression is not the norm, so it's important to remember it's okay to experience different feelings at other times in life. But, certain emotions are different from what people think they should share. The more you surround yourself with people who acknowledge and validate what you feel, the less likely you will feel alone, especially when you have a bad day.

Feeling like a constant failure can negatively affect your health & well-being. Asking yourself constantly, ‘why am I feeling like a failure: put mental health first’. However, stopping such thoughts doesn't mean you have to all of a sudden feel happy. Anyone who accomplishes great things in business & life will fail along the way. Setbacks are a natural part of becoming a success.

Due to the sensitive nature of mental health, many experts have experienced more backlash from society due to their inability to simply ‘put it out of their mind’. Mental health must be taken as seriously as physical health. Due to the importance of mental health, it is imperative to get professional help when you need it. Depression kills more people than diabetes, heart disease, cancer, and AIDS combined. In 2016, World Health Organization published a list of the top 10 global mental health issues. Depression was the number one issue in the world.

However, there are proven treatments available. If you experience any signs like feeling you are not good enough, feeling lost, feeling down, or dealing with depression or depression relapse, be sure to reach out to a professional.

Feeling like a failure: Put Mental Health first

In many ways, putting your mental health first will help you to achieve success. However, there are some steps you can take to be proactive with your health. You can make the most significant impact on your happiness & well-being by applying simple techniques to help your mindset.

• If you haven't already, you need to start talking about your emotions and thinking.
• You need to embrace healthy coping methods such as meditation & exercising to help your mind stay clear.
• Every day you have the choice to get fit like walking 20-minutes daily & eat healthy meals
• Choosing to change will be the difference between being successful and unsuccessful in your life.
• Identify a few lifestyle changes that will help you become a more successful person.

Conclusion

The subject of this article was,  Why am I feeling like a failure,  put mental health first. When you and I fail at something, we take this personally, but what if you look at it another way. Failure can mean that you need to change the way you did things before and move forward positively. Most athletes look forward to every workout. They are excited about what's ahead. The same principle applies to mental health. Our mental & emotional health is just as important as our physical health.

If any of these strategies resonate with you,  Call me or email me hello@andreaasmith.com and read more about managing panic attacks here.