How did u repair urself after breakdown?

[L0stinCyberspace]

Hi everyone

I'd love to hear your experiences of things that helped build you back up after a breakdown/ PTSD / severe stress or crisis.

I've been through some enormous issues in the last 3 years and it all came to a head in spring when I had to take 2 months off work. I've been in counselling, taking Sertraline, but my confidence seems very bad. It's weird, I believe in myself but it's when I'm presenting or talking to people, I seem to have lost the ability to talk fluidly, confidently, IYKWIM?

I saw a video of myself last year and I felt so far from that version of me...I talked with ease, no hesitation, linked ideas up - but I feel a bit broken now.

I'm doing short exercise 5 days a week, walking, meeting people, doing my hobbies, reading, doing mindfulness meditation a few days a week, so my mental health is much better than before- but I'm just left feeling so....damaged?

Thanks in advance. Xxx

OP...keep doing what you're doing. They all sound great. If the face to face social confidence has been damaged, how about participating in some local Mind groups? Often there are local arts and crafts sessions. Or how about some volunteering activities? What I'm trying to get at here is you finding some low pressure nurturing contacts whereby it won't matter if you stumble or dry up. A low pressure environment where you can slowly regain these skills?

Exercise helped me & like you doing enjoyable hobbies. Picture a goal that you want to achieve, but not with timelines. My goal was to do open water swimming. Another is to not say yes to every invitation if you don't feel like it. Sometimes we fill our time up to please others & exhaust ourselves. I find getting enough sleep helps too. When I get over tired I can feel myself slipping.
The biggest thing is not to rush yourself. If you had a major operation that people could see you wouldn't expect yourself to be better in a few months. Your mental health is the same, you just can't see it.
You will feel yourself getting better as time goes on.

@Joy69 that's really helpful. My exercise didn't have a goal.

"The biggest thing is not to rush yourself. If you had a major operation that people could see you wouldn't expect yourself to be better in a few months. Your mental health is the same, you just can't see it."

Your comment really resonates with me - you're right, I've had 3 "major operations" on my mental health in the last year so it stands to reason it will take time to build myself back up. Well done on your open water swimming. X

@Lotusmonster thank you for your kind reply. I took your advice and broke down work tasks that were daunting me, and met a few people and its helped, definitely.