We have interviewed 54 people who have overcome struggles with the help of self-improvement. These stories show that self-improvement is one of the most powerful ways to overcome struggles of mental health.
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I’ve interviewed 54 people who have been helped by self-improvement, and here are the top 5 struggles that these people have overcome:
In our many years of publishing helpful mental health content, we always received questions from our readers about specific situations. While we have a lot of helpful tips to share on how to be happier, we simply can’t offer advice for every situation.
That’s why I’ve set out to interview folks with every type of mental health struggle. My job as an interviewer is to categorize these interviews and present them in a way that is most helpful to our readers.
“At first, the body-based techniques seemed too woo-woo for me to explore and yet I was also drawn to them. Thankfully I could hold the conflict and let myself learn anyway. Somatic work helped me reclaim my body and I finally believed my body was my own instead of an object for others.”
“I never understood why I couldn’t just be happy. I would beat myself up over it, wondering why I couldn’t be content with my beautiful home and fulfilling life. But my PTSD and trauma had a profound impact on my happiness and the happiness of my family.”
Struggled with:
Childhood
Loneliness
PTSD
Stress
“The part that was hardest to deal with was waking up every day, for months, going through your day, and doing the bare minimum. Because I just could not find a reason to do anything. I did not have the energy to live my life and that crushed me the most.”
Struggled with:
Anxiety
Breakup
Depression
Panic attacks
Stress
“For years, I had suppressed my emotions, thinking it was the “manly” thing to do. But once I started playing the guitar, I realized the importance of expressing myself. Music became my outlet, and through it, I was able to process my grief and anxiety.”
Struggled with:
Anxiety
Depression
Grief
Helped by:
Mindfulness
Music
Self-improvement
Therapy
“Isolation, ruminating thoughts of my father dying by himself, alone and scared, surrounded only by occasional strangers in hazmatlike PPE clothing (this was a particularly effective form of emotional cutting and torture); junk food; not getting out of bed or showering; not answering my phone; and lots of wine—like red Solo cups full. I was a train wreck. Plain and simple.”
Struggled with:
Breakup
Depression
Loneliness
“When you’re going through a difficult time, it can be difficult to remain hopeful. However, please know that recovery is possible, even if it doesn’t feel like it right now. You’ve got this!”
Struggled with:
Anxiety
OCD
Panic attacks
PTSD
Helped by:
Self-Care
Self-improvement
Therapy
“In the past, I didn’t understand my behavior or intense mood swings, but now I understand much of it is rooted in past trauma. Nearly everything in regard to close personal relationships can trigger or set me off. I often describe it as living life with no skin. Everything hurts and my brain interprets every single interaction as a threat or rejection.”
Struggled with:
Anxiety
Borderline Personality Disorder
Depression
Grief
“Just because I’m mourning, doesn’t mean that I’m not happy in life. Being happy to me means accepting all of the emotions as they come without judgment. I still experience anxiety and depression but I no longer beat myself up about feeling those things.”
Struggled with:
Anxiety
Borderline Personality Disorder
Depression
Grief
“The struggle was very real and daunting. I was trapped in an endless cycle of anxious thoughts that seemed to take control over my life. I naively tried to suppress my anxiety, hoping that if I ignored it, it would somehow disappear. Instead, this approach only made my symptoms more acute and pervasive.”
Struggled with:
Anxiety
Helped by:
Self-improvement
Therapy
“Leaving my home country and studying abroad presented its own set of challenges. I experienced months of intense loneliness, barely leaving my student hall. I slept during the day, avoiding people for weeks. I felt emotionally numb, happy for others’ successes but powerless in my own life.”
Struggled with:
Childhood
Depression
Grief
Loneliness
Helped by:
Reinventing yourself
Self-improvement
