{"id":510,"date":"2025-01-14T06:28:49","date_gmt":"2025-01-13T22:28:49","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/vassesc.com\/?p=510"},"modified":"2025-01-14T06:28:50","modified_gmt":"2025-01-13T22:28:50","slug":"why-your-mental-health-suffers-in-adversity-and-what-to-do-about-it","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/vassesc.com\/index.php\/2025\/01\/14\/why-your-mental-health-suffers-in-adversity-and-what-to-do-about-it\/","title":{"rendered":"Why Your Mental Health Suffers in Adversity, and What to Do About It"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

I\u2019m sorry but this next statement is going to be the most real thing you have ever read, and you might not like it! Everybody\u2019s mental health takes a nosedive when life doesn\u2019t go as planned. <\/strong>Maybe you didn\u2019t get the promotion you thought you deserved, or the relationship you invested in fell apart, your car broke down or your kids keep crying while you just want to sit and watch a movie. When what your wants<\/em> aren\u2019t matching what you get<\/em>, frustration, disappointment, and even despair creep in. Life just seems to feel unfair.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But what if the root cause of this mental anguish isn\u2019t just the adversity itself? What if it\u2019s our response to it?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

To understand this, we need to go way back\u2014to one of the most fundamental principles ever written: the commandment of the Old Testament, specific the first one “Thou shalt not covet.”<\/em> At its core, this isn\u2019t just about envy or jealousy; it\u2019s a caution against the very act of wanting what isn\u2019t yours. Why? Because when you fixate on what you don\u2019t have, you disconnect from the life you do have. Call it divine wisdom or timeless psychology, the result is the same. That longing pulls you out of the present moment and away from a sense of peace, leaving you feeling trapped in your own version of hell on earth.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Think about it. Every time you\u2019ve caught yourself saying, “I deserved that,”<\/em> or “Why didn\u2019t I get what I wanted?”<\/em> \u2026 were you at peace? Were you living in a state of gratitude, contentment, or joy? Or were you stewing in resentment and bitterness? This isn\u2019t to say that having goals or aspirations is wrong. It\u2019s not. But the key lies in your approach.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Solution to this predicament is Gratitude, Patience, and Deservingness. <\/strong>If you want to know how to protect your mental health when life throws adversity your way? Here\u2019s the formula I have come up with:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

1. Be Grateful for What You Have<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Gratitude shifts your focus from lack to abundance. Instead of obsessing over what\u2019s missing, start by appreciating what\u2019s already in your life. Take inventory: your health, relationships, opportunities, and even the challenges that make you stronger. Gratitude isn\u2019t just a nice idea\u2014it\u2019s a proven tool for mental resilience. It grounds you in the present and reminds you that even in adversity, there\u2019s something to cherish. And if the adversity is because of something you have learnt, their it is, the lesson you didn\u2019t know you needed, and the lesson you didn\u2019t want, but the lesson you got anyway.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

2. Keep Your Eyes on the Goal\u2014But Be Patient<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Adversity often feels unbearable because we\u2019re in a rush (I really want to you to think about this for amoment). Is the problem that you want results right now<\/em>?  Because im telling you this, impatience leads to frustration, and frustration fuels mental exhaustion. Instead, you must adopt a long-game mindset. Trust the process and know that progress often comes in ways you can\u2019t predict. You wanted it yesterday, but that isn\u2019t how it works, not in the past, not in the future, not ever!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

3. Focus on Deserving Instead of Wanting<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Here\u2019s a tough pill to swallow: just wanting<\/em> something doesn\u2019t mean you\u2019re ready for it<\/strong>. Instead of focusing on the desire itself, ask yourself, “Am I deserving of this?”<\/em> Am I putting in the work, the consistency, and the growth needed to achieve what I want? Have I don\u2019t enough past, present and will I do enough into the future to achieve this thing? Look right back, have you done enough in the past most important of all? When you shift from wanting to deserving, you regain control. And when it comes to mental health control is a powerful antidote to despair.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

4. Practice Patience and Keep Moving Forward<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Finally, don\u2019t give up on wanting altogether. It\u2019s okay to dream big. But instead of obsessing, practice patience. Sure, you had an adversity. But you must let your actions align with your goals, and trust that the right outcomes will come in their time. Remember, waiting doesn\u2019t mean doing nothing. It means staying the course while letting go of the anxiety about the outcome. It isn\u2019t the end because you aren\u2019t getting what you want. It just isn\u2019t right now!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Closing Thoughts<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Here are my thoughts on mental health and what we can do about most things. Adversity is inevitable. But suffering? That\u2019s optional. Epictetus the Stoic Philosopher said, \u201cIt’s not what happens to you, but how you react to it that matters.\u201d So, the next time you find yourself spiralling because life didn\u2019t go your way, pause. Reflect on what you\u2019re grateful for. Ask yourself if you\u2019re truly deserving of what you want. And then, even if you think you are deserving, commit to the process with patience and perseverance. This isn\u2019t about settling or lowering your standards. It\u2019s about living with intention instead of expectation. Staying grounded and creating a life that\u2019s not just bearable but extraordinary. Solving your mental health problems by realising your wants are ruining your life, but your actions, what you do once adversity hits and being patient is actually how we live in heaven on earth.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

I\u2019m sorry but this next statement is going to be the most real thing you have ever read, and you might not like it! Everybody\u2019s mental health takes a nosedive when life doesn\u2019t go as planned. Maybe you didn\u2019t get the promotion you thought you deserved, or the relationship you invested in fell apart, your […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_et_pb_use_builder":"off","_et_pb_old_content":"","_et_gb_content_width":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-510","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/vassesc.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/510","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/vassesc.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/vassesc.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vassesc.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vassesc.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=510"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/vassesc.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/510\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":511,"href":"https:\/\/vassesc.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/510\/revisions\/511"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/vassesc.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=510"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vassesc.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=510"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vassesc.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=510"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}