Elementary Care 101

In order to help our children, it is important to look at the whole package. Lessons we’ve acquired on this painful path reflect that healing and better mental health are nourished by at least six critical components:

• The basics:
  • nutrition
  • sleep
  • exercise
• Medication
• Good counseling
• Something productive to do
• A safe place to live
• The presence of loving, caring, supportive people

Our daughter needs to be in balance in every area in order to move forward. The slightest change- like daylight savings time- presents challenges. It is a very delicate dance.

These factors are crucial to our health and strength, as well. We tend to our darlings; we must tend to ourselves, too. It is so easy to let these things- even the most essential human needs- drop by the wayside. But we must maintain optimum health in order to have strength for the journey.

Be warned: the stresses can take a toll. Two of us were diagnosed with Adrenal Fatigue Syndrome. It took a long time to recover from that. If we had been more mindful of the most elementary care, perhaps it could have been avoided. Or it might not have been as severe. If you have long been living in crisis, grief, or distress, you may also be a victim. We recommend you investigate this and speak with your doctor about taking action for better health.