There are three simple things you can do to support your mental health and wellness, no matter what diagnosis you have.

The first is to STOP.

Stop running in circles – stop torturing yourself, and others and stop telling yourself that you can ignore it and ‘it’ will go away. There’s no way to change your diagnosis – but you can find ways to live with it, via medication, support, or your own way.

The second is to accept.

Denial in all forms is one of the hardest reactions to get past. We’re raised in a society that believes ‘normal’ is the most valuable commodity in describing and categorizing people. Whilst being ‘normal’ is no more than a state of mind, being a depressive, or a bipolar, or having ADHD, or any of a myriad of other medical diagnoses doesn’t mean you’re not ‘normal’.

After all, its normal for you.

Getting your head around that concept is one of the best ways to start adjusting to and understanding how your world relates to you, and your disorder. Which, in turn, gives you a way to adjust to and integrate your diagnosis into your life. And once you’ve adjusted and can integrate everything you have to live with, you’ll find your life is much more satisfying.

And the third and final step is to live.

There is no physical way to change what you are at diagnosis. You may get better – and you can control anything that you’re diagnosed with by taking prescribed medical action, be that medication, counseling and beyond.

Many people give in when diagnosed. They say they’re fighting, they say they’re losing the battle. But most people forget simply to live, thrive, and survive their disease. There is no reason not to live on, after diagnosis – and no reason to give in.