Boundaries and Breakdown?

Are celebrities more prone to a breakdown than the general public? It would seem so. As we look over the plethora of stars that sometimes struggle to cope with the intense glare of the spotlight, it reads like a list of who’s who in Hollywood. Breakdowns can happen to anyone from Dave, Mariah, Britney, and even Owen W., who tried to commit suicide following a breakup in 2007.

So, what causes a breakdown and contributes to failing mental health? What can YOU do to prevent mental and emotional breakdowns in your own life?

It’s human nature to want to make others happy, but there’s a fine line between being a go-getter and stretching yourself too thin. Whether it’s at work, with friends, or with family commitments, recognizing where to draw the line is crucial for maintaining your mental health and creativity. Like a lion guarding its territory, it’s important to defend your personal boundaries fiercely but wisely.

Spotting Your Breaking Point: Learn the Signs

The truth is that many of us operate on autopilot. Typically, we push our packed schedules, making it tricky to notice when we’re on the verge of burnout. This is especially true for those in high-pressure roles, like entertainers, where the spotlight is always on. It is like living under a microscope, people! For most of us, the key is to tune into our own needs and learn to recognize the early warning signs that we are nearing our limits and to create safe spaces for ourselves.

Boundaries

1. Recognize your boundaries and defend them like a lion. We all want to please others to a certain extent, but there is a line between being productive and creative and tapping yourself out. Most of us are able to recognize when we are coming up to a breaking point because we have predictable schedules, but for entertainers who are always “on” and whose livelihood is based on their exposure, that line is hard to recognize. Practice recognizing and respecting your own boundaries.

2. Invest in yourself first- We all need to restore our batteries, and there are as many ways of doing this as there are human beings on the planet. Some people may restore themselves through exercise, prayer, meditation, or something as small as a chat with friends. In counseling, we call these investments – coping skills- and recognize that they are our first line of defense in a crisis. I also like to look at it like credits in a bank. It is hard to withdraw emotion from your emotional bank if you have not made many deposits.

Crisis

3. Have a crisis plan and use it as needed. What does a crisis look like for you, and how should you respond accordingly? If we wait until we are in a crisis, we will not be able to act appropriately, so it is important to have that talk with your network about what steps they should take in the event of a crisis.

Do you need your pastor, manager, mother, doctor, therapist? Who should the people in your life reach out to, and what do you want that person to do to make you whole? It is important to recognize a crisis before it happens. Self-checks can improve our insight, and it will be easier for us to determine when we are straying from our self-care path.

4. Develop your human capital. Practice turning to your people and test run who you can trust in moments of need. Explore your patterns. To whom can you turn for the truth and quiet reflection? Who is going to encourage you to develop insight and protect you when you are vulnerable? As human beings, we depend on others to sustain us and help us in times of need. Without others, we become emotionally bankrupt, and we are only as good as the people that we surround ourselves with.

5. Finally, get a little perspective and make sure that you are sleeping and eating well. Healthy self-care is the foundation of a healthy life and works synergistically for a stronger and better you. There are always options in our culture, and we need to take a customized approach to healthy self-care. Make a self-care plan, and maybe do a wellness wheel to identify areas of need.

Boundaries and The Holistic Store

While you are thinking about that, boost your connection from the inside out with our wellness supplements and supplies. Check out our store for products that help you feel your best, making it easier to open up and connect on a deeper level.