Finding Your Way Back: Uplifting Activities for Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) on Tough Mental Health Days - by Stephanie Haywood
/Bad mental health days are part of the territory when you’re living with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). They creep in unexpectedly, pull you under, and convince you that all progress has been lost. But the truth is, these low moments are not the end of the road. They’re pauses, not full stops. When you hit one of these rough patches, the key isn’t to fight the feeling—but to gently redirect your energy. You need small, doable actions that support your nervous system and invite calm back in. These aren’t miracle cures. They’re anchors, and on bad days, anchors can keep you from drifting too far from yourself.
Step Outside and Into Clarity
Nature doesn’t ask anything of you. It doesn’t expect you to explain how you feel or prove that you’re coping well. That’s what makes a walk in nature such a grounding experience. The simple rhythm of your footsteps and the quiet sounds around you can be more therapeutic than a dozen well-meaning pep talks. Whether it’s a local park, trail, or even just a few blocks lined with trees, letting your body move in fresh air can pull your attention away from spiraling thoughts and back into your breath, your senses, and the moment you’re in.
Fuel Yourself With the Right Foods
When your energy is low and emotions are raw, it’s tempting to reach for easy comfort foods. But improving your eating habits doesn’t mean going on a strict diet or giving up everything that tastes good. It means noticing what helps you feel steady instead of scattered. Instead of grabbing a bag of chips or a sugary snack during the day, you can consume a piece of fruit or veggies to give your body the nourishment it actually needs. It’s not about perfection—it’s about giving your system a fighting chance to regulate, focus, and heal.
Let Music Lift You
There’s no right or wrong soundtrack for a hard day. What matters is that the music speaks to you, wakes something up, or soothes something raw. Maybe it’s the song that got you through a hard time in the past, or something new that feels light and hopeful. Don’t overthink the playlist. Just press play and let the sound fill the space where anxiety and numbness try to camp out. Music can pull emotion to the surface, give it shape, and help it pass through you instead of getting stuck.
Animal Time Is Medicine
There’s a reason therapy animals exist—and it’s not just because they’re cute. Animals don’t judge, and they don’t need you to be okay to be close to you. Their presence alone can lower cortisol levels and bring your nervous system back from the edge. Whether it’s your own pet, a visit to a local animal shelter, or a quick playdate with a friend’s dog, being around animals can help with loneliness and soften the weight of the day. Petting a cat, watching fish swim, or having a dog lay its head in your lap are small but powerful ways to feel less alone.
Stretch and Exercise with Intention
PTSD can trap tension in your muscles and keep your body in a state of fight or flight even when you’re safe. Gentle stretching or a walk in nature can help release that stored stress. You don’t need to do classes —just get out, walk at your own pace, and notice how great your body feels. Focus on what helps you to reconnect with your body in a compassionate, non-judgmental way.
Start a Gratitude Journal
Gratitude sounds simple, but on bad days, it can feel like a foreign language. That’s exactly why it’s worth trying. When your mind is flooded with what’s wrong, taking time to name even one small good thing—clean sheets, a kind text, the way the sun looks on your wall—can be a tiny protest against despair. Keep a gratitude journal where you write down three things each day that bring you even a flicker of comfort or joy. It doesn’t change what you’re going through, but it shifts the lens, just a little.
Log Off and Unplug
Social media, news cycles, texts, and emails all tug at your already-frazzled nervous system. On hard days, stepping away from screens isn’t avoidance so much as self-preservation. Take a digital detox day where you give yourself permission to disconnect. Use that time to do something analog: read a physical book, draw, sit outside, cook something from scratch. Even a few hours away from the digital noise can create space for you to reconnect with your own inner voice, rather than everyone else’s.
Be Kind, Just Because You Can
It might seem backwards to suggest helping someone else when you’re struggling yourself, but sometimes, a simple act of kindness can flip the script. Send a message to someone you haven’t talked to in a while, pay for the coffee of the person behind you, leave a note on a neighbor’s door. When you make someone else’s day a little brighter, it shines a little light into yours as well. Kindness isn’t just a gift to others—it’s a signal to yourself that you still have something to offer, even when you feel empty.
PTSD doesn’t take days off, but on the days when it tries to take over, you can meet it with something small and true. You don’t have to do all of these things at once. You only need one lifeline, one thread to hold onto until the next moment arrives. Whether it’s a walk, a song, a cat curled in your lap, or writing down one quiet gratitude, each of these small steps matters. You’re not broken for needing them. You’re brave for trying them, and trying is how you heal.
Discover the journey of resilience and healing with Davina Lytle, and explore how you can navigate PTSD with strength and hope.