Mental Health on Your Mission: Challenges and Coping Strategies

Cover image via Gospel Media Library.

We are likely all familiar with the phrase “the mission is the best 2 (or 1.5) years of your life.” While this is certainly true that missions can be life changing in so many powerful ways, it is also true that missions can be exhausting, challenging, discouraging, and just plain hard.

It is important to be aware of and prepared for some of the mental health struggles that can arise during a mission so that we are not caught off guard, and so that we can have a toolkit of healthy coping skills to help us exercise resilience and make the most of our mission experience.

It is first important to address the fact that mental health challenges on your mission do not make you a bad missionary, or a failure, and they do not change your worth in your Heavenly Father’s eyes.

Mental health struggles are a normal part of being human and they are nothing to be ashamed of. There is hope and healing through the Atonement, and through modern day science.

What do you do if you are struggling with your mental health on your mission?

If you find yourself struggling with your mental health on your mission, there are several avenues you can turn to for help.

• You can talk to your mission companion and let them know that you are struggling and they may be able to help you brainstorm some ways to implement self-care into your routine.
• You can also talk to your mission president and request a meeting with the mission counselor. Meeting with the mission counselor is confidential and shame free, they are there to help, and they are familiar with many of the challenges you are facing.
• You can seek support from your family at home. It may be tempting to keep the hard parts of a mission to yourself so that you don’t worry your family, but keeping mental health struggles to yourself can be very lonely and a heavy burden to carry alone. Your family loves you and wants to support you and pray for you, even if they are far away.

• Take time for self-care. The missionary schedule is very strict, and it may feel overwhelming to have every moment of your day accounted for, but neglecting to take time for self-care in your busy schedule can lead to burnout very quickly.

  Self-care looks like getting proper sleep, eating regularly, living in a habitable environment, taking time for mindfulness and reflection, and allowing yourself time to rest. If any of your basic needs are being neglected, address those first and then look for ways to include time to recharge in your daily routine.

Be patient with yourself. Missions are not meant to be easy! You are in an unfamiliar place, eating unfamiliar foods, speaking an unfamiliar language, and living and working alongside unfamiliar people.

It makes complete sense that you might feel discouraged or overwhelmed. Give yourself grace and patience as you adjust to your new lifestyle and do not expect perfection from yourself.

How do I know if it is time to ask for help?

If you have been struggling with your mental health but don’t know if it is the right time to talk to someone, here are some things that can help you decide:

• Thinking about or coping with the issue takes up at least an hour/day.
• The issue causes embarrassment or makes you want to avoid others.
• The issue has caused your quality of life to decrease.
• The issue has negatively affected school, work, or relationships.
• You’ve made changes in your life or developed maladaptive habits to cope with the issue.
• If you experience symptoms most of the day, nearly every day, for at least 2 weeks.

If you are still unsure of whether you should seek help, it is always best to be on the safe side and reach out for help and support before symptoms become more serious. Your mission leaders love you and want to support you in your challenges.

Coping skills for missionaries:

Another aspect of missionary life that can pose a challenge is that nearly all of your former coping strategies for when you are stressed, sad, or overwhelmed, have been taken away.

You can no longer scroll on your phone or play your favorite video games or watch your favorite shows. You can no longer call up your friends and family whenever you want and hang out with them. You are limited in your hobbies and may not be able to do the same things you enjoyed doing at home.

Being left at “ground zero” with no familiar coping skills may lead to engaging in some maladaptive behaviors that are not a good fit with your missionary expectations and routine. So, what are some healthy coping skills you can still engage in as a missionary? Here are some ideas:

• Deep breathing (breathe in for 4 seconds and out for 6 seconds, this will help lower your heart rate)
• Listen to soothing mission approved music
• Talk to someone you trust
• Ask for help
• Spend time in nature
• Create art
• Journal
• Do something kind
• Pray and devote time each day to personal scripture study

Taking time for yourself is important because you cannot share the oil in your lamp but you can share the light it produces. When your oil runs dry, your ability to care for yourself and serve others will be diminished.

Conclusion

Missions are challenging and may take a toll on your mental health. If this is the case for you, know that you are not alone. Remember to ask for help when you need it and to take care of yourself.

The Lord loves you and He has given you tools to help you succeed and thrive on your mission. Your trials will not last forever, and God will send angels to bear you up in your darkest moments.

For more information about various mental health struggles and coping strategies, refer to https://www.missionarywellnesscenter.org

Written by Hailey Hunt, BSW student Intern