Nurse take care of thy self!

Self-care is a big part of my work here, especially with mental health treatment. Since using medication for many of my cases isn't realistic, I like to teach self-care. Many times, when I am counseling someone, I focus on self-care and self-empowerment.

However, here in South Sudan self-care is so much different than it is back home. I have to educate my clients about realistic self-care for themselves. They have limited access to so many things, so advising someone to book a massage, or take a hot shower, or do something as simple as taking time to read an enjoyable book, are not realistic here. Not much access to these things in my area.

Along with my work I have to practice my own self-care. Here my personal self-care also looks much different than it did in the US. I try to make sure I do a "self-care" day once a month. That is usually a day I do a face mask (I brought a few of those along with me) and soak my feet in a bucket of hot water. I nap and relax and give myself a day to do absolutely nothing. Lately my self-care time has come when I am getting over being sick so I feel a bit better.

But I have to do other forms of self-care regularly. On the weekends I like to go for walks. I usually go in the morning so that I am not out when it gets very warm, especially mid-day. Also, on the weekends I sometimes go to the UNMISS compound near me where they have a restaurant that serves more American style meals. No, they don't taste like home but they do taste good.

Self-care takes a lot of practice and more consideration and effort here I believe, than it does in the US. You have to be a lot more deliberate in choosing to do self-care and what it is that you are doing. With more limited resources self-care is a conscious act. That can be good because it means I am more mindful of making sure I am taking care of myself.

I am fortunate because I know what things work better for me when I do self-care. I know that walking is one of the best ways I can help myself when I am upset. I also have access to music I like when I am unable to go for walks. Harder self-care to participate in is doing things like taking time to read during the week, and just sitting out and enjoying the environment around me.

Working in a harsher environment with all sorts of new stresses is chaotic most weeks. When I first came to South Sudan, I struggled more with figuring out how to really practice self-care and how to adapt but I picked a few things and gave myself goals which helped me. I practiced at different self-care activities. There have been plenty of days that I didn't want to do things but pushing myself at times has put me in a better mindset here. I guess that just goes to show why self-care works.