The Many Short Races of Mental Illness: Why the Small Wins Matter

Reflecting on a coping skill I learned in therapy.

Children racing in box cars. | Graphic made by author with Canva.

Hi there!

TW: Childhood abuse

“Don’t focus on this month, this week, or even tomorrow,” my therapist told me. “Focus on this minute. Conquer this minute and then the next one.”

After months of therapy, I finally opened up to my therapist about some of my most painful secrets, including memories of childhood sexual abuse. They were stories I never told, rarely even admitting them to myself. But I knew I had to face them to get past the trauma.

Telling the story induced a panic attack, like I was living through the abuse for the first time. I was shaking and crying and my body ached like someone was beating me with a baseball bat.

“How can memories hurt so much?” I asked her.

“You’re doing great,” my therapist told me after I finished the story. “But we need to work on your coping skills.”

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“Perseverance is not a long race; it is many short races one after the other.”

- Walter Elliot

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Scott Ninneman publishes two newsletters each week. The Sunday All Things Bipolar Newsletter (off Substack) features the newest content about bipolar life. The Speaking Bipolar Positivity Club Newsletter shares inspirational stories three times a week to help you maintain a positive mindset.

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Learning Coping Skills

My therapist was right. 

I didn’t know how to deal with the pain, so I numbed it with alcohol and a busy life. Running from the pain only made things worse. With my therapist’s help, I started working on some coping mechanisms, including deep breathing and visualization.