People with clinical depression and/or anxiety get tired. Really tired. This is something that I have fought off and on through out my life, especially in the days before I started to understand why this was happening.
If you know someone who is going through this, think about what you say before you say it.
Saying "But you got so much sleep last night!" to your partner/child/friend is not an answer.
Saying "You'll feel better if you just get up and get active," is not an answer.
It's like telling an asthmatic they should be able to catch their breath, because you're breathing just fine.
If you don't know the all encompassing exhaustion that accompanies anxiety or depression, don't try to fix it. Just be there for that person, unconditionally. Don't try to understand the problem, just care for them when they need you. And if you're the one going through this, don't think you need to "snap out of it" to please the people around you, because inevitably it will just make things worse. Get the help you need and get some rest.
You're not tired for no reason. You are tired because you have depression/anxiety.
You are fighting the thoughts of worthlessness caused by an emotional disorder and that is exhausting.
You're suffering from adrenaline crashes after fighting off bouts of anxiety and panic; and that is exhausting.
You are on edge, expecting the worst and constantly bracing yourself; and that is so damn exhausting.
Give yourself a break. Don't expect a miracle cure and don't let people make you think you are somehow less just because they can't understand you.
I've been in that dark place before and I've been so exhausted that I didn't think I would be able to go on.
But relief comes eventually. One night of sleep won't make things better, but ongoing self care, nourishment and tenderness will start to make a difference. Healing an growth are always possible, one step at a time.
No comments:
Post a Comment