Shower Thoughts with Shelly

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‘Tis the season for joy and laughter

“I just can’t seem to get motivated. I know I need to do something, but I can’t convince myself to get up and do it.”

“I can’t concentrate! I can’t keep my mind in one place long enough to know what I need to do.”

My friend… Let’s talk about anxiety and depression some more. It’s just hard sometimes. Especially during times of the year that everyone is gathering for holidays, near birthdays, and when the weather keeps us out of the sun. Nothing makes the blues worse quite like being cooped up and unable to see nature.

I think everyone goes through at least a time in their lives that things get harder. We lose loved ones, we end up in a relationship that turns toxic, or we simply find ourselves in the midst of changes that caught us by surprise. But some of us end up sitting in the dark for a while because we can’t find the light switch or the door out.

Depression is draining. Anxiety is confusing. Both are exhausting. You wind up spending unreasonable amounts of time worrying about everything, but also being depressed to a point that you find it hard to get out of bed. Then you worry yourself into overheating. (I say I short circuit, or overheat like a phone, and just shut down for a while. Keep the humor, even about the hard subjects.)

I’m here today to tell you that there’s nothing wrong with seeking help. There’s nothing wrong with searching for a therapist, there’s nothing wrong with talking to your doctor about medications, or about a specialist who can maybe help you with medications. Maybe you don’t need them, or maybe you and your doctor will decide that’s the right path to take. Maybe you have a deficiency in one or another mineral or vitamin. There’s a hundred things that can cause you troubles. Ever seen the quote about how humans are basically complicated houseplants? We need water and sunshine, some fertilizers…

Since I started opening up about my own mental health and wellness, I’ve had more people come to me asking questions and taken more time to listen to others when they talk and I pick up on signs and symptoms related to the subject. Mental health and wellness is really not very different than your general health and wellness. If you leave high blood pressure untreated for long enough, it’s going to come back and bite you. Leaving your mental health and wellness unchecked can derail your life. Ignoring it when you feel like something isn’t right can derail your life.

‘Tis the season for joy and laughter, but that makes it also the season that you or someone you know might suffer more than usual. Check in with yourself, check in with your friends, and please don’t feel like you need to sit in silence. There’s a door out of the dark room, and a light switch somewhere on that wall. Find it!