hey just a little reminder — sometimes when you’re in survival mode, living day by day is literally all you can do. it’s all you have space for. and then when you have the space and time and release to slowly start to come out of survival mode, you have to re-learn how to live with the future in mind. learning from your past. making your future self proud. doing things your future self will thank you for. and I don’t see a lot of people talking about how TERRIFYING that is. but it is. it’s really, really scary to plan and learn what healthy self discipline looks like and how to greet every version of yourself. and so if that’s you today — I’m very proud of you. there’s nothing shameful about relearning something. you’re doing so well! I’m so glad you got this far <3
Us adults often say that life is one damn thing after another. While this isn't untrue, I would also say that it is inaccurate. Rather, I propose that life is both complicated and ever-changing. As we age, our life inevitably changes, and so we inevitably encounter new complications. The challenge for us, then, is to seek out the changes which provide us with the complications that excite and motivate us, rather than ones which overwhelm and paralyze us.
the best advice i've ever received is 'do nothing that would be permanent to yourself or your body between the hours of 6pm to 10 am' and it's saved my ass too many times
my friends with depression: keep your birthday cards. i am begging you. i have mine in a drawer and when i start to feel especially worthless, i read through them and there’s my lost grandpa saying i love you, my favorite aunt’s funny cards, my parents actually writing heartfelt things, and doodles from friends from all throughout my life, usually with something innocent like “you’re cool, like your style.”
I read so much advice for dealing with depression and not a single one of them mentions making a Down Bad Bag (depression bag) so I’m going to make a guide here because it’s been the most helpful thing I’ve ever done. The thing about a Down Bad Bag is that you have to build it when you have a bit more energy (so this won’t help if you’re currently having a depressive episode but it WILL help as prep for future ones).
What’s a Down Bad Bag?
Simple! It’s a bag full of things that will help you take care of yourself when you can’t get out of bed. I highly suggest keeping it by your bedside- it’s saved my life I’m pretty sure.
What do I put in my Down Bad Bag?
Baby wipes. If you’re depressed, all the steps involved with showering are likely too much, but not showering makes you feel worse. Baby wipes can be used while lying down in bed under your clothes and, if you can’t do your whole body, you can do the critical areas.
Granola bars, clusters, small snacks that will keep. You need to eat and I’ve found that granola balls/clusters are the easiest to eat in bed. They also have a good ratio of “energy provided” to “amount eaten”.
Disposable travel toothbrush. They make toothbrushes with toothpaste for airplane travel that don’t require any water. You can literally bust open a pack and do this in bed, no spitting required.
Water bottles. I cannot tell you how much my inability to drink water was related to my inability to get up. Having a few bottles of water in the bag meant I wasn’t spending my downswing dehydrated. It also helps with the next bullet
Meds. Any meds you have to take should be in this bag unless they need to be refrigerated/specifically stored. If you also have ADHD too like me, this also helps you remember where you put the damn things.
Favorite something. This can be anything, but having something in the bag that brings me joy even if I can’t feel it right now just… is comforting.
There are going to be days when you can’t do any or all of these activities and that’s okay, but having this stuff on hand can provide a way of taking care of yourself without expending energy you don’t have. Restocking my bag when I’m feeling slightly better has genuinely improved the quality of my life when I’m not okay at all, and I’m just hoping it can help someone else.
So it's 2024 and we're still demonizing s3lf-h@rm aren't we? (a serious rant below)
reminder that if you are triggered by this subject I have given a TW above, please do not interact with triggering content, it is not a smart thing to do, you deserve better. /gen
When I go online and I see a mentally well person making a "wrist barcode" joke about someone else, everybody laughs with them.
but then a mentally ill person makes the same exact joke, word for word, every single reply is some variation of "g0 d33p3r"
which is really funny guys, go actively seek out people who want to die and basically tell them to do it and even recommend the way in which they should. /s
"oh they're doing it for attention!" that means that they are being so neglected at home they need to do anything to try to get somebody to care about them. that is mental illness an it is valid. /srs
"they're like 12 they're being dramatic!" yes because everybody knows children cannot experience mental health struggles, that's why when I was 11 and had an anxiety attack at the mall I immediately snapped back to it when I was reminded that "there's no reason for you to do that." /s
"they're doing it because they think it's cool!" okay I have nothing to say to you except maybe take a step back and think about how what you just said is so fucking stupid like I'm sorry, what???? /srs
could you imagine that a person could hate themselves so much, they feel the nee to punish themselves? could you imagine that a person feels so numb and awful that the only way they could feel anything else is if something horrible happened to their body? /srs
I am so glad that most of you people have never felt the pain an suffering of clinical depression brings onto a human being, /srs
But god damn! why can't you have a little more empathy to people who are struggling with a serious illness that MAKES THEM WANT TO DIE????? /srs
question what do you do after high school if you have no passion or will to live and also aren’t good at school and overall are just a walking zombie? university and college? or do i just like yk poof and say peace out
