self care for when you hit rock bottom
i fucking hate self care posts made by neurotypicals so hereās one from someone who Actually Gets It
-canāt shower or take a bath? me either. dry shampoo can make your hair look and feel cleaner, and baby wipes or makeup wipes work great to get the top layer of grime off your skin.
-canāt wash your sheets and make your bed? i feel you. push your blankets out of the way and shake the crumbs off your sheet. it will at least be a bit more comfortable.
-canāt even change out of your dirty pajamas? been there. hit yourself with some febreeze and a lint roller. if you can, brush your hair. if you canāt, hair ties and bobby pins are fantastic.
-canāt make anything to eat? same. if you can, thereās no shame in ordering food. in fact, itās probably better you eat something rather than go hungry. if you canāt, try and find something that comes pre-made or takes minimal effort to make. at the very least, drink some water.
canāt respond to messages or reach out for help? yeah, i get that. set an alarm for a few hours from now and respond to any messages you need to once youāve given yourself time to prepare. if theyāre Important Messages that need Professional Responses, you can find fill-in-the-blank format rough drafts on google. as far as personal messages go, donāt feel bad for sending a mass āIām sorry, Iām in a personal emergency right now. Iāll get back to you as soon as I can.ā response to everyone.
-canāt even sleep because itās so bad? asmr videos always knock me out, personally, but i also watch a lot of bob ross. just try to find something quiet and soothing to use as background noise and take your mind off it, or at least give you a more peaceful environment to think about it.
-canāt go for a walk/drive? try opening the blinds or curtains. youāre still exposing yourself to the outside world. baby steps. (i also play animal crossing or sims; it may be virtual but fuck it. i went on a walk.)
-canāt go into work/school? let people know. let your coworkers or classmates know itās an emergency and you canāt make it. give yourself up to two days, but then you have to go back. ask to have your work emailed to you so you know what you missed.
-canāt brush your teeth and wash your face? makeup or baby wipes and gum or mouthwash. donāt let yourself physically rot bc youāre rotting emotionally.
-remember that youāve been here before. if you survived then you can survive now. thatās what this is about- survival. you donāt have to be living your Best Life. right now, itās more than enough that youāre alive.
from someone who actually gets it
