Sometimes, it feels like you’re falling, and the longer you keep falling, the darker your surroundings become. Like the ground just got swept out from under your feet and there is nothing that will help you get back up. Like there are no more options left to try.
Sometimes, it feels like there is no point in trying to sail your ship in the sea of meaninglessness. You let go of the steering wheel of your mind- you’re out of energy, and your thoughts keep spiraling. Every door you look to is closed. Heck you might not even remember doors exist anymore.
What’s the point? Am I a fool for trying? I shouldn’t have tried in the first place… I know what the outcome always is anyway. There’s no point to exerting so much energy. I’m done.
When a wave of depression hits you, it’s easy to let your mind spiral like that. But sometimes, if you pay attention to the hopeless assertions your mind is coming up with, you’ll realize they’re so vague and out of context you could easily argue for or against them.
When your mind feels like a battle of unconstrained thoughts that are killing your hope, it’s time to ground yourself back into reality.
When you are falling down the well of darkness, it’s time to survey the surroundings and reach out for the metaphorical ladder rungs that you can hold on to and guide yourself out of that purposeless depressive state.
The ladder rungs are what guide you back to hope. Just enough hope to pull yourself out of the dark well in that very moment.
One way that you can switch directions from falling down to climbing out of that pit of depression is to do your best to adopt an attitude of gratitude.
Pause your train of thought when you catch yourself spiraling, and pull yourself out of your head. Look around yourself. Do you have a roof on your head? Clothes to wear? Food to eat that day? Clean air to breathe? Say thanks for those things. And any others that come to mind. At least 5 that genuinely make you feel at least a tiny ting of joy, or thankfulness .
And remind yourself: as long as your heart is beating inside your chest, you have time (in the grand scheme of things at least). If you have time, that means you have many chances to find ways to manage your mind/thoughts in the future, and then with a clearer mind, re-strategize for tackling problems that may be bothering you.
As long as your heart is beating inside your chest, there is hope. It will be ok.
Find the ladder rungs. Do your best to climb out, or at least hold on.
Faiza 