#It is the Memorial Day Holiday weekend which has the extra day off for many and has traditionally been the unofficial beginning of summer; the thoughts for many, a time of planning vacations, barbecuing with family/friends, shedding the body covering clothes, time for FUN.
For those with mental illness, this does not have the same meaning for the suffering. It contributes to more profound feelings of loneliness and the deep understanding of isolation in the time when others are scurrying about having fun in the sun with others. The Depressive Disorders, the many Anxiety Disorders, Body Image Disorders, and too many too list disorders create so much pain when we don’t get to do what we see others getting to do and having a full and enjoyable life.
As you have been managing your mental illnesses, what are unique adaptions you have made to be able to have some quality of life during these times? I’m not talking about the things we already know like, “reach out to someone, do something to get out of yourself,” etc which may be true but are not of significant help when you are in that space and it often cause more pain. Let’s think and offer creative suggestions. Ones that make us think, laugh, momentarily forget, and those types of thoughts.
Me first. Dissociative Identity Disorder, CPTSD, Major Depression (with functional energy right now - the Key), Social/Performance Anxiety, overweight. I signed up for a belly dancing class! I’m 54 and I have set an intention. It’s one evening a week for 8 weeks. I went to the first one Thursday. Will I be mentally able every Thursday evening? Honestly, I’m not very hopeful of that but I did get out once, visited with 2 other women (small is good), and laughed. A huge victory for someone like me.