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Self Care or Simply Staying Alive?

They always talk about "self care"...

"Make sure to make time to use your charcoal face mask and teeth whitener!"

But what if self care... was simply... staying alive?

For me personally, lupus and anti-phospholipid syndrome wreak havoc on my body. I'm tired all the time, hungry all the time. Everything hurts all the time.

So I'll be the first to raise my hand and say... I suck at taking showers. There's just barely any time that I'm not in pain or feeling well enough to drag myself into the shower.

So self care?

What that looks like for me?

It looks like brushing my teeth - and sometimes using mouth wash- and flossing.

It looks like washing my face with gentle cleanser because of my butterfly rash that comes along with lupus. Don't forget to moisturize.

It looks like the simplest task of taking my contacts out and putting my glasses on for the night. And trust me, if you had the option to see me in those glasses, you'd opt out.

It looks like taking 15 different pills and medications each night and each morning. Sometimes I wonder if I even need them...

But that's it. And sometimes that has to be enough. Unfortunately some of us don't have the luxury of charcoal face masks every night and cucumbers on the eyes.

But every day you're on this side of the dirt, it's a million dollar day.

So maybe your self care is just brushing your teeth, and your hair?

That's okay.

Maybe you do have time for self care... or maybe you are simply staying alive. Either way, I am so proud of you for where you stand today.

Keep climbing even when your legs hurt. The view is always better at the top.

I love you, and I'll see you soon.

#Lupus #AntiphospholipidSyndrome #self #Bipolar1 #selfcare #MentalHealth

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Autistic grandson #self harm

#Selfharm My 8 year old autistic grandson cut himself with a knife because he was mad. He did it In secrecy at home but told his classmates the next day. The teacher alerted his mother who is also a teacher. I’m so scared for him! Any advice?

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Sharing my vulnerability is so hard #Depression #Anxiety #ADHD #self harm #suicidal thoughts

Crying, I’m not sure I even have the words to explain. Something I have to do, work wise but it’s breaking my heart. Leaving a job that I’ve loved for 15 years, having to say goodbye to so many people who have put their trust and love into
Me. . And starting afresh in a job that I hope I can do, but my heart isn’t there.

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Toxic people #self Care

Do you ever find yourself trying to deal with people who you know in your mind and heart will never change? I fell into that trap with....not a friend but an acquaintance and former business associate. My mistake. An unethical, manipulative victim just like his dad, also part of the business. I quit the job a few weeks ago but still have some dealing with them that I hope to wrap up very soon. Beware! I know you know someone like this.
I had to quit because despite liking the job, the people brought out the worst in me. I encourage you to protect yourself from people like this, in my case they sap my energy, lower my self worth, make me doubt myself and not positive people to be around. Sometimes you just have to write people off to protect yourself. I suppose in my personal life people could say the same of me. I don't know. Arrrgh! Confusing to say the least. That's why I appreciate this site so much. It gives me the opportunity to vent and look at myself so that maybe I can gain some perspective.

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Everything is to much to cope with right now, I can't manage my negative emotions, I want them all to stop 😔

My Dad can be a trigger for me as some of you know. But I still haven't got over what he said to me the other day. I know he comes out with such random stuff but this for me was a big trigger. He randomly said " Had i seen on the news that a 13yr old girl had been raped? " I said no. Then he carried on and on about " How the poor girl will be affected for life and how cruel it was etc etc." I couldn't look at him but could still hear his words. The more he said the more it dug deep into my soul to a point where I nearly screamed at him. I know he is older now but how can he give a girl he doesn't know so much sympathy and yet , when i was raped at 14 he just called me a liar and i shouldn't say such things. We never ever spoke about it again and it left me having to manage so many emotions that i didn't understand . I am still struggling to come to terms with it now. Maybe he doesn't remember what happened to me or surely he would avoid saying anything about things like that.
I got home to then have a phone call , for a once a month check in, from the mental health team. The woman was saying how bad my scores were, 70% chance of suicide, and when is the last time i self harmed. I told her it was Saturday. She abruptly said i shouldn't be cutting myself and i need to lock the knife away. I was crying and said i couldn't at this particular time, i told her mentally I had had a rough few weeks which I am still trying to come to terms with and understand, and today, with dad , just added to my failing to deal with my emotions. She told me things to try. Then she was gone. 15 minutes she was on the phone. She could tell i was upset but that didn't seem to make any difference to her. It left me feeling guilty that i should try harder, i do try but sometimes its so difficult...The way she spoke to me made me feel like I do not matter to anyone, even the health professionals. My two friends who helped me in the beginning have now become really distant. I can't manage all these mixed up feelings right now. Does anyone really care or do people just see me as a burden 😥
#MentalHealth #Depression #Loneliness #self -harm #SuicidalThoughts

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Lunch was yummy

I made a fancy sandwich for lunch today. I put turkey, Colby Jack cheese, and honey mustard on garlic naan. I was super hungry so I also made 7oz of Japanese BBQ rice. It was very good. I've still got a bad migraine and my right hip is throbbing. I took a sumatriptan and a 5mg Norco but it didn't help. I really need to get a heating pad. I'm contemplating taking a nice hot bubble bath to help me feel better. I've got a new bag of Dr teals epsom salt. I usually mix it with mint bubble bath. It's really nice. I've been sipping on some coffee for the last hour. #BackPain #ChronicPain #Migraine #foodieadventures #self care

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It’s been a long time I posted here.. It was due to my exam result.. Yeah,my final result.. And, I did graduated from my college and also with an impressive grade.. Yeah, I mean I didn’t even expect that the result would turn out so good. Cause my depression started for this and the whole year I passed having extreme anxiety and depression.. Cause I was in such stage where I was confused if I can actually sit for the exam or not.. If I look back my past posts here, I would see my fear,anxiety, depression, panic attacks and suicidal attempts and thoughts just because of this exam.. Cause it’s final exam and I had to do it cause I didn’t want to take a break.. I never did.. So,now I am thinking if I could see the 18 years old me, I would have told her that come on, it’s goona be okay.. Yeah, it would be.. You can do it.. I mean just for this, I had to tolerate so many things that I can't express.. I remember my exam was in the next day and I couldn’t even open my books.. I was listening from my friends that they have started before 3 days and here I wasn’t able to do it though the next day was my exam.. It was horrifying.. I still remember I was pulling that thin rubber band and then letting go of it.. It was very painful but that moment I didn’t feel any pain or something.. I still have that picture from that time when my hand was full of red marks due to it.. Also,not to mention, those days where at one point I wanted to give in but I didn’t.. I feel very very proud of myself for not giving up.. I was so insecure and my illnesses was also getting worse at that time.. I mean, diagonised with Major Depressive Disorder just before 2 months before my final exam was never easy.. Also to adjust with it’s medicines, it took me like a month.. And after this, there were just 15 days left for my exam... Oh, I still remember when I used to motivate myself. More likely convincing myself to go for the exams.. I was literally dying at that time.. Yeah, every day and every night I felt like I am dying.. I was not even okay during my exams days cause somehow MDD just made it worse.. So, what should I say.. I am at loss of words.. Also,having this grade was really surprising cause I know how hard it was for me.. Well, I always believed that life is unpredictable.. Yeah,completely... I mean if someone asked me that time, I would've probably cried and said I don’t know.. I am not sure😩.. It was a fight.. And I fought it.. It’s not like I am showing off and all. No, I am not.. Mighty and the mighties have been my part of this journey from the very beginning and that’s why I am sharing this.. You know what if someone asks me about that time, I choose my answer that I Couldn't.. No, it was never that I didn’t.. Rather It was always I couldn’t.. I feel these two things have a very significant meaning.. And, also a very impressive way to get over from your insecurity and the lack of self-confidence.. Also to stop the torture we do to ourselves when we didn’t do anything.. It’s an illness and we can't just skip it.. It’s a part of life.. And I choose to live with it.. I hope sharing my messed up story would help someone who has been going through something like this.. Cause I have faced the worst yet I choose to fight against it.. I just didn’t wanna give up no matter what.. One thing I always believed that people like us can live, can dream and can go for it.. We can cause we are the strongest ever.. Well, this would be my reminder that I am not goona give up and I would fight against the whole world for myself.. I would go for my dreams no matter what and everything.. Cause this illness can't just snitch our rights to live, to dream and to be happy... Dear 18, I did it.. Yes, I did.. And, I believe we all mighties can .. Cause we were always the champions and still we are.. Hope it can be a bit helpful for someone like me... Also,I am grateful to everyone here for being so supportive and amazing💝.. Thanks for being the part of this.. Love and support for everyone 💐💐💐.. #Depression #MentalHealth #Anxiety #MajorDepressiveDisorder #self -appreciation #grateful #mighties

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Tea for the victory

I had a panic attack this morning. I was in a situation that was triggering, and I panicked because I felt helpless.

So….. shower, pjs, comfort soup, and hot tea. Feeling so much better.
#tea #panic #self -care

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Sometimes, we ourselves become our biggest enemy ending up hurting ourselves the way no one can. Yes, sometimes we just become so cruel to ourselves. Trying to impose everything and then going into depression that why can't we do that and all.. But, we forget to appreciate how much struggles we are having and how brave we have been to overcome this. Fighting against every odds to live a normal life though we are severely mentally damaged. Our every steps for living is sure praiseworthy cause being alive is the biggest challenge for us. Our life is not the same like others. No,it was never. We have been fighting for our life and we know we have problems. Anxiety, depression and many more which can just trigger us anytime. Well,it doesn’t have any specific reason. Feeling upset, lost and hopeless nothing seems to be new to me. Well, thrle way we think life would go, maybe it won't turn out like that cause there is no guarantee. But, we are alive.. Didn't just give up,didn’t just commit suicide.. Trying our best to hang in there. Life was never straight line for us.. From the very beginning of this.. Then,suddenly it won't be just good right.. Still, whatever happens or whatever we are doing to live deserve appreciation. Appreciation for living. For doing as much as we are able to when getting up from bed seems the hardest thing. So,we have to appreciate ourselves.. Support our inner self for being so brave.. Whatever happens is filled with million hopes and positivity. We should be satisfied with how much we are doing. Let's appreciate ourselves and let's just live on however it is.. #Depression #MentalHealth #Anxiety #self -appreciation

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