Hello everyone and massive great big
to you all. Yes, struggling here too. Crying, feeling almost unable to string a sentence together some days, overeating, not exercising enough, role playing shouting and throwing things in my head (but not acting on those impulses), rowing with DH - and we never row. Grim really. But it is up and down (I can't be down when my kids are, they need me to lean on).
I've started some counselling over the phone (via employers employees support service - if you have one, use it). The lady counsellor was saying that even the most high achieving, go-getter, self motivated type people are struggling this time. The combination of a tantalising peep at normality in late summer, combined with the never endingness of the current lockdown, the claustrophobic stuck inside, pressures of kids and schools, and the scary reality is putting people into overload.
Someone mentioned walking earlier. Counsellor lady said that When depressed it's really hard to do anything, even when we know it will do us good, and logistically it's really hard. We will trot out all sorts of barriers and reasons not to do things that could help (even a tiny bit), so I wasn't surprised when I saw another poster saying 'it's not that easy'. She's right, it isn't, but it is still a good idea.
I'm still in a shit state but this is what I've found helps (a bit, and may not for you, but hey I hope it does help)
-Keep washing and putting on clean clothes every day (if nothing else it will give the ironers something else to do
)
- Breathe deeply at least once a day. -it's calming (put a reminder in your phone to do it )
- Schedule a walk with a friend (take kids out of 'school' if necessary to do this to come with.) - a regular day(s) of the week and time, meeting at a particular spot. Allow at least an hour. If you make the promise to your friend , you can't let them down, even if it is raining. The scheduling/promising a friend part makes a world of difference.
- tell your kids and family how you are feeling. They are likely feeling the same, it really does help to share (I cried in front of my kids a couple of weeks back, and told them that despite a full house I felt so isolated and lonely) we now have dinner together at a set time every night, and that's really helping us to talk and socialise and feel a bit more human. We then all scatter off back to our individual rooms /beds/ sofas because we are frankly sick of the sight of each other
Things that have been less successfull: stopping drinking wine (just can't stop) , a regular exercise programme (just can't start) , good sleep hygiene (just addicted to screen).
The most useful thing is to talk though, keep talking, keep listening. This thread has made me feel less alone already. Knowing that even the toughest MN vipers are feeling shit as well, makes me feel less isolated (sorry about that).
I hope my (bloody hell, long!) post hasn't come across as preachy or inappropriate, I just want (need) to try and help.
Here, have some more of these too
. I hope you have enough vases for that lot.