I Know Things Are Hard, But You Still Have to Do Those Dishes

Let's take a moment to talk about mental health and what your responsibilities are.

I'm a bona fide Depressed Person™ who also has anxiety and PTSD. Or you can just say CPTSD and be done with it. This year has been incredibly difficult for me. I went through the worst physical pain of my life, I lost my darling friend to suicide, and just a bunch of other bull butter has happened to keep my stress high and my spirits low. All this is to say, that I empathize deeply with mental illness. But you still have to do the dishes.

Am I saying this for my benefit? Absolutely. I must get up off my ample buttocks and scrub some things, including said buttocks, even when it seems like the most insurmountable thing in the world.

For folks who don't have a mental illness, it may be incredibly puzzling why it's so hard for a person in a depressive episode to shower. Trust me, we don't understand it either, but it's about as appealing as stepping on broken glass. Even though we all know that once we get in the shower, we won't want to leave.

It's absolutely okay to not be okay, and it's okay to do what you can now and work your way up to The Thing That Is Currently Impossible to Do. Can't do the dishes? Put the clean ones in the drainer up. Can't take a shower? Take a bath, or use a facial cleansing cloth to get the dirt off your face. Baby steps are okay, but you must step up.

Game-ifying is a great way to get yourself motivated. Write a list of everything you might possibly want to get done, even seemingly nothing things, like putting on deodorant. When you complete an action, check it off. You will be rewarded with a microdose of that sweet sweet serotonin and that might even add up to a few moments of peace or even happiness.

I believe in you. I know it's incredibly hard work, but you are capable of it. I need you to do these things because they are the things that will create wellness over time for you. A horrible environment is not going to help you. Beating yourself up for the things you didn't do won't help you either. So this is my little shove to get you in that shower.

If you are struggling, I encourage you to seek professional help. It has done me a world of good. Work2BeWell is a good start. And as always, if you are experiencing suicidal thoughts, get help immediately by calling 800-273-8255 or by going to your nearest emergency room. You are so valuable.