I feel like I’m drowning and exploding simultaneously.
Hi. It’s been a while. The nightmares have mostly subsided. But I’m feeling extra depressed again and I’m cutting again and pushing everyone away. Please help.
Help Yourself
- It’s great to hear that your nightmares are lessening!
- When you say that you’re feeling depressed and cutting again, have you taken a look at events in your life that are happening right now that may have led to these feelings? Did something change that would have this effect on you?
- When you say you’re pushing people away, does that include the people you’ve been talking to when you’ve been feeling depressed before this? If they helped you before, maybe try reaching out to them again. If you don’t feel like you can do that, is there someone else you trust that you haven’t talked to before?
- If you’re not currently talking to someone, consider reaching out to a professional who can help you sort through your feelings and help you re-discover coping mechanisms that will assist you.
- Don’t forget, if you’re feeling unsafe, or that you aren’t able to make healthy choices to take care of yourself, there are people out there who can help you. First, you can always call 911 or go to your nearest emergency room. You can also use the hotlines listed below:
National Suicide Hotline
Available 24/7
Helps individuals in suicidal crisis with support
988
https://suicidepreventionlifeline.org
Crisis Textline
Available 24/7
Support to all individuals in crisis
Text “HOME” to 741741
www.crisistextline.org
Consider This
- What healthy coping mechanisms have you used in the past that have worked for you? You may want to try returning to some of those if they were successful before.
- Do you keep a journal? While you’re struggling with who to talk to and how to express yourself, you may want to consider using a journal as an outlet for some of those feelings. Have you thought about writing music or poetry? They’re a little different than a journal entry but still work really well to express yourself.
- Have you considered forcing yourself to leave the house and interact with others? If you find yourself isolating, what activities can you do outside of your home that will expend some energy, initiate conversations or meet new people? Sometimes when people are depressed it becomes difficult to want to be around others. Try putting yourself into situation where you do things you typically enjoy without any expectations. You may just start to enjoy yourself.
- Allow yourself to be sad, and understand that it’s ok. However, remember that you deserve to be safe while you’re at it. When you feel like cutting, think about why you’re doing it and then think about what you can do that would be safer and get the same feeling.
- Remember- you’re important, and you’re worth fighting for!
