Weekly Prompt #27: How are you feeling today?
Welcome back, group! I hope you are all being easy on yourself this week.
Last week we discussed: Think about a metaphor that represents your experience with depression in 2023. Thank you to all who participated and shared their thoughts and questions for discussion. They were thought-provoking questions and thoughts. I hope you all did too. If you didn't share yours, please share them here and I look forward to reading and discussing them with you
This week's prompt: How are you feeling today? Take a moment to reflect on your emotions and permit yourself to experience them fully.
Please know all thoughts and experiences are valid so no matter how small or big it seems, do share with us and we will discuss our thoughts on it together.
@ASilentObserver I am feeling overwhelmed and emotional. My physical health and mental health is at its lowest. I need to message the rooms but can't due to reasons. I need support. My dad just shouted at me and instructed me to not sleep at 8am because he thinks no one my age sleeps at 8 after waking up early. he came in my room and started angrilly talking about how messy my room is but he doesnt know how depressed i am :(. he said i must go to fix my phone and clean the house whilst he works since im not working or in education. He said im useless and wasting my life away. He said if im not working or in education i must help around the house otherwise im not useful. I'm only 18 :(
@nessapressure05 I am so sorry to hear you are feeling overwhelmed and emotional right now. It sounds like the situation with your father has added to your distress. You must be feeling a lot of pressure. Your worth isn't defined by what you do or don't accomplish - you are so much more than what others expect of you. You deserve to feel heard and supported. How are you coping with these difficult feelings in this moment?
@ASilentObserver currently im not coping at all but thanks for your kind words.
@nessapressure05 I'm sorry to hear you're not coping well with these difficult feelings right now. It can be so hard to go through times like this. What's been on your mind the most as you deal with this? Please know you have all of us here with you.
@ASilentObserver that things won't get better i am stuck and things are hopeless.
@ASilentObserver
Dear ASO,
I found a kitten last night. I wasn't going to leave it outside. It was cold. The kitten was crying and seemed desperate.
It was so sweet. I would have kept it if I could afford it. I asked around at work if anyone could take it. Many people also looked around for others to take it. No one called me about it. I had to take it to a kill shelter. They were the only people near who would take her.
I don't want to be responsible for her death. I am in deep grief and tears. I want the kitten back so badly. But I can't afford it and my cat, Chloe, didn't like it.
I don't want her to die.
@purpleTree4652 I can hear how much care you have for this kitten, and how difficult this situation must be for you. The emotions of grief and sadness are understandable given your desire to help. What thoughts have helped you find comfort during this painful time?
@ASilentObserver
A lot of things but this is too painful a subject for me to talk about.
@ASilentObserver very exhausted A little isolated from anyone i know
@ASilentObserver I'm feeling good, the morning was a little rough as I fell into a depression because of my circumstances. But getting out really helped me turn the day around. I had a doctor's appointment and I went to the gym, two wins.
How are you feeling today?
I'm frustrated and I want to tear that caps lock button out of my keyboard. I can't find the word game I was trying to play here. Where are the forums? How do I find the word games? I can't find anything. I was going to play the game, but I couldn't see the latest post. It just showed the poster's name, but not what they had posted. Very frustrating.
Today is the second time this week they forecast a big snowstorm and a snow storm didn't come. I'm glad about that, but I stayed home all day because of the forecast and didn't get anything done.
There have been some people talking about sexual abuse on TV lately, but they talk only about abuse of women and girls. They don't recognize abuse of boys and men. We don't count as human beings.
@WharfRat It seems you are feeling frustrated today from not finding the word game you wanted to play and the weather forecasts not being accurate. It must be disappointing when plans change unexpectedly. I hear your concerns about only certain groups feeling recognized for abuse issues. Feeling unseen can be difficult. What kinds of activities have helped lift your mood in the past when you're feeling this way? We are all here with you.
@ASilentObserver
Telling my story helped, though it was nerve-wracking. I've hoped to tell it to others, but have not had the opportunity to do so.
@ASilentObserver
I'm tired and lethargic. I couldn't be bothered to go outside today. I am hopeful, though.
@MajesticCat34 It sounds like you are experiencing fatigue and lethargy. Maintaining hope even during tiring times speaks to your strength and resilience. What activities or people help energize you on days like this?
@ASilentObserver
Taking a walk outside, trying to tell myself that everything will be ok no matter the outcome
I honestly feel terrible. I just simply want the tears to end. I wish I didn’t have depression, that people would stop saying hurtful things, that i was better, and I just wish so many things. I’m angry and sad and anxious and stressed and I can’t cope.
@Bluecat10 It sounds like you're experiencing a lot of difficult emotions right now. Feeling angry, sad, anxious and stressed can really take a toll. You don't deserve to be on the receiving end of hurtful words. It's understandable that those experiences and living with depression would make coping feel impossible. Your feelings are valid. What feelings are most prominent for you in this moment?
Emptiness, hurt, sadness, frustration
@ASilentObserver
I guess I'm just surviving. Not a lot of emotions going on right now, just kind of on auto-pilot right now.
@JollyRacher It sounds like you are feeling drained right now and just going through the motions. You don't deserve to merely survive - you deserve to truly live. Can you say a bit more about what's contributing to feeling this way? We are all here with you to support.
@ASilentObserver
Parents are just overloading me with all these extra tasks and activities they want me to do. It's like they can't seem to understand how much I already do and then seem shocked when I fall behind on things. Yeah, my grades are slipping when you have me doing three programs at once, plus school and raising and taking care of your children for you. Cleaning the house, making dinner out of thin air, and tending to everyone's emotional needs. How can I not slip up on something? And they're lucky I am only slipping up in one class. I literally have straight A's in all my other classes, I don't know how but am not complaining about that.
