Traumatic Experiences Community Daily Check-In Friday June 29th 2018

Good morning/afternoon/evening everyone!!

It's midday for me, and I don't know about any of you, but I am TIRED!!

I mean just absolutely drained.

Because it's like 800 billion degrees outside, so I'm sitting here with no lights turned on, and a ceiling fan going above me, and three fans pointed at me, but I'm still just super exhausted from this heat!

Now, normally, when I feel super tired like this, it's not heat related. It's because of all the reasons I found this forum in the first place. So that's what I want to talk about today. Well, sort of. I'm gonna let Savannah Lloyd from The Mighty do the talking for me. Here's her post, What "I'm Tired" Means for People With Mental Illness.

Many people use the expression Im tired when theyve had a lack of sleep or when they feel like they need a nap. When youve got mental health problems, sometimes Im tired can also simply mean youre lacking sleep, but often it means so much more.

When I say Im tired, Im usually not just physically tired. Im emotionally tired. Im holistically tired. Im tired even when Ive spent the entire night sleeping in bed. Im tired even when I dont move all day. Its not just tired eyes and achy muscles. Its not just a yawn and just one more hour in bed. Its getting up and getting dressed in a blur. Brushing your teeth and brushing your hair, and then leaving the house. All whilst tired. Emotionally tired. Numb. Drained. Completely out of it. Lost. But you move on with the day anyway, because there seems to be little acceptance of what mental illness can do to your body.

Not many people ask me if Im OK, but when they do my answer is always the same. Im fine, just tired — and people seem to accept that reply. Tiredness is an accepted feeling — everyone gets it. A long day at work or sitting through a boring lecture. Thats tiredness for many can relate to. But that tiredness isnt lying in bed all day and still feeling like you could sleep for a thousand years. For me, though, thats what tiredness is. Tiredness accompanies my depression and my anxiety. It means lying in bed completely exhausted from life without even falling asleep. It means being spaced out and lost in thought most of the day, because its tiring trying to keep up with people. It means achy eyes and yawns even after 12 hours of sleep. It means not just feeling physically tired, but feeling oh-so much more.

When someone tells you theyre tired, sometimes you need to look beyond their answer. Are they tired? Are they physically tired and need some sleep? Or do they in fact need you. Do they need somebody to look them in the eyes and tell them theyre not fine but that youre there for them? Do they need someone to realize theyre not OK and to offer them a hug? Because I know when I say Im tired, thats what I need.

I dont need sleep or a nap. I need people. I need love. I need understanding.

What does it mean for you? I know for me, I'm usually just so drained, and I feel like I need to nap for like 84 years. But I also usually need help. Because I'm just so tired of having to do everything on my own. I'm so tired of having no one to do anything with. I'm so tired of having no one to come and help me get my place in order. Not to sound super selfish or anything, but we just took care of everything for the widow of one of our patients, and I couldn't help but think that I wish I had people who would come help me. She called us on Friday, and within a week she had food, furniture, bedding, her place was clean and organized, I spent about three hours over there helping her get all of her banking and everything set up on her phone, and I got her set up with a car service because she can't drive. She kept telling me how we were all God's answers to her prayers. She was just so overwhelmed with everything in the couple months after her husband had passed, and she just needed help getting herself back up. I'm overwhelmed. I'm struggling. I need help getting back up. But it's just me. I have to force myself to keep going every day. To get up, go to work, exist as a normal human. But I'm just so tired. That's what tired means to me. Tired means my stress cup is overflowing, and I just need some help bringing it back down. Tired realistically means my cup has been that way for a while, and I'm just running out of fight.

What does tired mean to you?

What do you need when you say you're tired?

What would help bring you back to life?

Let us know, so we can help you when you're too tired to help yourself.

Or just pop in to say hey.

Share as much or as little as you'd like.

We're here for you 😊💜

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