Tag Archives: depression

Processing all of the Attention – 10/13/16

So, I knew that I’d be posting about this interview with Buzz Magazine, and I knew I’d be sharing it with friends and family, and I knew I’d cringe at the video of me talking (one of those things, like people hate it when they hear their voice from the outside). But I never expected this sort of attention or response from it. I didn’t expect the texts and messages of praise and congratulations. Or the high fives and other positive notes from everyone. It feels really good that my little blog has gotten some sort of recognition, and that it is completely as a result of the work I’ve put into it. Take it a step further, and I can attribute the successes of these little achievements to CrossFit. All because I went out on a limb and tried something completely unfathomable and crazy and wild. And I loved it..

Now, I want to take a minute and address my Depression post from over a week ago. Going back and reading it, I’m like oh my god, what was I thinking?? I feel fine right now. Normal, a little stressed, kind of crazy, but overall, at peace with my life. I had a great dinner, it’s Thursday. Work is getting one, customers are happy, the dogs are happy. Life is pretty fucking awesome right this moment. I know it’s not always awesome, and sometimes I break down while I’m driving or when I’m in the middle of working from the sheer weight of everything that’s expected of me, wondering if this is really what I’m supposed to be doing. But right now, it’s all pretty damn good.

With that being said, what I wrote then was absolutely true as of then. That was exactly what I was feeling at that moment. And for me to have gotten to the point where I blogged about it, means it was really intense and very real. I remember feeling completely helpless and held hostage by my emotions. I was so worried that this time, it wasn’t going away. It wasn’t just a phase or a few bad days. It lingered and stayed with me, haunted me. I  know people have read the post, but I don’t know what anyone thinks about it. My first thoughts are, I hope nobody thinks I’m totally off the wall when they read this.. and then I go on to think, well, if I’m feeling this way, then others have to be experiencing this, too. Maybe my posting about it will help others recognize that they aren’t so alone.

I also know that this is one of those topics that is almost completely taboo to bring up in discussion, and that’s fine. It’s a very private, personal experience that most of us aren’t comfortable with sharing. I sound like I’m all big time expert on this shit, but I’m not. I’m just really relieved that I’ve made it over the hump again. I want to thank others for understanding, and for being my friends, through all the ups and downs. Life is good right now, and this is awesome.

Don't worry, I was sitting at a stop light.
Don’t worry, I was sitting at a stop light.

Sadness and Depression – An ongoing struggle – 9/30/16

For as long as I can remember, I have always been sad with bouts of happy sprinkled in. The happy parts never last, and the sad parts always creep back in. I have happy memories, but for every happy memory, I have hundreds of sad ones. Memories of being hurt, rejected, ignored, passed over for other, cooler friends. Being forgotten about, brushed aside. Slighted. Used. Taken advantage of.

I can fake it. I can pretend that life is fucking perfect, but it never has been. It should be. I have everything I could possibly want.

—– Got up and took two GABA —–

I have been on anti-depressants, which I’ve hated and refuse to go back on. I have been to therapy, which sucked. I have tried changing my outlook, my attitude, but it always creeps back up. I have taken up various types of routines, workout regimens, diets, and while I’d say the more rigorous workouts and cleaner diets tend to have the best results, I am still sad.

I can blame hormones, but if I chart it in the calendar, there is no rhyme or reason to it. No hormonal explanation. I have done this for years, and just dealt with it.

All the way through high school, through college, through being a teacher, through being fat, then thin, then fat again. I have always been sad. I smile for all my pictures, I feel good when people are excited to see me, but I also don’t want to let anyone in. Every time I let someone in, I get hurt. Or they end up being a clingy, crazy friend which I feel like I have to sever ties with. Or I just can’t fully connect with them. Or, turns out they’re just being polite, and they don’t wait around long enough to listen to me speak. When I do find someone I can trust, our schedules don’t coincide. I can’t ever talk to them when I feel like I need them. I can never truly connect with others. I crave it so much, too. I absolutely desire human connection on a soulful level.

Two weeks ago, I thought it was hormones, so I let time tell. Last week, I knew it couldn’t possibly still be hormones, but I thought well maybe this month is different. And this week, same. I’m bummed. I feel like life is passing me by.

I hate prescriptions, I hate anti-depressants. Drinking makes me feel like shit. I’m so fucking sore from working out this week that I wisely chose not to go today. I don’t know what to do. My body can only handle so much crossfit for those endorphins. I’m so over yoga, even though I keep thinking I should go back and take a class soon. I know I’ll feel out of place and unwelcome though. Yoga is always a struggle for me. While I may be good at it, I never feel like I really belong. I am always an outsider.

I have never felt accepted, ever, in my life, until I started crossfit. But even crossfit doesn’t always yield the best results. 99% of the time, I leave and I feel amazing, but this week it felt good, but it was so unrewarding, even when I worked harder and pushed myself farther. I left the gym all week long still feeling like something was missing. For the first time in a long time, I didn’t feel better after a workout. It was almost a panicked feeling, because I thought to myself, well what the fuck am I supposed to do now if this doesn’t work?! How much harder can I push myself? Is this what it feels like to have my endorphins give up on me?

—– GABA has kicked in —–

I am tired of feeling like I am missing out on life, but I don’t know what else to do. I have always called bullshit on the mainstream mental health movement. I don’t believe in conventional western medicine. It hasn’t worked. It’s just a way of getting people to become dependent on a slew of prescription drugs that you need other prescription drugs to counteract the side effects for. I believe there are natural treatments for just about everything.

Maybe there is no normal. Maybe this is normal, and after 35 years, you’d think I’d fucking get used to it. I often feel like my problems couldn’t possibly be that big of a deal, compared to what others are struggling with. But goddamn it, this is my life that I need to be responsible for. Knowing that others are suffering or hurting shouldn’t undermine my own issues or struggles, as they are very real to me. And if I feel like something’s not right, I want to honor that feeling and allow myself to discover it and work through it.

I’d also like to point out that right about when my GABA started kicking in, I went from a sad and teary mess, to numb, calm, and apathetic (much more desirable to the former feeling..) I guess there’s my answer for right now.

wtf
life should be amazing.

 

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