Slipping Into Depression: It's OK

"Tomorrow, I'm going to intercept my depression."

Last week I had so many ideas for what to write about: home stuff, art stuff, branding stuff. But over the week icky things kept happening, from getting stood up, to my mom spending a day in the ER.

Now I'm in that place where it's hard to focus when people talk and I have to search my brain for correct social responses, instead of responding authentically. I'm not engaged with much around me. It makes writing difficult. (And eating. And basic hygiene. And getting out of bed.)

I googled "what to do when you feel yourself slipping into depression." As usual, WebMD was the top result and its message upset me. Depressed people isolate themselves, so go be more social? That's called circular logic, WebMD. You try feeling as exhausted as I was spending time with friends yesterday and tell me how social you feel the next day.

I loved, however, TinyBuddha's article on 20 Thoughts to Help Relieve Anxiety and Depression. The author advises us to write a list of reasons why we shouldn't feel bad. It's just like my own article Why Am I Cranky.

Today's curated art prints are "cease 2" and "thirsting plant" by Buddhaweather.

Yes, I knew what to do all along. I have to break down the big, messy numbness into legitimate causes-and-effects. Why does it work? Because there is nothing wrong with my brain chemistry. The fog I feel is my mind trying to protect me when it seems like the problems outweigh the resources to cope with those problems.

So, what are the problems? What makes them okay? That TinyBuddha article has great examples of why the bad is not so bad.

I can work on forgiveness. I can work on acceptance. I can cultivate daily mindfulness.

I am not in the dark.