Lately, I’ve been having a hard time doing the things that I need to do to get better. Everything is just so difficult and it’s hard to keep going when you feel like nothing you do is making a difference. This seems to be the downfall of most mentally ill people I’ve met who aren’t (currently) recovering, and miserable people in general, so I think this is an important topic.
One of my old therapists told me that physical recharging, by sleeping and resting, is only one type of recharging. She said that we also need spiritual/emotional recharging, to replenish our will to keep living/trying, or we become the kind of tired that sleep can’t fix.
Usually, I get this spiritual/emotional recharge by avoiding all responsibilities for weeks at a time, after I burn out so hard that it all feels impossible. I’ve been trying to find healthier ways to do this, so I’m wondering how you guys do it.
So far some things that I’ve found that help a bit are: thinking about the things I want to do in life that I haven’t done yet, receiving affection/validation from other people, feeling a connection with people, watching a good, inspiring movie (especially Studio Ghibli), having a fun day or night out, going on vacation, learn something new and interesting, and being in nature. I think these things would count as good stress in the PTSD cup analogy
One of my old therapists told me that physical recharging, by sleeping and resting, is only one type of recharging. She said that we also need spiritual/emotional recharging, to replenish our will to keep living/trying, or we become the kind of tired that sleep can’t fix.
Usually, I get this spiritual/emotional recharge by avoiding all responsibilities for weeks at a time, after I burn out so hard that it all feels impossible. I’ve been trying to find healthier ways to do this, so I’m wondering how you guys do it.
So far some things that I’ve found that help a bit are: thinking about the things I want to do in life that I haven’t done yet, receiving affection/validation from other people, feeling a connection with people, watching a good, inspiring movie (especially Studio Ghibli), having a fun day or night out, going on vacation, learn something new and interesting, and being in nature. I think these things would count as good stress in the PTSD cup analogy