Loneliness. It is Unique.

Tears. That is how I woke up this morning. Did anyone else envision that their life would include physical distancing, homeschooling, working from home? Today is one of my bad days. Coffee spilled all over my desk, computer, phone. Kids running around the house screaming. Trying to just survive much less thrive has become a new source of stress. I’m trying to keep it together so my kids don’t grow up to be anxiety ridden adults.

How are you supposed to pour from your own cup when you have nothing left? How are you supposed to give and provide for your children without having a sane mind yourself? This is where it gets choppy. Even in the best circumstances, being a parent is challenging. Impossible expectations to work, to provide, to nurture, to make these little people thrive. Then add a pandemic on top of that and we are supposed to be able to handle it all?

On a good day, I struggle trying to juggle it all. This new situation has virtually stripped away my support system. I can’t help but think about all of those individuals who are struggling with ongoing and persistent depression. What they must feel like? I imagine it is something like how I feel right now, but all the time. This has given me a completely new outlook on how we should be supporting those with untreated depression.

We need to be creating a network of support to make sure we are providing care and love for those around us. We need to learn how to recognize those who need intervention. As I have finished my training to help those around recognize someone who might be having suicidal thoughts, I have also found myself realizing this intervention needs to happen much more widely than just interveneing when someone has thoughts of suicide. We need to step up and recognize when a friend is having a bad day. We need to step up and give a supportive hand when we see someone struggling with trauma. We need to be finding consistent ways, so maybe we can prevent the people around us from getting to a point where they are having those thoughts of suicide.

Even if we can’t give someone a hug or be there sitting next to them, if you see someone struggling this week, drop them off a coffee, order them dinner, send them a letter, remind them that even though you can’t be physically near them, that you recognize what they are going through. Even though we are all going through this together, don’t forget that the alone feeling is very real and very individualized. You are not alone. You are loved. You are important.