My friend reached out abt their spouse earlier today. Unfortunately they’ve been out of work, in bed, even crying for the last 2 wks. Bc it’s been 2 wks, they forced themselves up today, off of the slight amount of energy they’d conserved in bed, & got back into work.
(To be fair, I’m being vague to protect anonymity, but I always find it helpful when the stories shared are real life ones that many can relate to).
My friend asked me what to do next. I answered by saying – “Unfortunately you’re not going to like this, but this is going to be a cycle that just leads down a rabbit hole. You can’t empty your well that much…Rest for 2 wks….Feel the slightest bit better, & so that your career isn’t jeopardized, go back in…& then assume that just getting back to work w small energy reserves built up will be enough momentum to propel them to health.”
I wish this weren’t the case. I wish it was something you could just rest & sleep off, & that you’d get “better.” But arteries don’t get better just bc you stop eating salami & cheese for lunch every day. You have to change your diet, eat better, exercise, etc.
We call the practices we recommend “STARR” – Stress & Trauma, ACTIVE Release & Rewiring. Why active? Bc unfortunately you can’t rinse, wash & repeat, just trying to sleep more, & start to get better when your MH is suffering. Healing takes Active work – mediation, yoga, breathing practices, tapping, nutrition changes, etc.
It’s unfair that most/all companies still aren’t accepting of MH declines. I know it sucks – especially in the face of mortgages, kids & other expenses, to have to actually take off from work (if that’s what’s necessitated), to heal – even go to a retreat.
Maybe you don’t have to take off & you can build a routine – during lunch, & when you get home, where you can do STARR types of practices & “fill your tank” & still manage it all while treading water a bit at work.
However, please, in the face of so many losses we’re seeing, I’m asking you or a loved one to consider – though it may cause a financial strain, though it may halt your career for some time…isn’t your life worth it?
