There was a recent article about increasing depression and suicidal thoughts related to the coronavirus pandemic. The article suggested ways to spot people who are suffering from depression, loneliness, and mental fatigue by asking the following questions:
- Are they getting up and taking a shower?
- Are they brushing their teeth?
- Are they changing their clothes?
- Are they keeping their place clean?
- Is their refrigerator filled with food or is it not?
- Are they ignoring phone calls and text messages?
- Are they not posting on social media as frequently as they used to?
- Are they declining invitations to virtual holiday celebrations?
The article goes on to say these are people who might need help coping, and that you can show compassion and understanding by talking to people who are depressed and may be having suicidal thoughts.
Ummm, this sounds like me most of the time. I believe it is more from bipolar depression than being COVID-related, but anxiety over current events and the pandemic doesn’t help. I don’t have suicidal thoughts anymore, but sometimes it feels like life is too tiring to keep going. I don’t feel that way very often; usually it is more like a feeling of constant struggle to go on living.
Some days, I feel good, and it is worth the effort to keep living. I try to remember that feeling when I am at my worst.
Swimming Upstream 