Could You Do It With Pneumonia?
Acts of self-compassion while battling depression
When battling an illness that is invisible to everyone else, yet permeates every waking moment, it can be tough to determine how much you can actually do to help yourself.
It’s tough to strike a balance between going easy and fighting to overcome. Do too much, and you may quickly burn through what little reserves you have. Too little, and you end up mired even deeper in depression.
Every day, for example, I want to write, run a few miles, care for my son, and maybe get some cleaning done. But right now I’m just not well enough to do all of that. And if I tried, I would only be setting myself up for failure. It’s frustrating to accept this because I’m a very goal-oriented person. When I can’t do the things that felt easy just a few weeks ago, I tend to use it as “proof” of my weakness and worthlessness.
In an effort to consciously shift to more compassionate thoughts, I’ve started checking in with myself throughout the day. I assess how I’m feeling and pay attention to what I’m thinking. If I can, I swap negative thoughts for healthier ones.
Here are some common thoughts I have, and how I deal with them.
