Black women & high-functioning depression.
Let’s talk about high-functioning depression and anxiety. High-functioning depression as a black woman can be scary. Often, we (black women), aren’t allowed the soft space to release the weight we carry so gracefully even when what’s being carried is extremely heavy. And when we don’t verbally express our frustrations it can be hard for others to tell we are hurting. Simply because we don’t always present ourselves as someone who is falling apart.
What is high-functioning depression? High-functioning depression is the ability to still perform daily tasks and responsibilities while internally still feeling the feels of sadness, worry, or anxiousness.
It can be easy to distract yourself when you are consistently filling your time with mindless tasks. Along with taking care of everyone and everything else including: work, kids, significant others, family members, friends, pets, keeping the house clean and tidy, bills, etc. This can leave you feeling either burnt-out, angry, empty, depressed. You might even feel like you’re failing.You are not.
Let’s make one thing clear. It’s okay to prioritize you! Depression doesn’t need a reason, anxiety doesn’t listen to rationale, and trauma doesn’t care how much time has passed. Your feelings are real and valid. Pour into yourself first.
Whenever you catch yourself getting overwhelmed or giving someone or something too much energy, call all your power back to you. Say a mantra. Literally speak it out loud. Nothing should ever feel more important than restoring and rebalancing your energy when things start to feel “off”.
The solution: Self-care, self-care, self care! Taking the time to cater to your needs is the quickest way to return to yourself. Some ways in which you can self-care include:
Meditating
Cooking yourself a nice meal
Going for a nature walk
Reading
Journaling
Treating yourself to something special
Talking to a therapist
Catch up on rest
Going to the gym
Taking a bath
Dancing in the mirror
Doing a 20 minute yoga session
Taking up a new and fun hobby
Taking a well deserved vacation
After showering yourself with the love you deserve don’t forget to also show yourself grace. This life shit is hard. It’s okay not to have everything figured out, and not everything is going to make sense. You have to find the peace in that. And you will.