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aliasjennica's avatar

Teaching has always brough me so much joy, but this year almost broke me. Watching my students struggle and not being able to connect with them how I have before broke my heart. My mental health took a few dives, so I started writing more and posting my poetry on my Instagram. Having total strangers comment from time to time has helped me feel less alone.

Some days are full of sun and hope and thankfulness, and then other days I wake up smothered by depression and argue with the dangerous thoughts inside my head.

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Adriana Chupak's avatar

I’m actually feeling hopeful and better than I have in a long while. The first thing that did it for me was having a nervous breakdown in my therapist’s office and us looking at another pharmaceutical regimen. I’m not ashamed or embarrassed that I needed more meds to stabilize. It’s been a rough go the past year and a 1/2.... It honestly saved me and my perspective of this life in general. I turned into a pretty irritable, pessimistic, and depressed individual. The second was completely staying away from social media. I just can’t anymore, even if it means the FOMO effect. The third was getting vaccinated, whether they work or not, lol. I just felt shielded and more comfortable in public and around others. The fourth is that my husband has been finding ways to cope better with working 15 hour days from home, on the computer, w/o a break. He’s an OCD perfectionist, extremely sensitive, a worrier at heart (just like his wife) and this Pandemic broke him... and tested us. There was nothing I could do to help him and it was breaking me. We worked together, we fought, we communicated, we ignored, we cried, we loved, we hated. And we’re stronger than ever. The outdoors and working out became his escape and release. And I’m proud as fuck of him.❤️

I will be traveling from NY—>FL in a couple weeks to see my parents and I’m nervous, yet excited. I haven’t seen them in a very long time, and I just feel blessed that they made it through this shit storm so that I can go visit them.

So overall, I can’t complain, I won’t complain. We still have an income coming in, a roof over our heads, and food and clothing on our backs. Yes I miss concerts, traveling, road trips, Mets games, foodie adventures, Biergartens, but I’m confident they’re ready for us just as much as we’re ready for them.

If anyone out there is really having difficulty, find someone to talk to and try different options. Thank heavens for Tyler and Sarah, whom have really kept me going this last year.

I feel like normalcy is returning here in upstate NY, I can’t speak for those in other parts of the country. But I sure as hell hope everyone out there is starting to feel that spark of light and life again. 💫✨💖

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