I can usually tell when I’m having a hard time, even if it takes me a while to realize that it’s more than merely a rough day or a rough week. Ever since a few days before my dog Sawyer’s death, I’ve felt upset and on edge; I’ve felt that way even more since I lost him. Before I can do anything to feel better, I have to first notice that I’m feeling bad. Here are some signs that I’m having a hard time.
- Sleep issues: disruptions, waking up in the night, trouble falling asleep, trouble staying asleep, trouble going back to sleep after waking up, feeling tired regardless of sleep quality, consistently staying up late, consistently sleeping in late, not getting enough sleep, not getting enough quality sleep
- Stomach issues: little to no appetite, getting full with an amount of food that normally would leave me still feeling hungry, lots of nausea, some cramps, using medicine to settle my stomach
- Trouble starting and finishing things: taking a long time to complete even simple tasks, taking three or more days to watch a relatively short video, putting lots of things off until later, spending hardly any time pursuing my hobbies and passions
- Feeling spacey: having trouble finishing my thoughts and sentences, forgetting what I was about to do or have already done, forgetting what I was saying while saying it, doing some things multiple times, having almost constant brain fog, losing all track of time
- Neglecting self-care: not working through emotions as much, not stretching as much, getting caught up in negative thoughts and self-talk, not doing many things I deeply enjoy, observing pointless drama instead of ignoring it, taking shallow breaths through my mouth instead of deep breaths through my nose
- Distractions: constantly being on one or more electronic devices, spending lots of time on social media, watching videos endlessly, never being present in the moment, always looking ahead to the next thing, not enjoying what I’m doing at the time, almost always wanting to talk to someone I trust
- Dwelling on the past: reminiscing endlessly about good times, wishing I could go back to live in my favorite moments forever, wanting to avoid the present, dreading the future, thinking all my best days are behind me, remembering past difficult seasons of my life, longing for what I once had
- Struggling in conversation: having little to nothing to say, not wanting to engage, mostly responding rather than initiating, preferring to observe rather than participate, stumbling over my words, feeling anxious instead of calm even around friends
- Isolating myself: spending even more time by myself, spending lots of time around the house, being way less social even when I go out, feeling and acting small in public, wanting to go home shortly after leaving the house