Today’s score – 22%

The desire to hide away when depressed is strong. For me anyway. It’s not just that I don’t want to be ‘that’ person who is down AGAIN and potentially causing loved ones to feel uncomfortable, helpless, or to worry, but it’s also that I have limited capacity to listen, be attentive, or even maintain my usual humour or eye contact. I will always have a little capacity but, when its spent, I desperately need to have less to think about. Hiding and being alone can be utter relief.

So how can we still be present and not overcharge ourselves?

• - Watch TV in the same room as our loved ones. In these days of earphones and tablets, it doesn’t have to be the same programme.
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• - Eat out, use our energy to meet a fundamental need whilst not exerting more (shop bought sandwiches, toasted and served with beans, also work here)
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• - Offer your loyalty as a dog (“I’ll be with you on that walk, I don’t think I’ll speak”) - remember they didn’t care that Eeyore was subdued, they needed and welcomed him just as he turned up

What we have is all we can give. Trying to go beyond that is accruing a debt your mind can’t afford.

Love from

The room above the garage

A Moodscope member