Crying as therapy



Every person will deal with their mental illness differently but I recognise a pattern to the way I feel and react. Negative feelings build up but I continue to pretend that all is well and try to use my coping strategies to lift the way I feel. Sometimes I can think my way through these critical times but usually, I get to bursting point and have to cry.
I find an excuse to be on my own and just let go of my emotions. Crying is quite cathartic for me, but I understand that seeing me like that can be disturbing for those around me. I could feel ashamed because all my life I have been told that men don’t cry but I don’t because I have learned that these ‘old school’ attitudes are destructive of my self-esteem. I now understand that holding emotions in and pretending all is well, leads to many men ending their lives. I may have a mental illness but I’m not stupid. If I need to talk, then I will talk and if I need to cry, I will cry.
Crying is like a cleansing of my mind and body. It allows me to set down my burden for a while and begin again to challenge my depression. It is a way of resetting my mind. This vital coping strategy is nature’s way of protecting me. Crying is not a worsening of my condition but a helping hand to recovery.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Isaac's Birthday

 It is that time of year again. Dark and short days and cold weather keeping us indoors. We can look forward to Christmas and for some, there is pleasure in the anticipation of family celebrations and the reaching of the shortest day with a promise of spring to come. But Christmas can be hard for many people. Those who are struggling to keep warm, those on the streets, and those who are dealing with illness and loss. There will be people on their own and people who are struggling with depression who can see little joy in the world around them. For me and those I love, Christmas is a time for celebrating but also remembering. Christmas and birthdays were Isaac’s great love and now he has been taken from us it is easy to believe that those wonderful days are somehow tarnished. His excitement was infectious, and we all bathed in his childlike delight. It’s almost two years since we lost Isaac and today would have been his 25 th birthday. I miss him so much and feel very down this morning
Read more

Decorating

 Just when I think I’m getting a grip on my mental health, I find circumstances change and I’m plunged into a mental crisis. It started with an innocuous agreement that we needed a new couch. That didn’t seem too bad, but it didn’t end there. We have now bought a new couch to be delivered on the 30 th of November, a new carpet to be delivered on the 15 th of November, and a new chair, to be delivered on the 27 th of November. We had the old fireplace removed, the chimney breast replastered, and a new fire surround fitted in October. My wife has painted all the walls in the long sitting room/diner and my role included the removal of the carpets and underlay and taking them to the recycling centre. Also, all the books and small furniture had to be carried upstairs and now fill the landing and spare room.  I thought that if we brought in professional help and did not try to do everything ourselves, I would cope much better, but I found myself in a very anxious state this morning. Tryin
Read more

AMC the patchwork quilt

 Andy’s Man Club is like a patchwork quilt. It is made up of lots of different bits that come together to make something positive and functional. Last night I talked to people suffering from grief, family problems, physical ill health, and deep emotional trauma. Some had little to say, and some spoke at length. Most men in the group were gentle types who might not speak out in other situations. Some are content that their comments, brief as they are, are taken seriously and advice given. Often advice is redundant since they just need to say out loud how they are feeling. Those of us who are in long-term therapy can talk endlessly about the small steps we are taking to recover from childhood trauma. It is fascinating to listen to each contribution and to know we are making a difference. It is always good to meet new members but also to rotate people in the groups so that we all get to know each other. Not everyone moves groups because the lead Facilitator understands that some people ne
Read more