Have you ever mixed Mentos with Coca-Cola and watch it blow up in a rain of corn syrup and stickiness? That’s what depression mixed with anxiety feels like. Especially when you hold those feelings inside because you don’t want to be a burden on others, but holding those feelings then becomes a burden to you. The more you try to function in everyday life, the more you shake the bottle. Eventually, you will blow up; then
This is why it’s important, to be honest with yourself about how you feel. Once I wrote a post called, It’s Okay Not to be Okay, because sometimes society pressures you to be perfect. But ask any psychologist, healer or preacher and they will all say that keeping your feelings inside is bad for your mental health. It’ll affect how you sleep, your appetite, how you interact with people, and etc. Plus, it makes it hard for God to get through to you, when you have all that negativity built up inside you, there is no room to invite Creator.
I can say that I have a habit of keeping quiet about how I feel because I never really believed my voice mattered. That’s how I became a writer when I was little I had stacks of journals full of short stories and rants. Now that I am older and in a relationship, I realize that verbally talking about how I feel helps me write better. I try my best not to mix my Mentos with my Coca-Cola, call it conditioning of my upbringing, but I do. I’m starting to understand that my feelings do matter, and I shouldn’t hold anything in if I feel upset.
Your feelings are valid, it’s okay to be upset and work through those emotions. Surround yourself with people that you feel safe opening up to. You aren’t doing anyone any favors by keeping those feelings inside and you’re definitely not doing yourself any favors. Eventually, the bottle can’t hold any more pressure, then it bursts. Remember to take care of yourself, you deserve it.
