It’s really no big deal

Sometimes we’ll notice a problem. We will feel uneasy about something. We question ourselves thinking “this isn’t normal…is it?” Then it happens again. We have trouble sleeping. We find ourselves tearing up for no reason. We stop enjoying things that used to make us happy. After “this isn’t normal is it?” comes “Whatever this is I’m sure it will get better by itself.”  Whatever this problem is…it will go away. We hesitate to ask for help. We don’t want to bother our family or friends with our problems AGAIN. We DECIDE “It’s really no big deal.” In the shrink world we call this minimizing.

Problems that start small almost always grow big. What starts as a dilemma or a conflict can turn into a crisis if it’s not attended to. The most responsible people are afraid to ask for help. People who are caretakers, or “the rock in the family” tend to shrug off self-care.

My proposal goes like this: If your best friend was experiencing the same symptoms what would you tell them to do? What advice would you give them?

Ask for help! Talk about it. You don’t have to do it alone.