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I think one of the kindest things you can do for people with various mental health struggles is just... let people back into your life after they've been absent for a while.

Making friends as an adult is so fucking hard already and isolating yourself from other people is a very common symptom of depression, anxiety, burnout, ocd, trauma, grief, etc. Which means that someone will do the hard work of recovery/healing and resurface back into a world where their previous friends have written them off because they stopped showing up.

So if you know someone where you're like "yeah we could have been better friends but they fell off the map a bit" and that person suddenly reaches out, or starts showing up to events even though you kind of forgot they were still in the group chat... well they may have been Going Through It and you don't actually have to punish them for their absence you can just be glad that they're back.

things people don’t talk about enough with cptsd:

feeling like you’re back in traumatic situations when you get triggered/overreacting to perceived threats

not trusting people easily and pushing people away when triggered

increased risk of ending up in abusive/toxic environments

feeling exhausted for long periods of time

physical symptoms like nausea, migraines, body pain

regularly feeling guilty or embarrassed

feeling “different”, “damaged”, or “dirty”

not trusting your own feelings

relapsing after a major trigger

being uncertain of identity

intrusive thoughts of being harmed

experiencing age regression

compulsive masturbation/hypersexuality

attempts to avoid abandonment

over-communicating while feeling scared of true vulnerability

addictive and adrenaline-seeking personality traits

feeling the need to keep things secret or rebel

But let's be honest,

it wasn't that you loved me,

it was simply that you needed me

to complete your checklist.

You needed me to listen to your stories

and tell you that you are right,

and keep your ego

always polished and shiny.

And it wasn't that I loved you,

I just wanted so desperately to be wanted.

I needed to feel leaned on,

and wanted you to fill my ache.

I was so young and misguided,

that I didn't know what love was,

or how to even apply it.

I didn't even know that love was missing

between us.

@hopehealingarts on ig

And when someone you care about has a mental health crisis, please keep in mind that it's not About You™️. They are not doing it to you, or because of you, or because they don't value your love. And they can't stop it because it's upsetting you or triggering you. Because it's just NOT about you. Don't make it about you

Love seeing little pawprints. So fucking magical. There was a little guy here.

You don't have to force yourself to bounce back so quickly. I read something recently that said "when you come in from a rainstorm, you don't expect yourself to be dry and warm right away", and it really resonated with me. It's okay to take time to dry off and warm up. Take the time you need to process what happened to you.

holding yourself accountable and tearing yourself down are two different things