Stories of Kindness from Around the World

Recognizing the Need for Help

Imagine suddenly waking up in the middle of the night, gasping for air, heart pounding, feeling tense, jittery, weepy and then experiencing this night after night. The fallout of the lack of sleep was the overwhelming need to lie down mid-afternoon and falling instantly asleep for 2-3 hours. This was my experience throughout the summer of 2021. I did not understand why this happened to me, but it may have been in part the effects the pandemic had on my mental health as well as other worries. And I’m sure I was not alone in this. During the daylight hours I was able to distract myself in various ways but at night during sleep my fears and concerns would come to the surface. I recognized I needed to find ways to deal with my worries in a healthier way. After much resistance I began using a sleep aid medication which worked well. I no longer use it on a regular basis, but it is there if I need it if sleep eludes me for too many nights. I made sure to walk in nature as much as possible and continue to do so. I continued my yoga practice and slowly I found my way back to myself. And then in December 2022 life threw another curve ball into my life. Those nighttime feelings that I described flowed into my days, weepiness, sighing, upset tummy and more. It wasn’t sure where to turn. I listened to my intuition and reached out to a friend who I knew would understand what I was going through. By talking to her, listening to her insightful questions, meditating on my own and going for walks when the weather allows has helped. In recognizing my need for help and reaching out I took the first steps towards healing. I found a counsellor I trust and can talk to on regular basis. In conclusion this is what I would like to say, do not wait until things become critical, reach out, ask for help, talk to family and friends, your doctor or a counsellor. Take time to take care of yourself, you are worth the effort. Picture taken and written by T.C.