— 1,402 notes
self care for when you hit rock bottom
i fucking hate self care posts made by neurotypicals so here’s one from someone who Actually Gets It
-can’t shower or take a bath? me either. dry shampoo can make your hair look and feel cleaner, and baby wipes or makeup wipes work great to get the top layer of grime off your skin.
-can’t wash your sheets and make your bed? i feel you. push your blankets out of the way and shake the crumbs off your sheet. it will at least be a bit more comfortable.
-can’t even change out of your dirty pajamas? been there. hit yourself with some febreeze and a lint roller. if you can, brush your hair. if you can’t, hair ties and bobby pins are fantastic.
-can’t make anything to eat? same. if you can, there’s no shame in ordering food. in fact, it’s probably better you eat something rather than go hungry. if you can’t, try and find something that comes pre-made or takes minimal effort to make. at the very least, drink some water.
can’t respond to messages or reach out for help? yeah, i get that. set an alarm for a few hours from now and respond to any messages you need to once you’ve given yourself time to prepare. if they’re Important Messages that need Professional Responses, you can find fill-in-the-blank format rough drafts on google. as far as personal messages go, don’t feel bad for sending a mass “I’m sorry, I’m in a personal emergency right now. I’ll get back to you as soon as I can.” response to everyone.
-can’t even sleep because it’s so bad? asmr videos always knock me out, personally, but i also watch a lot of bob ross. just try to find something quiet and soothing to use as background noise and take your mind off it, or at least give you a more peaceful environment to think about it.
-can’t go for a walk/drive? try opening the blinds or curtains. you’re still exposing yourself to the outside world. baby steps. (i also play animal crossing or sims; it may be virtual but fuck it. i went on a walk.)
-can’t go into work/school? let people know. let your coworkers or classmates know it’s an emergency and you can’t make it. give yourself up to two days, but then you have to go back. ask to have your work emailed to you so you know what you missed.
-can’t brush your teeth and wash your face? makeup or baby wipes and gum or mouthwash. don’t let yourself physically rot bc you’re rotting emotionally.
-remember that you’ve been here before. if you survived then you can survive now. that’s what this is about- survival. you don’t have to be living your Best Life. right now, it’s more than enough that you’re alive.
Excellent advice on all accounts except brushing your teeth. Your teeth are with you your whole life and letting them go even a little bit can follow you for a long time, having bad teeth will affect your self esteem, the way others treat and think of you, and even your overall health(having a toothache can seriously fuck up your day/week/year and can be super expensive to deal with). Frankly, mouthwash alone won’t cut it, and is usually pretty bad for your teeth anyway because it can dry out your mouth and your teeth and gums need to be wet to stay healthy. I’m not saying this to disparage people who already have dental issues, I’m just saying if you can do anything to prevent that you should. When I’m in a really bad way and don’t want to get out of bed I make a point to grab my toothbrush and toothpaste when I go to pee at night, then I brush my teeth in bed. It may sound gross, but when I can’t bring myself to get up to spit in the sink I designate a “spit cup” that I’ll clean out when I feel better. In the same vein (stuff you really can’t let go) I make a point to stock my bedside with jugs of water so that I won’t get dehydrated when I can’t get up and get water in the kitchen.
Also I’d rather recommend Showering than taking baths. By showering you remove all the negative energy of that day and really clean yourself. Sitting in a bath is not really cleansing, plus from personal experience I can tell you that sitting in bath is the perfect situation for overthinking and creating anxiety because you’re not doing anything. So if you have a anxiety disorder you might want to avoid bathing and instead take showers.
