On Boredom and Depression

Boredom can aggravate your depression symptoms. It sure does mine. And it's been one of those weeks, can you relate?

Summer Boredom Is Getting To Me

School’s out, so I’m not running around getting lists checked off and projects completed. I’m stuck at home with my daughters who are incredible and amazing and I love them dearly, but they just want to read the same book twelve times and then play with playdoh literally all afternoon. I’m chauffering them to swim lessons, then to the park, then the library, trying to keep our days full and exciting to make up for the sudden lack in my own life.

But…

Can I Be Really Honest?

I’m so bored. I’m not the kind of person who does well with free time because I tend to look at my to-do list and my open calendar and just push things off into one of the many blank squares. But I’m also the kind of person who needs to be working on something meaningful in order to keep on top of my mental health. The last three weeks have seen a significant and marked decrease in my mental health state. Writing, my number one self-care outlet, doesn’t even have the same drive it usually does. I have a half dozen partially written posts for this blog in my line up that just aren’t hitting the mark.

So I’m offering this.

This post, more of a rant really, a way to vent to you, Mama, because you’ve been around BohemiMama long enough to know I’m gonna be real with you and I’m gonna talk about the things us depressed, exhausted Moms need to talk about.

Boredom can aggravate your depression symptoms. It sure does mine. And it's been one of those weeks, can you relate?

So, Summer Break…

Here’s the deal: Summer break is long and hot and empty. Summer break is usually a time of entertaining our kids and sitting by a pool somewhere. If that’s not your thing, then summer can be hard. I’m looking forward to a new year with new students and new lesson plans and all I want is to be in my classroom arranging labs for the coming school year. So summer feels like a chore. I can almost see all you working moms rolling your eyes at me right now. I know… And I’m sorry.

Boredom can really aggravate mental illnesses like depression. When you have lots of free time, you have lots of thinking time. One way I combat that is to keep a running list of things to occupy my time, especially on blue days. Find out more here.

But Mental Illness Isn’t Logical or Considerate

Mental illness makes us discontent with the lives we have. Mental illness makes us feel the weight of guilt as though it’s been doubled or tripled. Mental illness makes us lose interest in the things we once loved. My mental illness leaves me feeling apathetic and lonely even in the best of company. I have a page in my bullet journal filled with ideas for when I’m in a blue place. It’s full of projects because that’s what makes me feel accomplished and fulfilled. So I’m painting my house right now, the entire interior. It’s been nice to slap fresh new paint on the walls and watch the transformation, but it hasn’t helped ease my writer’s block. I’m open to suggestions and I see my therapist later this week, but until then…

Stay strong, talk it out, do something you love. That’s all I can say today, Mama. This journey to mental health isn’t smooth and it isn’t really a destination you finally arrive at one day. So keep fighting and find the help you need to push through blue days or weeks like these.

Blessings,
Jessi

2 thoughts on “On Boredom and Depression

    1. Thank you, Brittany! The bullet journal page has been a life saver on a number of occasions now 🙂 Thanks for reading!

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