Hi there,
A little while ago, we posted a very short story we wrote on social media that contains a message you may find helpful to hear :)
A One Minute Story About Guilt-Tripping Yourself When You Have Depression
You know, I often find myself feeling guilty for things that aren't my fault.
For example, my partner having a bad day ... even when they tell me they're upset about their work or something someone in their family said.
Or my children when they're crying ... regardless of what it is they're crying about.
Or my co-workers when they're stressed and overwhelmed ... even when I've already done everything I can to help.
When I told my therapist this, they said that instead of always blaming myself for everything, I should instead try to firstly, ask myself whether if my best friend was in my position, I would similarly blame them (which helps me realise that I'm being overly hard on myself).
And secondly, they suggested trying to replace self-criticism with self-compassion - by telling myself "I'm a good partner / parent / co-worker", etcetera, and then making a list of reasons why this is true.
Of course, it's a brand new way of looking at things for me. But, the more I get used to it, the more I'd also say that it's definitely a better way ❤️❤️
We hope you found this little story helpful, our friend.
All our love,
The Depression Project Team.