The Difference Between a Bad Day and a Sign You Need Support
You get home after a long day, drop your bag by the door, and immediately start thinking about everything you still need to do tomorrow. Your partner asks what you want for dinner, and you’re annoyed because you genuinely cannot make one more decision today. A friend texts to make plans for the weekend, and even figuring out when you’re free feels like a lot of work.
You tell yourself you’re tired and need a good night’s sleep. Fair enough. Everyone has days like that. When you keep having them, though, it’s hard not to wonder why you’re so irritable lately, why you can’t enjoy your free time, or why the smallest things are getting on your nerves.
When Is It More Than a Bad Day?
A rough week happens. You have deadlines, family stuff, work, school, and about twelve things you keep meaning to take care of. The question is whether you start feeling better once things settle down or whether you’re still lying awake thinking about tomorrow three weeks later.
Take a minute to check in with yourself:
How long have I been feeling this way? Was this just a particularly stressful week, or has it been a while since I actually felt relaxed?
Is it affecting the rest of my life? Am I canceling plans, struggling to focus at work or school, or getting annoyed with people I normally enjoy being around?
Can I actually enjoy my time off? When I finally have a free evening, can I relax, or am I already worrying about everything I need to do tomorrow?
You don’t need to answer yes to every question. It’s just a way to notice whether you’ve had a rough few days or whether feeling this way has become your new normal.
Okay, But Does It Really Count as a Reason to Get Help?
It’s easy to talk yourself out of reaching out. You tell yourself you’ll feel better after midterms, once work calms down, or when you finally get through the list of things you need to do. Then you finish one thing and immediately start worrying about the next.
Honestly, you might feel a little silly bringing it up because you’re still getting everything done. You’re going to work, answering messages, showing up for people, and doing what needs to be done. You just feel completely drained by the time you get a minute to yourself.
You don’t need to wait until you can’t keep up anymore to talk to someone. If you’ve been wondering why you’re so tired, irritable, or on edge lately, that’s a perfectly reasonable thing to bring to therapy.
Want to Talk It Through?
At Cardinal Hope Mental Health Counseling Services, we offer virtual individual therapy for adults located in New York and New Jersey. You can talk about what your days have actually been like and figure out what you’d like to feel different.