Hi. For this past couple of months, I have been struggling with myself emotionally. I do not want to trouble the people around me, so I still try to show up at events and reply to my friends and family. I also made sure that I don’t slip with my tone being sad.
However, by doing so, I feel extra exhausted. It takes alot of energy and I feel like I am constantly performing. What should I do to be okay?
Here are some actions I have taken thinking it will make me feel okay/better:
- Deactivating my Instagram
- Writing in my diary
- Telling myself things will get better (motivational talk)
Hey @breezylamb4943, thank you for sharing this here! Its takes courage to put all this into words, and I appreciate you reaching out 
Whatever you’re describing makes a lot of sense! Showing up physically everywhere while carrying something so heavy inside is genuinely exhausting…and it isn’t a weakness but actually a sign of how much you actually care about those around you! But honestly, over time, the gap between how you feel inside and what you show outside can wear you down in ways that are really hard to explain to others.
I’d like to acknowledge the steps you’ve already taken. You’re showing that a part of you is actively trying to look after yourself, and that matters!
I’m curious about whether these things that you do for yourself bring you relief, or does it feel like the feelings just sit there? Asking because sometimes we do things to cope, but they don’t always get to the root of what’s weighing on us…and from whatever you’ve shared so far, it sounds like what you may need isn’t just to feel okay/better, but to actually feel less alone in what you’re going through!
If you’d like to speak to someone over the phone, you can always reach out to National Mindline 1771, okay? You can call them at 1771/whatsapp them at 66691771. They are available 24/7!
Thank you so much for reply I really appreciate it. To answer your question, the feelings just sit there… I used to attend therapy for a year plus but stopped in Jan 2026 because I felt like i was performing there too. I felt like I kind of knew what kind of answers the therapist was fishing from me to say… So, frankly speaking, I am not sure if talking to someone would help me at the moment. But I really thank you for suggesting and providing me with the different hotlines
Atm, I feel stuck bc I am unsure what other actions I can take to be okay (besides talking to someone). I am open to hear constructive feedbacks and any advise.
Thank you once again!
Hey!
I appreciate you being so open about your experience with therapy This really tells me how self-aware you are. Feeling like you were performing in the therapy room too could mean that that particular approach wasn’t quite the right fit for where you were at.
It also makes sense that you’re hesitant to go back to talking to someone right now…that’s worth honouring!
Since the feelings tend to just sit there…I’m wondering if part of what’s happening is that whatever you’ve been doing sort of aims to manage the feelings, rather than making space to actually feel them? Things like motivational self-talk can sometimes work against us 
It can feel like we’re trying to talk ourselves out of something that actually needs to be heard first!
Here are a few things that might be worth exploring, not as solutions but as gentle experiments Things like creative expression like drawing, music or free-writing w/o any intention of it making sense may help access feelings that words alone can’t quite reach! Other things like physical movement like walking with no destination in mind can create a release that doesn’t require performing or explaining anything.
I’m curious about what actually feeling okay looks like for you, @breezylamb4943. Sometimes thinking about that can help us figure out what’s actually missing!
Thank you for taking the time to write all of this I think what you said about managing the feelings rather than actually making space to feel them really resonated with me.
I do think I tend to rely a lot on trying to rationalise or talk myself out of how I’m feeling instead of actually sitting with it.
I also like the idea of treating these as gentle experiments rather than things I have to “fix.” I think the pressure to make myself feel better sometimes makes me feel like I’m failing when it doesn’t work. I might try some of the creative expression or just going on a walk without having a specific purpose in mind. Thank you for the suggestions! Have a good day ahead
I’m really glad to hear that!
And yes, giving yourself the permission to just be in it, w/o needing it to lead anywhere can really feel strange at first, but it’s often where some real breathing room starts to open up.
I really hope the walk and the creative experiments bring you a little of that!
Take good care of yourself, @breezylamb4943, and I hope the next few days ahead are a little lighter
Hi, I felt like it was only right for me to update you that I tried walking without having a specific goal in mind and honestly, I do feel a little lighter… The feelings are still there, but walking has definitely helped. I’ve started walking almost every day whenever I feel overwhelmed or just need to take a breather, it became my routine.
Thank you. I really appreciate it 