A Bandaid For The Blues

I make a lot of leg jokes. Actually, I make a lot of jokes in general. I believe that laughter is the best medicine, and although I don't typically struggle to find my way to a really good belly laugh, I do have moments where nothing feels funny at all. Sometimes the blues take over, and everything feels clouded over by a haze of midnight darkness, like I can't turn the lights back on. Despite knowing that managing my mental health is a lifetime commitment, filled with therapist appointments, affirmations, and a great support system, sometimes I need a little bandaid to help in the healing process so I can carry on living my best life.

For me personally, a bandaid for the blues comes in many forms, spending time with friends, watching a comedy that I've seen a million times, painting something no matter how terrible it comes out, taking a trip to Disney World to ride a rollercoaster so I can scream at the top of my lungs without judgment, etc.

Over time, I have learned that it's NORMAL for me to have brief moments of panic over the fact that my leg will never grow back. And when those moments come, I have a toolbox full of activities, people, and techniques to pull me out of a spiral. Knowing that those tools exist gives me the freedom to try new things and even put myself in environments that could be somewhat triggering. Like when I recently walked into my old cancer center and felt everything come full circle.

If your emotions ranged from extreme joy to deep sadness this week, I get it. Life is messy that way. Please talk to a therapist. But also, please do whatever temporarily snaps you out of your darkness, so long as it's not hurting yourself or others. Bandaids get a bad reputation for not doing much, But they can help prevent further harm to a wound until you get real help. And when you find a reeaaally good one, it might be more therapeutic than you ever thought possible.