I read books saying ‘no matter how we FEEL we should still get on with our day. Our day should never be about how we feel’ Then others saying ‘accept How you feel, don’t push it away, let the feelings be there. Allow yourself to feel every emotion.’ So, I’m sad and depressed and crying all day. What do I do? Cry all day and be there or make myself do things that I feel uncomfortable with. I’m confused.

I relied on this quote a lot last year “Feel the fear and do it anyway”(Susan Jeffers) so if I was feeling like I couldn’t go out or face my day I’d try my best to just face my day anyway even with those feelings. There was one time last year I was caught in the grips of ocd and being beaten down by it, I didn’t want to do anything other than curl up and hide and pray it would just stop but my husband talked me into getting in the car and we took our children to the nearby woods for a walk but I didn’t want to get out the car. My husband guilt tripped me (not in a mean way just he knew what I needed even when I couldn’t see it) by saying he’d got our children out the car and they were ready to go for a walk so I got out the car. I was not wanting to walk or be there, I just wanted to go home, I walked and still felt horrible. It wasn’t until we were nearly back to the car and I realised I’d been looking at the ground most of the time, I wasn’t present, I wasn’t looking around myself, I was so stuck in my head. I looked at the texture of the ground, I looked at the trees, and the way the light was shining through them, I thought about how the air felt on my skin and reminded myself of the mindfulness techniques I’d been learning about in therapy and on the way home those feelings that had been stopping me from being present lifted and I did feel better. I understand it is not always like this, this is just one example after months of work in therapy last year and at the moment I am in another major spike and battling depression along side it and am avoiding most things because like you I am sad too. I feel like I am not worth anything, I feel a weight in me pulling me down as I battle through each day at times just trying to get through the next minute of anxiety and fear. I totally relate to those feelings. Are you in therapy for your OCD and depression? At the moment I am just focusing on getting to my next therapy session next week and relying on my husband and therapist (via email between sessions). Please know you aren’t alone.

“Fear is the mindkiller - I will face my fear and let it pass over and through me. And when the fear has gone there will be nothing. Only I will remain” Feeling emotional and down are natural feelings that, in my opinion, people do not let themselves feel enough. Do not view emotion and tears as a weakness, as stupid. You are strong because of your emotions. I have had many days where I have cried while drawing pictures, while writing, while doing homework - I suggest that you wash your face with a cold wash cloth, do your normal morning routine - don’t think about doing anything except that. And when you’re done with your morning routine pick something to eat and after that make another small decision. You don’t have to go out and conquer the world today - because one thing at time will build up to a day. Do things within the realm of comfort for you. You’re dealing with a lot today. It will get better - I believe in you! You are not alone. ❤️

Hi Whitestar ... Sorry you are hurting ... My advice is a mixture of both ... Let yourself feel sad or anxious or whatever while you do what you would normally do ...

I have read the advice to set aside a designated period of “worry time” each day when you allow yourself to wallow in your emotions but after that switch modes into productive time so that it doesn’t consume you. I think when they say allow yourself to feel the emotions they mean don’t be an emotional stuffer where you numb and bottle everything up until you explode.

Wow thank you so much guys ^^^. Really means a lot to me, from the bottom of my heart. Today was very hard with lots of crying and praying into my pillow & even infront of my family. You guys are really special for lending a listening ear and advice to me ❤️❤️

But I feel crap, stupid and worthless like this. Like I can’t even just go about my day feeling happy ever