It seems as if everything that used to be so mind numbingly easy has become the exact opposite. Have simple things like brushing your teeth and eating become such a lethargic activity that you can never seem to have enough energy to even attempt it? Or maybe it’s more from an academic perspective: your “thing” has become the subject you’re the worst at.  

Why does this happen? Surely there’s got to be a reason. The answer to this is a bit more complicated than you’d think, but it’s simple enough once you get the gist. Everything suddenly becoming so much more difficult can be due to a few reasons: burnout, depression, trying to “cruise through” school only to find out that won’t work and coping with other factors - such as a difficult home life or bullying etc. Each reason has its own symptoms, ways to overcome and battles. However, sometimes it’s a mixture of these things causing this.  

You always see successful people online, living their best lives and earning a lot of money – you may see “aesthetic work videos” but never the reality, so it makes it seem as if you’re doing something wrong when your work doesn’t look remotely like those videos of “successful” people or even “realistic days”. The internet is focussed on crafted imperfection; it’s not real. But it doesn’t stop you from feeling inadequate. Unplugging can help, taking a break from social media or deleting the apps all together - or even just using them to talk to your friends, using the messaging features, are all ways to reduce the feeling of guilt. 

The good thing is that you’re not alone. This happens to a lot of people, but this does not mean that your experience is any less valid. Always seek the advice of a professional before trying any self-medication or following an online tutorial. The only further advice I have is to take it one step at a time. You can work through this. Asking for help and support is not a bad thing, and if it helps, you’re doing the right thing.