Let’s jump right on that elephant and walk it right on out. Yes, I take Prozac. I do not see any difference in taking these types of meds or those for diabetes and hypertension. The more I learn about the brain the more my beliefs are confirmed. Have I mentioned I absolutely love the brain? No, well that’s ok, because none of this is the point of the post.
I will never forget the time I told my therapist I dealt with a difficult situation and how proud I was that I didn’t cry. My therapist looked at me point-blank and asked, “Why are you proud of that?” All the pride and joy I was feeling melted right off, as if in slow motion. They then asked why I didn’t let myself cry. What they really wanted to know is why didn’t I let myself FEEL.
Feelings--that thing many of us try to avoid. In our society, we think that keeping it all together and only showing joy and peace is the ultimate show of strength. After my thunder was stolen, I started to ponder my why. I realized it is because feeling and letting my emotions out showed weakness., especially weakness of faith. Strength is not fake happiness. I abhor the phrase, “Fake it till you make it.” No, that’s not strength. I believe that strength is being knocked down by the hardest and darkest parts of life, yet, still reaching out in all our weakness and ugly crying toward a savior who will pick us up and walk beside us or carry us when needed. We can trust the most shallow all the way to the deepest, most vulnerable parts of ourselves to him. He knows, he understands, and it’s okay to not be okay. It’s okay to feel your emotions, after all, God created us with them. What’s never ok is taking your emotions out on other people or harming yourself.
For a long time, I couldn’t cry no matter how desperately I needed the cleansing release. My SSRI was changed for other reasons, but I realized once my body adjusted that I could cry again. I cry a lot now and it feels so good! You don’t have to show your emotions in public, but please know friend, it's okay to not be okay and to feel all the emotions that are happening. Life is amazing yet also messy and hard. Feelings happen and my friend, that’s ok.
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