Dear friends,
We are entering the Christmas season, a time associated with joy and good cheer. But for many of us, including myself, it can be a particularly difficult time. Last Christmas, I found myself on a month-long mental health leave at the end of a bumpy year where we had moved many times and finally found a landing spot and a new job.
Then I found myself unable to sleep, consumed with worry, and finally, off of work.
I share this in case this time of year is hard for you as well. Know that you aren't alone.
Even today, as I write this, I am struggling with an adjusted dose of medication, leaving me with mood changes (negative outlook, irritability) and challenges focusing. I share this not to complain, but to illustrate how these struggles are ongoing and real.
When my wife asked how I was feeling today, I felt the urge to say, "Not too bad," even though the answer in my head was, "Desperate. Terrible."
I found other words. I told her that I was experiencing side effects and that it hasn't been easy. I told her that it is hard to be honest because it feels like whining and complaining. But she is my partner and needs to know what's going on. Sometimes the hardest conversations are the most important ones.
It also helped that she was able to empathize and remind me that she sees a good person when she looks at me.
I want to encourage you all to keep talking. Give yourself permission to feel whatever you feel during the holidays - joy, sadness, or anything in between - and don't lose hope because your experience looks different from the 'perfect' holiday images we see everywhere.
Let me know below if this resonates with you.
PS. In case you missed it earlier this week, Lisa shares some strategies for managing resentment when mental illness shows up. Catch that here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iwvUfHk9_88?si=BSKe0pUB1Efoo5Ks
Lisa recently went to see Pixar's Inside Out 2. Portraying some of the challenging realities of puberty, the film really shined in its portrayal of how anxiety paralyses us. Lisa gives an in-depth reaction to the film. Here is a clip, and click below if to see her whole reaction video.
Have you or your spouse experienced paralyzing anxiety? Any tips to share?
Here is a clip from a new conversation Lisa and I did on growing near to God while experiencing mental illness or loving someone who is. Full video at link below!
Happy Victoria Day to all who celebrate! On this day of intended leisure, Lisa and I speak about how we sometimes fail to plan for enough of it, and what the impact is on mental health.
Full video here: https://youtu.be/RletPQbHACI?feature=shared
What are some lifestyle tips you've found helps you aid mental health issues in your marriage and family life?
We are Lisa and Josh Canning, and we created this community to help Catholic married couples navigate mental illness in their marriage.
In this community, we’ll be providing regular support via our videos that express our loved, practical experience. But what we really want this to become is a place of true community.
This is where we want you to come when you feel like no one understands you. When you feel shame. When you feel like life is unsustainable and unbearable. We want this to feel like a safe space to be seen and heard and understood.
Mental illness in marriage can be a unique cross. So let’s Persevere Together.
What you can expect here is regular videos and helpful prompts to help you process the emotions that come with mental illness in marriage, and enable you to thrive as a couple.
What we ask of you is to engage as much as you feel comfortable engaging. Be a voice of encouragement and support when you can, and share the weight and emotions you feel when you feel it would be ...
Gerard Manley Hopkins and Sylvia Plath, two remarkable poets, shared a profound struggle with depression, yet their paths diverged dramatically in how they faced their darkness. Hopkins, even in his deepest desolation, found anchor points in his faith - drawing comfort from the Psalms and holding fast to his belief in God's ultimate presence. His poetry reflects this tension between despair and hope, showing how faith can persist even when emotions fail.
Plath's journey took a darker turn. Abandoned by her husband, she found herself without the spiritual moorings that had sustained Hopkins. Her tragic end highlights the devastating impact of feeling utterly alone.
For those who know depression's deep pain, these contrasting stories remind us of an essential truth: there is more beyond the agony of the present moment. Even when our emotions scream otherwise, we can choose to hold onto the knowledge of God's love for us in our woundedness. What anchors of hope - whether scripture, prayer, ...
In today's video, Lisa responds to requests from you and our YouTube commenters to speak about when resentment builds up due to your spouse's mental illness. How do you handle that, when you're already juggling a lot?
I hope this is a help! We think of our members often and lift you up in prayer.
