It’s Okay to Borrow Body Parts

Every night, I lie in bed and think. How I wish I didn’t. I’m afraid one night I’ll decide to silence my thoughts, to end my frustrations, to permanently rest. I won’t pretend to know how you feel or say I understand what you’re going through. I just want you to know I’m feeling hopeless too.

But see, I’m going through the worst time of my life, and I’ll offer you my shoulder. This should tell you that your family will lend you their spine to give the strength you just can’t find. It’s not a burden; it’s a gift. How we wouldn’t have to live asking how we could have saved a life. But that we’ll have the chance to lend our shoulders, share our spines, extend our arms, and give our hearts.

But even if you share, the thoughts won’t stop. The world can be horrible and devoid of hope. The fact that you feel it in your bones says you’re a better person than most. It’s not pitiful – it’s human nature. It sucks, but you will keep on feeling. Just don’t let yourself drown.

As you empathize with the state of the world, don’t lose yourself. There’s always an answer or a way out. You’ll always have someone.

Consider genetics. Review your family history for signs that what you’re going through is familiar territory. It won’t always be diagnosed, but you might learn about an eccentric uncle or an isolated cousin. This isn’t for you to realize you’re doomed. It helps you make sense of your experience – so you can take control.

Look at psychology. Consider anxiety’s best friend, cognitive distortion. Could you be overmagnifying a minor hurdle? Are there sweeping conclusions involved? You might not find the answers yourself, and even if you do, it helps to have a counselor to help you find the path.

Point towards physiology. Could it be a chemical imbalance? Or a side effect of medication? If so, there’s no shame or weakness in taking antidepressants. Our brains are wired differently. When people lack vitamins, they take a pill. My brain’s not producing enough serotonin, so I take one for that too.

Every night, we lie in bed and think. How we wish we didn’t. We’re afraid – and that’s the point. The future is uncertain and unpolished. But we can borrow someone’s shoulder, review the past, analyze our logic, or blame science. Now, if all of these fail – we’ll still have each other. It’s okay to borrow my shoulder, your parents’ spine, and your friends’ arms.

But if you get so exhausted from your thoughts that you see giving in as the only way out – stop and reach out. Someone will come running. Someone always does. Someone always will.