How Are You, Really?

Rest assured this moment of despair won\u2019t last forever. It will lead into the next moment, which leads into tomorrow, and tomorrow you might feel a bit lighter. But even if you don\u2019t, that\u2019s okay, too. Give yourself permission to feel whatever it is you\u2019re feeling right now, even the tough things\u2014especially<\/i> the tough things. Take time to sleep, to relax, to create, to be alone, to be with good friends, to be among animals and nature\u2014anything to make you feel more at peace and more like yourself.

It may also be worth reaching out to a counselor to talk and unload some of the weight you\u2019ve been carrying around. They can offer a listening ear and encouragement, and they\u2019ll help you develop a plan to move forward. If you\u2019d like to learn more about what therapy can do for you and how to find the right therapist, consider checking out these resources:

• How to Choose a Therapist<\/a><\/li>
• How Do I Find a Good Therapist? (APA)<\/a><\/li>
• How to Stop Anxiety<\/li>
• How to Feel Better<\/a><\/li><\/ul>
  We\u2019re not therapists, and our quiz can\u2019t tell you what specific mental health condition you have. But check out this list of common conditions\u2014maybe one or more will feel accurate to your situation:
  • Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD):<\/b> a type of depression that occurs during specific seasons of the year, often (but not exclusively) fall and winter, and which is accompanied by symptoms like sadness, hopelessness, fatigue, social withdrawal, changes to sleeping, eating, or thinking habits, and lack of concentration.<\/li>
  • Depression:<\/b> a mood disorder characterized by persistent feelings of sadness and a loss of interest in things you once enjoyed, in addition to changes in how you think, eat, sleep, and act.<\/li>
  • Anxiety:<\/b> a mood disorder characterized by persistent dread, fear, unease, racing thoughts, or stress, and which can cause physical symptoms like rapid heartbeat, sweating, or dizziness.<\/li>
  • Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD):<\/b> a mental health condition that may occur after you experience or witness a shocking, dangerous, or frightening event, often accompanied by symptoms such as anxiety, depression, racing thoughts, persistent memories of the event, sleep problems, emotional numbness, avoidant behavior, strong emotional reactions to ordinary things, and more.<\/li>
  • Bipolar Disorder:<\/b> a mental health illness characterized by severe mood swings in addition to changes in energy levels, thinking, behavior, and sleep patterns.<\/li><\/ul>","edit_links":[{"url":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/Choose-a-Therapist"},{"url":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/Have-Hope"}],"link_data":[{"title":"How to Choose a Therapist","id":45124,"url":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/Choose-a-Therapist","image":"\/images\/thumb\/d\/d7\/Stop-Alcohol-Cravings-Step-3-Version-2.jpg\/-crop-200-200-200px-Stop-Alcohol-Cravings-Step-3-Version-2.jpg","alt":"How to Choose a Therapist"},{"title":"How to Have Hope","id":50828,"url":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/Have-Hope","image":"\/images\/thumb\/5\/52\/Have-Hope-Step-19.jpg\/-crop-200-200-200px-Have-Hope-Step-19.jpg","alt":"How to Have Hope"}],"minimum":0,"image":"","image_url":""},{"number":2,"text":"It sounds like you might be struggling a little.","meaning":"Based on your answers, it seems like you may be going through a rough time. Whether something has happened recently that\u2019s negatively affecting your mental and emotional well-being or you deal with poor mental health regularly, we\u2019re sorry to hear you\u2019re struggling. You deserve to feel better.
    
    Rest assured this moment of despair won\u2019t last forever. It will lead into the next moment, which leads into tomorrow, and tomorrow you might feel a bit lighter. But even if you don\u2019t, that\u2019s okay, too. Give yourself permission to feel whatever it is you\u2019re feeling right now, even the tough things\u2014especially<\/i> the tough things. Take time to sleep, to relax, to create, to be alone, to be with good friends, to be among animals and nature\u2014anything to make you feel more at peace and more like yourself.
    
    It may also be worth reaching out to a counselor to talk and unload some of the weight you\u2019ve been carrying around. They can offer a listening ear and encouragement, and they\u2019ll help you develop a plan to move forward. If you\u2019d like to learn more about what therapy can do for you and how to find the right therapist, consider checking out these resources:
    • How to Choose a Therapist<\/a><\/li>
    • How Do I Find a Good Therapist? (APA)<\/a><\/li>
    • How to Stop Anxiety<\/li>
    • How to Feel Better<\/a><\/li><\/ul>
      We\u2019re not therapists, and our quiz can\u2019t tell you what specific mental health condition you have. But check out this list of common conditions\u2014maybe one or more will feel accurate to your situation:
      • Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD):<\/b> a type of depression that occurs during specific seasons of the year, often (but not exclusively) fall and winter, and which is accompanied by symptoms like sadness, hopelessness, fatigue, social withdrawal, changes to sleeping, eating, or thinking habits, and lack of concentration.<\/li>
      • Depression:<\/b> a mood disorder characterized by persistent feelings of sadness and a loss of interest in things you once enjoyed, in addition to changes in how you think, eat, sleep, and act.<\/li>
      • Anxiety:<\/b> a mood disorder characterized by persistent dread, fear, unease, racing thoughts, or stress, and which can cause physical symptoms like rapid heartbeat, sweating, or dizziness.<\/li>
      • Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD):<\/b> a mental health condition that may occur after you experience or witness a shocking, dangerous, or frightening event, often accompanied by symptoms such as anxiety, depression, racing thoughts, persistent memories of the event, sleep problems, emotional numbness, avoidant behavior, strong emotional reactions to ordinary things, and more.<\/li>
      • Bipolar Disorder:<\/b> a mental health illness characterized by severe mood swings in addition to changes in energy levels, thinking, behavior, and sleep patterns.<\/li><\/ul>","edit_links":[{"url":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/Choose-a-Therapist"},{"url":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/Have-Hope"}],"link_data":[{"title":"How to Choose a Therapist","id":45124,"url":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/Choose-a-Therapist","image":"\/images\/thumb\/d\/d7\/Stop-Alcohol-Cravings-Step-3-Version-2.jpg\/-crop-200-200-200px-Stop-Alcohol-Cravings-Step-3-Version-2.jpg","alt":"How to Choose a Therapist"},{"title":"How to Have Hope","id":50828,"url":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/Have-Hope","image":"\/images\/thumb\/5\/52\/Have-Hope-Step-19.jpg\/-crop-200-200-200px-Have-Hope-Step-19.jpg","alt":"How to Have Hope"}],"minimum":0,"image":"","image_url":""},{"number":3,"text":"You're surviving\u2014and that\u2019s amazing.","meaning":"Things may not be great all the time\u2014but they\u2019re not too terrible, either! You might not be living the exact life you want right now, but you\u2019re making do with what you\u2019ve got, and that\u2019s one of the bravest things any of us can do. Remember that just surviving is a radical act in a world that so often seems set up for us to fail. So be sure to take time to rest, play, and give and receive love whenever you can, because survival mode can keep you alive, but it\u2019s not tenable for the long haul!
        
        You deserve the ability to take life slow and to smell the roses once in a while. When you\u2019re constantly on the go, you\u2019re more likely to get burned out. So ask yourself what you can do this week to make space for your soul to rest up and heal from anything it\u2019s been ignoring lately. Take time to sleep, to relax, to create, to be alone, to be with good friends, to be among animals and nature\u2014anything to make you feel more at peace and more like yourself.
        
        It may also be worth reaching out to a counselor to talk and unload some of the weight you may be carrying around. They can offer a listening ear and encouragement, and they\u2019ll help you develop a plan to move forward if you feel in need of some support. If you\u2019d like to learn more about what therapy can do for you and how to find the right therapist, consider checking out these resources:
        • How to Choose a Therapist<\/a><\/li>
        • How Do I Find a Good Therapist? (APA)<\/a><\/li><\/ul>
          We\u2019re not therapists, and our quiz can\u2019t tell you what specific mental health condition you have. But check out this list of common conditions\u2014maybe one or more will feel accurate to your situation:
          • Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD):<\/b> a type of depression that occurs during specific seasons of the year, often (but not exclusively) fall and winter, and which is accompanied by symptoms like sadness, hopelessness, fatigue, social withdrawal, changes to sleeping, eating, or thinking habits, and lack of concentration.<\/li>
          • Depression:<\/b> a mood disorder characterized by persistent feelings of sadness and a loss of interest in things you once enjoyed, in addition to changes in how you think, eat, sleep, and act.<\/li>
          • Anxiety:<\/b> a mood disorder characterized by persistent dread, fear, unease, racing thoughts, or stress, and which can cause physical symptoms like rapid heartbeat, sweating, or dizziness.<\/li>
          • Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD):<\/b> a mental health condition that may occur after you experience or witness a shocking, dangerous, or frightening event, often accompanied by symptoms such as anxiety, depression, racing thoughts, persistent memories of the event, sleep problems, emotional numbness, avoidant behavior, strong emotional reactions to ordinary things, and more.<\/li>
          • Bipolar Disorder:<\/b> a mental health illness characterized by severe mood swings in addition to changes in energy levels, thinking, behavior, and sleep patterns.<\/li><\/ul>","edit_links":[{"url":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/Choose-a-Therapist"},{"url":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/Have-Hope"}],"link_data":[{"title":"How to Choose a Therapist","id":45124,"url":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/Choose-a-Therapist","image":"\/images\/thumb\/d\/d7\/Stop-Alcohol-Cravings-Step-3-Version-2.jpg\/-crop-200-200-200px-Stop-Alcohol-Cravings-Step-3-Version-2.jpg","alt":"How to Choose a Therapist"},{"title":"How to Have Hope","id":50828,"url":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/Have-Hope","image":"\/images\/thumb\/5\/52\/Have-Hope-Step-19.jpg\/-crop-200-200-200px-Have-Hope-Step-19.jpg","alt":"How to Have Hope"}],"minimum":0,"image":"","image_url":""},{"number":4,"text":"You're doing pretty well!","meaning":"Based on your answers, you\u2019re not doing too bad lately. You\u2019ve worked hard to get to this point, no doubt, and it\u2019s paying off. Whether you\u2019ve just had a lot of luck lately, or you\u2019ve worked your butt off to get to a place of peace, joy, and acceptance, it sounds like you\u2019re pretty grounded and able to handle most of what life might throw your way\u2014and if you can\u2019t, you\u2019re equipped to reach out to someone for help.
            
            After all, flourishing isn\u2019t about never being sad or angry or never having disastrous mental health. Instead, it\u2019s about having the tools (and practicing using them) to navigate your feelings and your place in the world, and realizing that no feeling is final, whether good or bad.
            
            Ask yourself what you can do for yourself this week to try to tend to your mental and emotional well-being so that you can enjoy this peace as long as you can. Take time to sleep in, to relax, to create, to be alone, to be with good friends, to be among animals and nature\u2014all the things that will keep you grounded and remind you how good it is to be alive.","edit_links":[{"url":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/Choose-a-Therapist"},{"url":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/Have-Hope"}],"link_data":[{"title":"How to Choose a Therapist","id":45124,"url":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/Choose-a-Therapist","image":"\/images\/thumb\/d\/d7\/Stop-Alcohol-Cravings-Step-3-Version-2.jpg\/-crop-200-200-200px-Stop-Alcohol-Cravings-Step-3-Version-2.jpg","alt":"How to Choose a Therapist"},{"title":"How to Have Hope","id":50828,"url":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/Have-Hope","image":"\/images\/thumb\/5\/52\/Have-Hope-Step-19.jpg\/-crop-200-200-200px-Have-Hope-Step-19.jpg","alt":"How to Have Hope"}],"minimum":0,"image":"","image_url":""},{"number":5,"text":"You're flourishing!","meaning":"Based on your answers, you\u2019re killing it lately. You\u2019ve worked hard to get to this point, no doubt, and it\u2019s paying off. Whether you\u2019ve just had a lot of luck lately, or you\u2019ve worked your butt off to get to a place of peace, joy, and acceptance, it sounds like you\u2019re pretty grounded and able to handle most of what life might throw your way\u2014and if you can\u2019t, you\u2019re equipped to reach out to someone for help.
            
            After all, flourishing isn\u2019t about never being sad or angry or never having disastrous mental health. Instead, it\u2019s about having the tools (and practicing using them) to navigate your feelings and your place in the world, and realizing that no feeling is final, whether good or bad.
            
            Ask yourself what you can do for yourself this week to try to tend to your mental and emotional well-being so that you can enjoy this peace as long as you can. Take time to sleep in, to relax, to create, to be alone, to be with good friends, to be among animals and nature\u2014all the things that will keep you grounded and remind you how good it is to be alive.","edit_links":[{"url":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/Choose-a-Therapist"},{"url":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/Have-Hope"}],"link_data":[{"title":"How to Choose a Therapist","id":45124,"url":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/Choose-a-Therapist","image":"\/images\/thumb\/d\/d7\/Stop-Alcohol-Cravings-Step-3-Version-2.jpg\/-crop-200-200-200px-Stop-Alcohol-Cravings-Step-3-Version-2.jpg","alt":"How to Choose a Therapist"},{"title":"How to Have Hope","id":50828,"url":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/Have-Hope","image":"\/images\/thumb\/5\/52\/Have-Hope-Step-19.jpg\/-crop-200-200-200px-Have-Hope-Step-19.jpg","alt":"How to Have Hope"}],"minimum":0,"image":"","image_url":""},{"number":6,"text":"We\u2019re not really sure how you\u2019re doing.","meaning":"And it sounds like you might not, either\u2014which is, in itself, sort of an answer, isn\u2019t it? In times of distress, we might feel confused about even our own feelings and motives, and we may not trust what we say to ourselves. It can be hard to tell from one day to the next if we\u2019re really OK\u2014or if we\u2019re just burying difficult feelings in order to survive.
            
            This might be a wake-up call to really check in with yourself: maybe try journaling about how you\u2019re feeling, or take a long walk in nature and see what emotions bubble up when left alone in silent meditation. Or maybe it\u2019s time to reach out to someone to talk with, whether it\u2019s a close friend or family member, or a licensed therapist who can help you decode the mystery that is You and develop a plan to move forward.
            
            In the meantime, ask yourself what you can do for yourself this week to try to tend to your mental and emotional well-being. Take time to sleep in, to relax, to create, to be alone, to be with good friends, to be among animals and nature\u2014all the things that will keep you grounded and remind you how good it is to be alive.
            
            We\u2019re not therapists, and our quiz can\u2019t tell you what specific mental health condition you may have. But check out this list of common conditions\u2014maybe one or more will feel accurate to your situation:
            • Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD):<\/b> a type of depression that occurs during specific seasons of the year, often (but not exclusively) fall and winter, and which is accompanied by symptoms like sadness, hopelessness, fatigue, social withdrawal, changes to sleeping, eating, or thinking habits, and lack of concentration.<\/li>
            • Depression:<\/b> a mood disorder characterized by persistent feelings of sadness and a loss of interest in things you once enjoyed, in addition to changes in how you think, eat, sleep, and act.<\/li>
            • Anxiety:<\/b> a mood disorder characterized by persistent dread, fear, unease, racing thoughts, or stress, and which can cause physical symptoms like rapid heartbeat, sweating, or dizziness.<\/li>
            • Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD):<\/b> a mental health condition that may occur after you experience or witness a shocking, dangerous, or frightening event, often accompanied by symptoms such as anxiety, depression, racing thoughts, persistent memories of the event, sleep problems, emotional numbness, avoidant behavior, strong emotional reactions to ordinary things, and more.<\/li>
            • Bipolar Disorder:<\/b> a mental health illness characterized by severe mood swings in addition to changes in energy levels, thinking, behavior, and sleep patterns.<\/li><\/ul>","edit_links":[{"url":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/Choose-a-Therapist"},{"url":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/Have-Hope"}],"link_data":[{"title":"How to Choose a Therapist","id":45124,"url":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/Choose-a-Therapist","image":"\/images\/thumb\/d\/d7\/Stop-Alcohol-Cravings-Step-3-Version-2.jpg\/-crop-200-200-200px-Stop-Alcohol-Cravings-Step-3-Version-2.jpg","alt":"How to Choose a Therapist"},{"title":"How to Have Hope","id":50828,"url":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/Have-Hope","image":"\/images\/thumb\/5\/52\/Have-Hope-Step-19.jpg\/-crop-200-200-200px-Have-Hope-Step-19.jpg","alt":"How to Have Hope"}],"minimum":0,"image":"","image_url":""}]" class="quiz_results_data"/><\/picture>","alt":"How Good Are My Survival Instincts Quiz"},{"title":"What Bird Am I Quiz","id":14464069,"url":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/Bird-Quiz","image":"<\/picture>","alt":"What Bird Am I Quiz"},{"title":"What Type of Witch Am I Quiz","id":13445447,"url":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/What-Type-of-Witch-Am-I","image":"<\/picture>","alt":"What Type of Witch Am I Quiz"}],"number":1},{"text":"The witch\u2019s house","result":"Splendid. We found these quizzes just for you:","next_quizzes":[{"title":"Did My Parents Have a Negative Parenting Style Quiz","id":13840209,"url":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/Negative-Parenting-Test","image":"<\/picture>","alt":"Did My Parents Have a Negative Parenting Style Quiz"},{"title":"How Good Are My Survival Instincts Quiz","id":14585020,"url":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/Survival-Instinct-Quiz","image":"<\/picture>","alt":"How Good Are My Survival Instincts Quiz"},{"title":"What Should I Bake Quiz","id":14588577,"url":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/What-Should-I-Bake","image":"<\/picture>","alt":"What Should I Bake Quiz"}],"number":2}]}" class="quiz_questionnaire_data"/>