#anxiety and depression relief

[thesolarangel]

My shadows

Elrond x reader

(no gender mentioned, no pronouns) · Rating: G · 838 words · No warnings · NO descriptions of panic attacks or similar stuff! No use of Y/N. Sorry for abusing the “...” haha. This fanfic is set in winter! I just needed the ultra cozy vibes for this one. 

summary: Elrond notices that you’re struggling even though you’re trying so hard to hide it. He helps you get through a rough patch.

Also on AO3

Elrond has noticed that there was something off with you recently. You reacted irritably when being asked questions, you had dark circles under your eyes from lack of sleep and you didn’t seem like your usual self.

He goes to your chambers to check on you. He finds you laying on the chaise in the middle of the day, wrapped in a blanket and staring out of the window with a blank face.

“Hey, sweetheart”, he greets you in a warm tone.

You don’t answer and just wrap the blanket tighter around your body.

“Forgive me, I don’t mean to pry, but I’m honestly worried about you… Is there anything I can do for you?” Elrond sits down on the end of the chaise and strokes your thigh gently.

“No!” you snap at him. Shit. You immediately regret it. Societal pressure has been gnawing at you in addition to you struggling mentally. Elrond didn’t have anything to do with this. Tears are forming in your eyes and you squeeze them shut to try to force them away. “I’m so sorry.” you whisper with a trembling voice. 

“It’s okay. This wasn’t directed at me personally, even if I was the one to hear it…” 

He shifts closer and starts stroking your head.

“Your health matters, meleth nín. Body and mind. If you were to break a bone or fall ill with a terrible cold, you would give your body the rest it needs, wouldn’t you?” He smiles at you kindly. “You tell your friends they should look after themselves and take the time and rest they need to recharge… try to apply that to yourself… please.”

“It’s too h–hard… “ And this time, your voice breaks and you start to cry.

“Well, then I’ll help you.” 

Elrond holds you in his arms and lets you sob uncontrollably. “Let it all out, love, it’s okay.”

And all the feelings you’ve been avoiding for the past weeks come crashing down on you. You cry and cry and cry and Elrond holds you, strokes over your hair, caresses your back… 

After a while he begins to softly sing in Sindarin… He has a beautiful voice. Low and melodic he sings while he holds you… The song is unfamiliar to you, but it has a soothing power and you can feel it flow through your body as it slowly regulates your nervous system. The tears are gone and you truly feel better, more balanced, but there’s still this lingering sense of uncertainty and you’re not sure how to move on…

Then Elrond speaks anew: “Meleth nín, please know that this too, shall pass. You might feel like this intense hopelessness and these dark intrusive thoughts will never leave you. But I promise you, they will. You will be your usual funny, cheerful, creative self again.

I am so proud of you. You are such a kind, wonderful person and your friends love you so much.

You don’t need to carry all of this on your own. You can ask for help. I can help you take the weight off. I’m here for you, love.” He places a gentle kiss on your forehead. You look up to him and give him a small smile. His words mean a great deal to you. He’s always there for you no matter what. And you trust him.

“So… what do you say about a warm bath? While I make you some food?” he asks hopefully.

“A bath sounds amazing actually…” you answer hoarsely. All this crying has done a number on your voice.

“I’m glad. Then I’ll get it ready for you and you choose something comfortable to wear afterwards, alright?”

Elrond runs you a bath with your favorite essential oils and lights some candles in the bathroom so that you have it extra cozy.

You greatly enjoy soaking in the warm water and it smells so good. After a good half hour you’re starting to get a little sleepy so you get out of the bath, dry yourself off and put on some soft nightwear.

When you get back to your living room chamber, you see that Elrond is already waiting for you. He has set up a little picnic with a big blanket and some pillows in front of the burning fireplace. There’s fresh bread with cheese, some sweet and salty snacks that you like and some hot chocolate. 

The two of you enjoy your meal together and you talk a little here and there, Elrond doesn’t pressure you and there’s always more time to talk tomorrow. You share some of the things you’ve been struggling with and he listens to you closely and offers his thoughts if you like. 

Talking about this makes you feel lighter and you slowly get sleepy again. Before you can drift off on the floor in your living room, he takes you to bed and holds you in his arms while you fall asleep. That night, you don’t dream at all, you sleep through the night like a log.

____

tag list: @fenharel-enaste @queenmeriadoc @starlady66 @elronds-pointy-ears @bananaphanta @runawaymun @thetempleofthemasaigoddess @lady-of-imladris @mistergandalf

[safe-haven-safe-place]

Art by @hayleydrewthis

[haruharuz]

Self Therapy; A Note

I've been pondering about this concept for quite a while now. Therapy itself is a wonderful tool to pick your broken pieces up and gently glue them back together- as if they were never broken at all.

However, not everyone has the resources to truly indulge in such tools. So I mulled over the idea of doing therapy almost at home. While it won't be as effective, as far as my personal experience goes, therapists typically give out homework to their patients.

I want to make it clear that because you're doing this kind of thing at home, it is vital to remain cautious. This is not medical advice, just something to consider.

If you do not have the resources to go to therapy, doing a self therapy session every single week could be beneficial, I think. I'm making a little guide on how exactly I personally am choosing to do this.

(●´∀｀●)

Step One: Choose An App

There are many many free apps specifically geared towards mental health. I've used a few, one of which being "WYSA" which I personally enjoyed. Pick one you think would suit you!

I enjoy these apps primarily because they typically have some free form of help. Like breathing exercises, meditation, etc! You can skip this step if you don't feel comfortable.

Step Two: Find Resources Online

You can easily find a lot of free resources online by looking up "therapy worksheet" "anxiety worksheet" "depression worksheet" etc.

Find a couple that you think would suit you to work on for the first week. The more you find, I recommend stockpiling them into a folder! This way, every new session you can either pre-plan said worksheets or grab a couple quickly.

I also highly recommend looking for journal prompts! Especially shadow work journal prompts that help you release certain emotions. You can do this with pen and a notebook or you can use a laptop/tablet for this! If you don't feel secure, password protect documents or hide your journal in a very safe place.

Step Three: Plan your first Session

Identify what you would like to address/work on during the session. Write it down.

Find the worksheets and exercises you want to do, plan them out. It's easier to go ahead and print/write/type them now and put them in a folder with a clear name. (e.g. ST.session1)

Find a day in the week when you know you will have at least one hour of free time. During this one hour of free time, you will be taking the time to do all of your things ! You can do this before bed, in the middle of the day. Just choose a time you think would be best.

I recommend setting a small goal every 1-2 sessions. Remember, goals should be reasonable, attainable, and measurable. Little steps. (For instance, if you struggle with severe social anxiety like I did, you can make a goal "order a coffee one time", but there's many ways to do this)

You can add more to this if you want! Please remember, you can add a face mask and reading a nice book, or other coping skills/self care to this if you think it might help. I recommend choosing things based off on how much time you have and how effective they are at helping you cope. You can also add them all separately to a "self care" day weekly. Up to you.

Example Setup

I'm sharing my personal set-up and plan with you! Some people need visuals <3

This is my folder set up:

as you can see, I have three folders inside a "self therapy" folder!

inside the "journaling" folder, I have three documents that align with the session outline (pictured next) that is in its respective folder. The first one has a journal prompt, the second two are completely blank and only named. They're just sitting there, waiting and ready!

This is my session outline. It includes what issues I'll be addressing and what exercises I'll be doing. Also, the next goal I'd like to work towards. This includes how I plan to do so. I also put a clear DAY and TIME for this session.

This is the worksheet I'll be doing:

And that's all! I'll be following this tomorrow and drinking some chocolate milk and relaxing :3 not too shabby, huh! Don't forget, if you are ever thinking about hurting yourself: call a hotline.

[ds29gurl2]

[thereisselfpreservation]

I finally slept for the first time in days -- a proper sleep, not even my usual drifting in and out of light sleep through a haze of stress, anxiety, and pain, waking up multiple times an hour. I closed my eyes and was OUT. For like, almost ten hours straight. Oh my GOD, I felt like I woke up from hibernating. It's incredible. I still feel exhausted, but I also feel rested. Lighter. Clear-headed. More good news: I finally have my old nerve pain meds again that I haven't been able to get refilled since mid-2022. Oh my god. I might cry in relief. (...I might be actively crying a little in relief. Shhh. They're good tears.)

[randomreasonstolive]

Reason to Live #8936

  The feeling of relief after a long wave of sadness or anger passes. – Guest Submission

(Please don't add negative comments to these posts.)

[astillnight]

soft boy for anyone having a bad day 💖

[quotelr]

If you want to conquer the anxiety of life, live in the moment, live in the breath.

Amit Ray, Om Chanting and Meditation

[winter-hoof]

My dad has finally been buried, by the way. I feel a little guilty for not being there & being with my family, and it's like was me falling last night & injuring both ankles a punishment for not going? lol. But for my mental health, I really really needed to avoid yet another death-related event and his demon wife. This weekend in Grand Rapids was such a fun relaxed good time, I really needed it and I feel a million times better omg

[famewolf]

speaking of ocd, I think I'm realizing that I truly don't have anxiety and it's literally just my ocd. im not anxious about anything until it involves me and suddenly I'm spiraling

[soundmindgoldsoul]

In case you didn’t realize 🤍

[safe-haven-safe-place]

[strawberrybyers]

got diagnosed with autism yesterday!!

i’m now going to refer to my brain as ✨the winx club (mental asylum version)✨🧚🏼‍♀️

[eatclean-bewhole]

This weekend, let’s take a moment to care for our minds and hearts. Emotions are high across the board, regardless of your political party. Tending to our self-care and mental health can provide grounding and peace. Here are some self-care ideas to help you stay centered:

1. Unplug for a bit: Step away from the news and social media. A digital detox, even if brief, can work wonders for mental clarity and calm.

2. Spend time in nature: Get outside, breathe deeply, and ground yourself in the present moment. A simple walk, grounding barefoot in the grass, or taking in the sights and sounds can provide a much-needed reset.

3. Engage in gentle movement: Exercise is a natural stress reliever. Try stretching, yoga, or a walk to release any tension you may be holding.

4. Journal your thoughts: Put your emotions onto paper. Writing can help release and clarify intense feelings, giving you insight and relief.

5. Connect with loved ones: Reach out to a friend or family member. Open conversations remind us we’re not alone and give us a chance to support each other.

6. Nourish yourself: Choose foods that fuel you and keep you feeling your best. Warm, comforting meals can be grounding and help reduce stress.

7. Practice gratitude: Taking a few moments to list what you’re thankful for can shift your perspective and uplift your mood.

Remember, taking care of ourselves helps us stay resilient and better able to navigate life. Whatever you’re feeling, honor it and take gentle steps to nourish your mental well-being. We’re all in this together—here’s to a peaceful and restorative weekend for all. 🤍🌿

[easeupkid]

realizing that perhaps i need to go back to therapy after quitting therapy is so EMBARASSINGGGGGGGG

[actualaster]

My brain has been So Quiet after surgery it's like. Weird?

Not even blorbo thoughts.

But not in, like, a bad way? More it reminds me of how I felt the first time I had anxiety medication that actually worked and shut the anxiety off for a while (before it stopped working of course lol). Like for so long I've basically used "drown brain in blorbo thoughts to push everything else aside" as a coping mechanism for anxiety and depression.

But... Things feel calmer and quiety in my brain so I don't feel the need or desire to drown everything out?

I guess I honestly didn't realize the extent to which the discomfort I felt was background radiation to everything in my life until it's gone. Which is good! I knew it was A Big Problem I just didn't realize How Big.

And part of its probably the fatigue from recovery and all that, not much energy for anxiety and such leftover. As I recover more things are getting more online again and I want to think blorbo thoughts but it feels different, more like I want to pick up a hobby again after a hiatus rather than clinging to the only thing keeping my mental health from completely collapsing.

It's different and weird but not in a bad way and I want to keep it like this and get to know how to work in this kind of mental space rather than go back to constantly feeling like I'm on the edge of snapping.