Ten Excuses to Give Friends When You're Too Overwhelmed to Go Out
If you’re someone living with depression/anxiety you know how challenging it can be to handle basic self-care tasks while you’re feeling blue. And what’s worse is you’re expected to fulfill all the obligations you made when you had the audacity to feel good two weeks ago.
You’ll never have time time to do all of the things, and that’s ok. Some days even getting out of bed can feel overwhelming. Give yourself time and space to get right, and all of your plans and obligations will still be there waiting for you when you’re ready to tackle them.
Below are ten excuses to give your friends when you’re honestly just too overwhelmed to go out.
1. Tell them your emotional gas tank is empty.
Introverts will know this well: One only has enough chutzpah, enough mana, enough zazz for so much action in one day. Once your emotional gas tank is empty you have to park your figurative Honda in a metaphorical garage for the night.
2. Compromise and rain check!
“Shoot, I can’t make it to your improv show tonight, but I can make it to your sister’s slam poetry showcase next week, I promise.” If done correctly you can keep pushing things down the line until our democracy crumbles into a waterworld dystopian Hellscape. (Which is still easier to sit through than an improv show amiright?)
3. You literally JUST put in a load of laundry.
“Oh, I’m such a potato! I just put all my clothes in the washer, and now all my denim is wet! Nobody wants a wet denim daddy!!!”
4. You need to sleep, or better yet, you ARE asleep.
Just don’t get caught playing on social media. Don’t Like. Don’t comment. And
DEFINITELY don’t look at peoples’ stories; This will only blow your cover and inspire FOMO.
5. Tell them you have to babysit
Sorry I forgot I agreed to babysit (my own mental illness).
6. Jedi mind-trick them into flaking on you.
It IS getting late, you DON'T want to deal with traffic.
7. Tell them your old friend Franklin is visiting from Cincinnati.
Franklin is my cat. Cincinnati is the name of his cat condo.
8. Food Poisoning.
Can’t very well go to that acro-yoga class with diarrhea now can you?
9. Tell them you just finished watching Making A Murderer, and you’re thiiiiis close to cracking the case.
I’m analyzing blood splatter, can I call you back?
10. Be Honest (Eww)
In case of emergency you can always tell the truth. It can feel icky be vulnerable to people, but your friends should love and support you enough not to take it personally when you just need to take some time for yourself.
—
Jay Norris is an Atlanta based writer and performer. He spends most nights slaying the dragon of depression with the flaming sword of comedy.
Archive
- October 2024
- September 2024
- August 2024
- July 2024
- June 2024
- May 2024
- April 2024
- October 2023
- July 2023
- June 2023
- May 2023
- April 2023
- March 2023
- February 2023
- June 2022
- April 2022
- March 2022
- January 2022
- December 2021
- October 2021
- September 2021
- August 2021
- July 2021
- June 2021
- May 2021
- April 2021
- March 2021
- February 2021
- January 2021
- December 2020
- October 2020
- September 2020
- August 2020
- July 2020
- June 2020
- May 2020
- April 2020
- March 2020
- February 2020
- January 2020
- December 2019
- November 2019
- October 2019
- September 2019
- August 2019
- July 2019
- June 2019
- May 2019
- April 2019
- March 2019
- February 2019
- January 2019
- December 2018
- November 2018
- October 2018
- September 2018
- August 2018
- July 2018
- June 2018
- May 2018
- April 2018
- March 2018
- February 2018
- January 2018
- December 2017
- November 2017
- October 2017
- September 2017
- August 2017
- July 2017
- June 2017
- May 2017
- April 2017
- March 2017
- February 2017
- January 2017
- December 2015
- November 2015
- October 2015
- September 2015
- August 2015
- July 2015
- June 2015
- May 2015
- April 2015