I finally stopped saying “just stressed” when I knew I meant “not okay”

Dear Delyara, That sentence had become a shield. Just stressed. Just tired. Just busy. Just a lot on. The sort of phrases adults use to stay socially acceptable while quietly moving away from themselves in ways that no one thinks to interrupt because the language sounds manageable enough. I’m tired of manageable language. This week I stopped using it, at least with the people who matter and one professional who could actually help. I said the truer thing. That I’ve been low. That I’ve been flat. That ordinary life has started costing too much. That I’ve been functioning while feeling far away from myself and it no longer feels safe to keep naming that softly. Nothing magical happened. What happened was more useful: I stopped lying. That is a beginning. A serious one.