I wrote this recently when I felt myself withdrawing from social events, and from making contact with friends and family. Sometimes depression and anxiety make us want to withdraw and I often rely on those that know me well to pull me back to the surface.

Please don't let me withdraw too far. If you haven't heard from me in a while or I'm slow to respond to a text, or I've missed more than one appointment, or I cancelled that dinner or missed that party or you just haven't heard my voice in a while... please don't let me withdraw too far. Trust your instinct. Please reach out your patient long arms and gently pull me back into the light shallows because sometimes I won't realise that I've gone swirling back into my lonely shell. Sometimes you'll see it before I do. Sometimes it takes a person who's been there to know it in another. Sometimes I won't spot where I am sinking to until it's too late and by then, not only have I missed out on being near you all and living but I'm too busy berating myself for going too far within and allowing myself to float down into the depths.

I will never, ever resent you for reaching your hand out to pull me back to the warm sunlit surface. Drag me if you need to. And every time you do, no matter how bedraggled I am, I'll be more grateful than you could ever know. And I promise, if and when the times come, I will do the same for you.

Sophie

A Moodscope member