Wellness: ""Feeling good and bad at the same time: a common experience?"", by bonzopoe

There is a song by iconic mexican rock singer-songwriter Jaime Lopez that resonates deeply with me when I experience emotions similar to the ones I have been feeling these past few days. It is titled "Me siento bien pero me siento mal" (I feel good but I feel bad) and it addresses the paradox of feeling bad in a context in which, apparently, everything is going perfectly.

In the song, Jaime López describes this feeling, which often remains hidden from others, even from those around us, which further complicates the situation. Talking about it is difficult, as it is a complicated experience to explain and often misunderstood by others.

But how common is this phenomenon of feeling good but bad at the same time? Data from the World Health Organization indicate that more than 264 million people worldwide suffer from depression, and more than 300 million people suffer from anxiety disorders. Often, these mood disorders can manifest as that contradictory feeling of superficial well-being and underlying discomfort that is hidden from others.

This paradox affects people of all ages, although rates of depression and anxiety tend to be higher in young adults. In addition, there is a gender difference in the prevalence of some mood disorders, with higher rates in women than in men.

I have experienced this feeling in the last few days, and it persists to this day. In fact, I am writing this and doing some research on it, as part of a strategy to free myself from this strange state of mind, from the apathy that has clung to me like a shadow, undermining my life without my being able to avoid it, at least so far.

This is not the first time I write about this, and I do so partly because it is a feeling that comes and goes without warning, settling into your existence without you being able to do anything about it. Sometimes, its arrival has a clear purpose, and after a while, something reveals to you the reason behind this unexpected and unpleasant visit.

Patience has become one of my virtues to face it. More by necessity than by choice I have learned to navigate this wave of emotions that hits you like a tsunami, shaking your tranquility. Sometimes the aftershocks persist, like tremors, and you never know when they will cease so that you can begin the task of clearing the rubble, and try to understand if this time the visit had a clear motive or not.

My theory is that this feeling is largely due to the loneliness that we live today, because despite being more communicated than ever, we are more isolated than ever. This generates problems of chronic stress, social anxiety, mental and physical health problems, and if we add the pressure of social networks we have a very dangerous combination.

However, at the end of the day, the sun shines again for everyone and we can try to change the narrative. Over the years, I have learned that no matter how bad things can get, there are always reasons to find happiness and feel good. Despite the difficulty, sometimes, you just can't get rid of that "pebble in your shoe" that stubbornly gets in your way.

As on previous occasions I will continue to move forward until that pebble disintegrates. There is no other option. Life is not always a bed of roses; from time to time, small stones slip in that test us and lead us to say momentarily: "I feel good, but I feel bad".

Thank you very much for reading this post and dedicating a moment of your time. Until next time and remember to leave a comment.