The Antidote to Depression is Connection

Tiny and Snail started when Grace and I were more lonely than we ever had been.

I was living remotely in Kentucky, with my boyfriend (now husband) who often traveled for work. I was hundreds of miles away from family and at least an hour away from friends. Grace was moving North/South every 6 months with her husband who taught golf, and had trouble establishing friendships because of that.

I carried anxiety in my chest so often. My heart felt tight. I thought maybe I drank too much coffee, and I felt tethered to my phone where I got most of my interaction with people.

But then, prompted by Grace and my mom, I went to an amazing retreat center in Canada. There I was surrounded by dozens of people, all working together growing their own food and living as a community.

I remember about a week in I started laughing again like I hadn't in a few years. I didn't realize just how hungry I had been for connection.

Tiny and Snail was also the beginning of that connection too. It connected me to my older sister, and having a project to work on together gave us something to talk about on a nearly daily basis.

It took a lot of strength to move back home from Kentucky, but I knew I needed to surround myself with community again. I moved into my best-friend-since-first-grade's backyard and lived in a tiny house on wheels that I had built. During the day I worked with a construction crew with Habitat for Humanity.

Anxiety became a distant memory.

By the time my accident happened a year later, I felt connected to my community and my family and to a small but growing Tiny and Snail community online.

And being surrounded by family and community saved me, when I so easily could have given up and died. 

I waffled about the wording of this quote. I didn’t make it up myself, and I have had a tough time finding an original attribution for it.

I think there are many antidotes to depression, but at their heart, they all have to do with greater connection – even medicine can help your brain be more connected with itself. Exercise and creativity can help your body and brain feel more connected, therapy can help you feel more connected to your underlying feelings, etc.

I honestly don’t believe there is one therapy that will solve depression, but I do think that all of the antidotes can be tied back to becoming more connected – to yourself, your community, your environment. 

One of my favorite ways to use our cards is this: after I have a good phone conversation, I pick out a card that fits and write that person a card/letter. I'm able to write about things they told me — how they've been feeling, what's been happening in their life. The letter reinforces the fact that that person matters to me, and I treasure being able to chat with them on the phone.

I did this a few days ago, and I think it's had an impact on my whole week. 🥳 (Do you ever do this?)

Wishing you more connection in the week ahead, 

a.k.a. Leah (and Grace)