When you are depressed, you likely don’t feel like you. You may even find yourself thinking or saying “I don’t even know who I am anymore”. You don’t feel like yourself because something has caused your soul to wander off. A traumatic experience, the death of a loved one, a difficult heartbreak, or maybe you moved far away from friends and family. Either way, your soul is not where your body is.
Again, meditation helps. Taking your time to do something good for yourself or getting outside for fresh air help. Starting something new: A new class, learning a new skill, joining a recreational group or sports team, all of these can help.
Please, if you are experiencing dark or suicidal thoughts, seek out the help of a professional.
2. Difficulty Adjusting
Maybe you just went through a traumatic experience, and you find yourself suddenly single after a long-term relationship, or you’ve moved far away from friends and family. Your life has changed in a big way, meanwhile, everyone else around you is still going on as usual. This adjustment can be difficult. Sometimes our souls take longer to catch up to what our bodies have been through or where they have gone.
3. You’re Leaning On Unhealthy Coping Mechanisms
When we are going through challenging times in our lives but our souls have remained intact, we cope in positive ways. This looks like talking with trusted confidants, seeking professional help if needed, exercise, proper sleep, and so much more. When our soul is lost, however, we often don’t have the energy to do those things. Instead, we lean on easy, quick (albeit temporary) fixes. This could be substance use, sleeping too much, retreating from loved ones, eating poorly, or not eating at all. If you notice yourself gravitating towards these things when you’re seeking stress relief, this could be a sign your soul is far from your body.
4. You Feel Disconnected
When we experience trauma of any kind, we often find ourselves trying to pick up the pieces of our shattered spirits afterward. This is a tough and often lonely job. We may find ourselves feeling highly disconnected. This disconnection we likely will feel in all areas of life. This includes family, friends, relationships, and work.
5. Low and Negative Energy
This is different from just feeling tired. Your whole body, mind, and spirit feel drained. It doesn’t matter how much sleep you get or how much coffee you drink. You still find yourself dragging through your daily routines, simply going through the motions. You may also find yourself thinking very negatively about situations where you would normally search for the positive.
If you’re finding this is you, again, finding someone to talk to about why or what caused you to get to this state will help. This also could be a good idea to take some time off to recharge. As always, time away in nature is beneficial. So is exploring somewhere: It could be a new place you’ve never visited or it could be exploring your own neighborhood. Something that gets you out, learning, and moving.
6. Self-Neglect
This is also a sign of depression, so make sure you talk to a licensed professional about how you’re feeling. Self-neglect can look like poor diet, falling off your healthy routines, and improper hygiene. It can also look like always putting yourself last – at home and at work. If you notice that you are letting your health – mental and physical – slide, it’s time to take action and get your soul back.
7. Difficulty Being Present
Some of us have more wayward minds than others. That being said, if you are finding yourself constantly daydreaming, this could be a sign that your soul is lost. Perhaps you’re always thinking about the past, the future, or your mind wanders to hypothetical situations that don’t exist. Either way, you’re finding it difficult to be present in your life, in the here and now. This is like your mind sending you a message that it is looking for your soul.
Getting Your Soul Back
While yes, you can visit a spiritual practitioner such as a shaman, most of us don’t have access to those readily available. Instead, as already mentioned, you can do things at home to help you call your soul back to you. Try meditation, journaling, art, or music. Try exercise – running, walking, yoga – if you can do it outside in quiet spaces, even better. Talk to someone: A friend, a family member you trust, or a counselor. All of these things will help to heal your trauma and create a home again for your soul.
Finally, again, if you are having dark or harmful thoughts, please talk to your doctor and seek the help of a licensed therapist.