The Long Break is Finally Over
The last three years have been rough—and I mean rough—for my mental health. I finished my third rewrite on Stormgate and sent it out for comments and suggestions. I got lots of good feedback from friends and family. I collated all the comments to make sure I could tackle them comprehensively.
And then I stopped.
It was supposed to be a short break, but it turned into months, then years. I didn’t know what to do about it. At first, I thought the story had just lost its appeal. Then, I realized I wasn’t really interested in writing anything. Not about books, board games, video games, and especially not my own stuff. I was depressed.
I’m not going to go into details about my journey through this depression, but I will hit the highlights. I needed someone to point out to me that I had a problem, then I needed the time and resources to find help. After that, it was time, medicine, therapy, and a lot of introspection and I’m still not over it.
I haven’t yet reached a point where I want to write again, but I want to want to write, if that makes sense. I’m ready for the depression to be over. I’m ready to get back to enjoying life. I’m ready to get back to my projects and the joy in creation.
So that’s what this is. A first step back towards rebuilding confidence in myself and my craft, as well as a record for anyone curious as to why there was a 3 year break from the website.
In addition to incorporating all of the comments into Stormgate and getting it submitted, I have a few board game reviews I want to write up. I also picked up a hobby building models during the pandemic and I may occasionally do a write-up on a build here. Last, I need to update the website.
There’s no shortage of things to do, so I guess I’d better get started.
And for anyone out there struggling to find the motivation, believe me when I say I know how hard it is to ask for help, but I think you might be surprised by how many people in your circle have been, or are currently in, a similar situation. It’s okay to not be okay. It’s okay to need help, and it’s okay to ask for it.