Even though we’ve made a big step as a society in understanding mental illness and supporting those who suffer from it, we still got a long, long way to go. However, this is especially the case for the people who don’t know what it really feels like to live with a disorder such as depression, and Twitter user @mollybackes brought this up perfectly in her recent Twitter thread that went viral.
Her thread resonated with so many people because it captures the ineffability of depression, and the aspect she deems as The Impossible Task in particular.
So, what is The Impossible Task? Well, it cannot be defined by a specific, as outlined by Backes. It varies, person to person, hour to hour. What others see something as mundane and simple, many people who suffer from depression find impossible.
Although The Impossible Task is not actually impossible, it certainly appears that way to many, and people suffering from depression often beat themselves up over the seeming insignificance of the task.
Backes aims to encourage those who also have Impossible Tasks that asking for help is nothing to fear or be ashamed of, even if it is for a seemingly simple thing.
She writes:
“The people who love you should be glad to lend a hand,”
Her sentiment went viral immediately, and people on Twitter starting sharing their own experiences with The Impossible Task.
As many Twitter users said, you should always know that even if you’re currently facing your own Impossible Task, you are not alone. It’s totally ok not to get to them today, or tomorrow, but what you must remember is that it is always OK to ask for help!