I’ve been some time apart from coding and I think it’s doing me some good. That’s because of my mental health small improvements.

Coding can be taxing on health…

There was a time that the only thing I was doing was coding. I never thought of the action of coding being taxing on my mental health. I really enjoy coding and creating things but I only found out recently, that there was health implications that I didn’t not considered.

Since my new employment on Câmara Municipal de Ponta Delgada, I’ve only coded from time to time and not as a  recurrent thing. Yes, I wasn’t making projects for other people, I was coding for my own personal projects, and I found out that this break from coding it’s buying me some mental health.

I know you can’t buy health, it is just an expression to say that stopping overdoing something it’s a great thing.

Blogging as an alternative to coding…

I know I have not posted anything, it’s not that I don’t want to post something, it’s the opposite. I want to post so desperately that I can’t find a good subject to post.

Imagine posting about the weather, it wouldn’t make any sense because I tend to post things about me and only me. And with that in mind, only when I have a subject that matters at hands, I post something that is giving me some closure or something I want to share.

Overcoming depression and a mental breakdown, while trying to do the same old same, it’s not healthy, and I should know better, until now I didn’t know, but now that I know, I’m slowing down hard. Instead of going 400 on the interstate, I’m going 70. That lead to less pressure on my head, better recognizance of the things I have to do, specialty on my job. Now I can focus on what really matters, when my head allows.

Health issues solved?

Not even close, right now I’m being seen to solve ADHD, it will take some time to evaluate it. But it’s a good step forward. Also, reducing the amount of things to do and worrying less about the things that I don’t do, it’s helping too.

I’ve got a great mother, and other people that support me on the decisions I’m making, that in turn, also helps. It’s not a cure but their support makes everything a bit less difficult. Maybe if there wasn’t problems that may or not appear, and I didn’t worry about it, it could help more. But I’m not perfect, I have to face things as they come to light, sometimes those appear from one moment to another for yesterday, which kind of kills me, but I can manage.

A quick look on the about me page, and some things will tell you about my love for coding and why I can’t have plans made up in the hour for the same day. But if you want to keep reading, I will tell you about it. Many people with ADHD cannot handle correctly plans for the same day, like suprises, dinners and others. We have to prepare mentally to do those things and the lack of preparation, both mentally and physically, can give us extreme anxiety.

That’s why coding, which can be very predictable, it’s an escape for me, but I still have to prepare myself to do it.

Final thoughts about resting from coding…

I know I love to code but I have to prioritize my mental health. Everyone should prioritize it, and, unfortunately, many don’t. I now have a job that I enjoy, it’s a bit unpredictable, but nothing I can’t handle.

I have great coworkers, great bosses, and I’m happy. The ambiance it’s great everyone, at least to me, are kind, and I just love it. It doesn’t mean that I’m not going to continue coding, it just means that taking a break from it is, now, a good option for me to rest a little bit more, even if it’s a small increment on my mental health.

Undoubtedly, I will continue coding, just on another terms. It shouldn’t be taxing on my mental health, I should be able to consolidate it first, in a way that does not cause harm to myself.