Sometimes, your body keeps moving ~ but you stopped being there a while ago.
We notice when our stomach is hungry. It growls. It aches. It asks. But when the mind is hungry, it goes silent. It just slows down. And we miss it ~ not because we don’t care, but because the signs whisper.
“A sudden disinterest in what used to light you up. That fog that turns simple things into mountains. The endless scrolling ~ not searching, just escaping.”
Still, we keep pushing. Somewhere along the line we start to believe that tiredness equals laziness, that pausing equals failing. So we perform. We show up. We pour from an empty cup ~ smiling while sinking.
Here’s a truth people don’t say: there’s a kind of tired that sleep alone cannot fix. It comes from never being alone with your thoughts, from skipping the small things that once sparked joy, from starving the mind of silence, slowness, and grace.
“Unlike the stomach, the brain doesn’t alert you when it’s empty.”
This stopped me ~ because how many of us are walking around with full schedules and empty souls? Your mind needs feeding too ~ not with noise, but with stillness, curiosity, and peace. You don’t have to crash before you rest. You don’t have to earn your calm.
For learners in Southern Africa ~ what actually hurts you
Pressure in this region has local colours. If you study in Zimbabwe, Zambia, South Africa, Malawi, Botswana, Lesotho, or nearby, you may recognise these specific drains:
- Studying while worrying about fees, transport, or food (Be honest, you're thinking money)
- Being the household hope ~ where failure feels forbidden
- Being told “others have it worse” when you’re already drowning
- Treating exhaustion as proof of seriousness rather than a signal to change
- Staying busy because silence brings thoughts you don’t know how to hold
What harms you (even if it feels productive)
- Studying long hours without meaningful breaks
- Constant background noise: doomscrolling, reels, and nonstop notifications
- Comparing yourself to classmates with different resources
- Ignoring grief, disappointment, or burnout because “exams are coming”
- Relying on sleep alone as the only recovery
What actually builds you ~ quietly and reliably
These are not aesthetic habits. They’re protective, evidence-supported behaviours you can start today.
- Schedule mental meals: 10 minutes of silence, one honest journal page, a walk without your phone, or a short conversation where you don’t pretend you’re fine.
- Pause before you break: rest is maintenance, not a reward. Stop when your focus decays ~ not when the schedule says so.
- Separate worth from output: your value is not your GPA, your cutoff score, or your productivity this week.
- Ask for help early: waiting for collapse is not bravery ~ it’s delayed care.
Small, practical exercises you can try this week
- Day 1: Put your phone on flight mode for 20 minutes. Sit outside or by a window and breathe.
- Day 2: Write one page: “What drained me this week?” then one small action to relieve it.
- Day 3: Take a 20-minute walk without music. Notice one thing you haven’t seen before.
- Day 4: Share your current load with one trusted person — not to fix it, just to be heard.
If the fog feels heavy or persistent, reach out. Support exists even if it’s quiet.
Below are credible, region-friendly resources and hotlines. Use them. They are for real people, real struggles.
Region-friendly support & resources
Community-based, evidence-rooted mental health support in Zimbabwe. Learn about local counselling and community programmes.
friendshipbenchzimbabwe.org
Emotional support and services. If you are in Zimbabwe and need to talk, Samaritans can help.
Call/WhatsApp: +263 242 333 333
samaritanszim.org
National helpline and online resources for depression, anxiety and crisis support.
Call: 0800 21 22 23 • WhatsApp: 076 882 2775
sadag.org
Read reliable explanations and self-help guidance from trusted mental health charities and the WHO.
If you are in immediate danger or at risk of harming yourself: please contact local emergency services or go to the nearest hospital. If you are able, call a local crisis line or a trusted person right now. If you’re outside these regions, find your country’s emergency services number or local mental health hotline.
A grounding reminder
Some days the only care you can afford is small. That’s okay. Close one app. Step outside for five minutes. Say “I’m tired” to someone who won’t judge. These are the real steps that keep you whole.
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