Former First Lady and mother of two Michelle Obama opens up about coping with depression, managing mental health, and imparting her wisdom to her daughters.
The former First Lady Michelle Obama recently appeared on “The Late Show with Stephen Colbert” and revealed what helps her cope with depression. Michelle explains, “Over the course of your adulthood, you develop your own tools. And for me, it’s turning off the noise that is upsetting.”
Michelle says she likes to take a break from “reading all the feeds that are fueling my anxiety” and admitted on “The Michelle Obama Podcast” in August 2020 that she experienced low-grade depression (dysthymia). Dysthymia is characterized by the loss of interest in normal daily activities, lacking productivity, feeling hopeless, and sleep problems, according to the Mayo Clinic.
During the pandemic, Michelle found keeping a balanced schedule helped her cope, and if she didn’t stick to her daily routine, that to prevent getting out of the funk. Michelle thinks it is important that young people understand it’s common to experience high and low points in life, but they are temporary. As a mother of two, Michelle imparts her knowledge to her daughters and other young people on finding which tools will help bring calm and peace to one’s life.
Michelle imparts the importance of patience and self-care during tumultuous times where you need to give yourself a break. Concluding the interview, Michelle reminds people that mental health and depression ‘is a part of life’, saying, “Nobody rides, life on a high.”
