Key Takeaways
What this article is about
This article is about one hard morning in the Netherlands and a simple plan to regain calm: short true lines, tiny actions, and timely human help.
Plain, honest support
The request was for brief, realistic sentences—no breathing drills, no work analysis, no false hope. The aim was to feel a little better, not to fake a miracle.
Chaos outside and inside
“Chaos” named both the room and the mind. The fix was concrete: move one item, then another, until the floor was clear and the space felt safe again.
Human voices first
When panic rose, national services—113 Zelfmoordpreventie and De Luisterlijn—offered real people, day and night. Apps were helpful add-ons, not replacements.
Safety and small rules
A 300-euro fine and worries about driving led to safety-first habits: slow down, follow markings, signal, and loop again if in doubt.
Story & Details
A different kind of “positive”
The day started with exhaustion. The need was simple: one-by-one guidance with only truths. Short lines did the work: not every event needs a reaction; an error lasts a moment, not a lifetime; today only needs to be lived through. These lines did not promise a new self—they gave a little air.
Work, age, and the fear of repeating patterns
There was dread about next week’s work and the old belief that jobs fall apart after a year. At forty-five, that fear felt heavier. The answer was steady and modest: patterns are habits, not fate. The day’s job was to show up, do what can be done, and come home.
The fine, the roundabout, and control
A traffic fine shook trust. The licence felt at risk, even if the chance seemed tiny. To regain control, the rules became simple: reduce speed, follow the lane signs, choose the right lane for the exit, signal clearly, and if unsure, make another loop. The point was safety, not speed.
When “chaos” is the only word
Thoughts piled up—work, money, age, the fine, health, the future. The room matched that feeling: bottles, clothes, tools, a lamp, bags, a box. Starting felt impossible. The plan shrank to one action at a time. A bottle to the bin. A jacket off the floor. Pens into a container. A shoe out of the way. Each move ended with a quiet note: one less thing on the ground. Patches of order grew until the floor was open from wall to wall.
Panic, and the choice to reach out
Panic surged. Thoughts of not wanting to continue appeared. The most important act was reaching out to people who listen for a living. In the Netherlands, 113 Zelfmoordpreventie offers free, anonymous phone and chat support at any hour. When chat was busy or the need was broader than suicide safety, De Luisterlijn provided a calm, non-judgmental ear by phone around the clock and by chat during the day and evening. The relief came from a simple fact: a human voice was on the other end, ready to talk again later if needed.
Apps and communities, used the right way
Between calls, digital support helped. 7 Cups connects users to trained volunteer listeners and also offers therapy with licensed clinicians. Wysa guides users through evidence-informed self-help tools and mood tracking. These tools were useful at odd hours, but they were kept in their place: support between human contacts, not a stand-in for them.
Everyday health choices that feel risky
A dental visit earlier the same day fed a harsh story: if the trip had been skipped, the fine would not have happened. The better frame was practical: seeking dental care is reasonable; the fine came from road conditions, not from choosing health. A large tablet added another worry. Standard advice helped: do not crush or split a pill before checking the leaflet or a pharmacist, since coatings and slow release matter; ask for smaller tablets or liquid options if needed. Small, safe steps replace blame.
The last objects on the floor
By the end, only a few items remained. A lamp was secured. A tools bag was grouped with a box. Loose bits went to the bin. The room could be crossed without dodging obstacles. The big worries did not vanish, but the clear floor proved something solid: even on a bad day, action is possible, and that proof steadies the mind.
Conclusions
Small truths work
Short, believable sentences beat grand promises when energy is low. They make room to act.
Space shapes the nervous system
A clear floor does not fix money or work, but it lowers the load on the senses. Calm space supports a calmer mind.
People over software
When thoughts turn dark, services with human listeners matter most. Digital tools can help in the gaps, not at the centre.
Survival, piece by piece
The day did not end perfect. It ended with a safer room, a few grounded lines, and numbers and sites that connect one person to a wider net of care. That is enough to keep going.
Sources
[1] 113 Zelfmoordpreventie (official English page): free, anonymous phone and chat support in the Netherlands. https://www.113.nl/english
[2] De Luisterlijn (official homepage): national listening line with 24/7 phone support and daytime/evening chat. https://www.deluisterlijn.nl/
[3] De Luisterlijn (contact and hours): phone 088 0767 000; chat available daily during set hours. https://www.deluisterlijn.nl/over-de-luisterlijn/contact.html
[4] 7 Cups (official site): volunteer listeners and online therapy options. https://www.7cups.com/
[5] Wysa (official site): AI-guided self-help and mood support. https://www.wysa.com/
[6] World Health Organization publication: Doing What Matters in Times of Stress (illustrated stress guide). https://www.who.int/publications-detail-redirect/9789240003927
[7] World Health Organization YouTube (single verified video): Doing What Matters in Times of Stress: An Illustrated Guide. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E3Cts45FNrk
[8] Dutch government contact listing for 113 (institutional overview). https://www.rijksoverheid.nl/contact/contactgids/stichting-113-zelfmoordpreventie
Appendix
Apps and AI companions
Digital services such as Wysa and 7 Cups that provide text-based support, self-help tools and mood tracking. Useful between calls; not for emergencies.
Chaos
A state where many worries collide and the room reflects that overload. Order returns by shrinking tasks to the smallest possible step.
De Luisterlijn
A nationwide listening line in the Netherlands. Phone is open day and night; chat is open during the day and evening. Anonymous, confidential, non-judgmental.
Grounding actions
Simple sensory tasks that bring attention to the present—naming what is seen, touched or heard—to slow panic and restore control.
Micro-anchors
Short lines that are true and repeatable under stress, such as “Not everything needs a reaction” and “An error lasts a moment.”
Room reset
A focused push to clear the floor, group scattered items and create one calm corner. A visible signal of safety and control.
Support lines in the Netherlands
Public services including 113 Zelfmoordpreventie and De Luisterlijn that provide free, confidential help by phone and chat so people are not alone with heavy thoughts.
My Diary - Leonardo Cardillo 