Hard time adjusting back to default world

[gobucks2073]

Just off my first burn. It was so much more than I expected. I had the time of my life and look forward to next year. Honestly not dealing with the "decompression" too well. I actually cried for the first hour I left BRC. I don't know why I did. On the drive back to Ohio with my fiancee, who did not go with me, I was not myself... Not for the good either... Almost ruined our relationship... I got pretty mean which is not like me at all. Thankfully things are just fine between us now and I have calmed down but still feel like I'm not myself. Been so busy since my return... Am I just not dealing with the burning man experience right or what? Thoughts please... Thanks

[Token]

Happens allot so don’t feel alone.

Different folks will have varying levels of the post burn let-down.

In general, it’s good to talk about it. Put some thoughts together and share some stories. Folks will chime in and lend a hand.

[FlyingMonkey]

Figure out what made it so special for you & try to integrate some of that in to your default life (without getting fired).

Hook up with local burners & stay involved.

Start making art/plans for 2018.

[TT120]

I have a hard time with it too. This year has been especially bad for me and I don't know why. I didn't have a very good burn this year so maybe that's why. Time is the only thing that will help so don't make any life decisions for a few months. Don't quit your job, don't breakup with your wife, don't punch your boss in the throat and walk out........You get the picture.

You aren't alone feeling this way so don't worry too much. Start planning for next year, write down all the things you want to do better and all the things you want to take/not take for next year.

You can always open your bins of camping gear to get a whiff of the Playa up your nose. That always makes me feel a little better.

[Captain Goddammit]

I'm having the opposite problem

[FlyingMonkey]

I'm having the opposite problem

Well we can't all go to Hawaii (Or can we ?).

- I think Exodus at the airport would such so much that you would miss Burning Man.

[ygmir]

welcome to Burnerworld.
I've found sulking for a few weeks, followed by connecting with other Burners, is the most helpful, for me. Spend some time reliving the event and talking about the future.
Like minded souls really help.
Reach out here, as you did. Lots of people are feeling the same, and "misery loves company"

[bigbluedoggy]

Post Burn depression or at least a deep lull in one's emotional state is very normal. Even after a number of years in a row of going and knowing it's coming... the depression and "postpartum" anxiety is very real for me, some years far worse than others. Without you so much as saying it, it also sounds like your fianceé may not quite be on board with your attendance and that can certainly have a difficult effect. I hope that she is understanding and maybe even sees something in you that would cause her to want to accompany you next year. If that gulf widens, it will likely not bode well for your future, either your attendance or your marriage. Not to say there aren't couples who have widely divergent views of the event and still lead happily partnered lives, but it should be a consideration. If you are feeling more in touch with who you are after the Burn, please be sure the future spouse likes that person as much or more than the one she said "I will" to.

YMMV

[Raoul]

What they said...

Post playa depression is a real thing. I came down with a stomach virus my first Burn, so my physical misery far overshadowed any mental difficulty. Fortunately, my second year was much better health wise, but that served to highlight the mental challenges when I returned. I did an awful job trying to act "normal" to the point that my wife pretty much demanded that the following year I take a couple days for myself in a hotel after I left the playa and before I came home. Having that down-time to process everything helped immensely. I filled pages and pages in my journal trying to capture the flood of thoughts that were still fresh in my mind. Having it all down on paper relieved some of the pressure I was putting on myself to remember it all and allowed me to process it in a very different way. I then wrote down some of my additional reflections as I worked through everything in my mind. Looking at pictures and videos people posted online also helped - not so much the over-produced photo shoots filled with models and such, more so the ones with "regular" people. It all helped me make sense of all of it and how I could bring the positive experiences with me back into default.

Like others of have said, start planning for next year, even if it's just writing down what worked this year and what didn't. Connect with other Burners at local events or online.

That's some of what has worked for me, but there is no magic formula.

[Ratty]

After the burn i asked a co-worker why my coffee tastes better when she gets it for me. I forgot that i take TWO sugars. Does heat exhaustion and dehydration cause memory loss?

[Avacadi]

Shit. My first year I cried for two weeks, not an hour. Shit was rough. Couldn't tell if I was crying cuz I was sad or crying cuz the come down was just too intense. "Default" world is the world you live in.. I think it's up to you to change it. What's eating you?

Last year, I quit my job, left my long term partner, and focused on how I could create a better "happy" for myself here in the default.
I ended up with a better job that I enjoyed, falling in love all over again and focusing a lot on my art.

For me, it was all about altering my reality slightly, the things that bummed me out during my most intense acid trips. Good luck.

[gobucks2073]

I would like to thank everyone for the input... Doing better but not quite there yet. I've been super busy but I realize I'll never be my before Burning Man self again. I did get married to a wonderful woman 2 weeks ago but still not settled back into work yet. I did alot of reading about Burning Man and watched alot of videos about it before going but I still was not prepared for the experience. So many people has asked me about it but I am still at a loss for words. Burning Man was so many things to me. I can't wait to return next year.