When my editor told me to “write something on Mercury Retrograde,” I’ll admit I rolled my eyes so hard I almost dislocated my spine.
But apparently everyone wants answers. So I did what any respectable mental health reporter would do.
I went down a rabbit hole of “Is it okay to buy a house during Mercury Retrograde?” and “Why do I feel off this week?” 
And yes, the search numbers prove it. You are definitely not alone.
So, What Is Mercury Retrograde, Really?
Short version, Mercury, the planet of communication, appears to go backward in the sky a few times a year.
Astrology lovers have been blaming it for missed flights, breakups, autocorrect disasters, and that one email you regret sending since, well, forever.
Does it actually scramble your life? I’m not here to ruin anyone’s belief system.
If blaming Mercury helps you sleep at night or at least not text your ex, more power to you.
What Not to Do During Mercury Retrograde
Apparently, according to the 5 million “What not to do…” listicles, you should avoid:
- Buying a house (which is trending at +100% right now, sorry Zillow, guess we’re all renting forever)
- Starting a new job (good luck explaining that to your new boss)
- Traveling (tell that to the wedding you RSVPed for six months ago)
- Filing court cases (yes, that one’s trending too, hope your lawyer’s an Aquarius)
- Getting a dog (which feels weirdly specific but okay)
So basically, Stay home.
Don’t sign anything.
Don’t move.
Don’t breathe funny.
Just sit still and wait for Mercury to mind its business again.
Why Are We So Obsessed?
Mercury Retrograde gives us something to blame when everything feels off, which, to be fair, it often does.
This week alone, people also searched “why do I feel off this week” right alongside “333 angel number meaning.”
We want signs that the chaos isn’t all our fault.
Add in the fact that birth chart calculators and life path calculators are trending at record highs and it’s clear, we’re desperate to make sense of things we can’t control.
(Looking at you, Leos and Virgos. Top signs googling “how will Mercury Retrograde affect…” as if they don’t already know they’re main characters.)
The Signs Are Not Okay
Speaking of signs:
- Leos and Libras are the top signs searching career + astrology because of course the main character (Leo) and the people pleaser (Libra) want to know how to get ahead.
- Scorpios are the top sign searched with “red flag.” No comment.
- Pisces, unsurprisingly, top the charts for “pick me.”
- And Geminis, naturally, want to know why they get bored so easily. (You’re welcome, it’s your birthright.)
Here’s the Mental Health Part (You Knew This Was Coming)
Is Mercury Retrograde a joke? Not really! For a lot of people, astrology is a comforting framework.
It gives language to uncertainty, and it can feel like a friend tapping you on the shoulder to say, “Hey, maybe go easy on yourself right now.”
If you use it to pause, reflect, and avoid terrible choices, great. If you use it to avoid accountability forever, not so great.
And if you’re looking to the planets to fix your life but haven’t yet responded to your therapist’s last email, this is your reminder.
My Final Take I Guess
Will Mercury Retrograde ruin your life? Probably not! Will blaming it for your ex texting you at 2 AM help you sleep at night? Absolutely.
So here’s my official take, because my editor said you needed an answer.
Buy the dog if you really want to, double-check your travel plans.
Maybe don’t sign that lease unless you read it twice and if all else fails, take a deep breath, log off your birth chart calculator, and remember, retrogrades come and go, but you’re stuck with yourself.
You might as well make peace with that.
Or just ignore all of this entirely.
It’s not like I just spent three hours researching Mercury Retrograde and 444 angel numbers instead of folding my laundry or processing my emotions or anything.
