Question #35
“What do you do when you’re feeling low?”
Dear AS,
Okay, so before I answer this question I have a disclaimer/warning/word of caution. This post addresses the occasionally times when you’re feeling a bit down, and not the pervasiveness of depression. While my perspective might be helpful if you’re depressed depressed, it won’t fix the depression. Please talk to a licensed professional who can help you develop tools for coping with depression. This might mean medication, and that’s totally okay! Now onto the answer to this question
I have a few strategies for when I’m feeling down, and I think they depend on the reason for my low mood. The first thing I do is evaluate, and try to figure out if my feelings have a specific cause or source. (They don’t always.) Sometimes I’m feeling low because I’m tired, or hungry, or I haven’t spent enough time with the people I love, or I’ve been cooped up inside for four days straight and literally need some fresh air. These are things that are within my control to change, so I make doing that a priority.
Sometimes I’m feeling down because I’m anxious or worried about something that’s outside of my control. This is a bit trickier to deal with, but I try to find perspective. Chances are, I’m wallowing and imagining the worst case scenario, when in reality, the outcome is unlikely to be the worst possible thing.
And sometimes, I just need rest and solitude. My mood is low because I need some time to come back to myself after a busy season in work and life. So I make time for extra sleep, or a day with nothing scheduled to allow my brain to relax and my body to reset.
Take some time to think about what brings you out of feeling low. What might work to counteract that for you?
