How do you counteract 'feeling blue'

21-10-2015 03:36PM

I guess I do not know - because I concentrate heavily enough on avoiding getting to that point - so I no longer recall any methods for getting out of it when it happens. Healthy eating - healthy life style - engaging pursuits and hobbies. These things basically leave me never getting into the "feeling blue" mode even when the days shorten and the evenings darken. Even if I was left with the time

I guess keep your self active and engaged. Being idle gives feelings like this a window to get in by. And a change of thinking helps too. Learn that dark nights and a bit of rain and things like that are not actually bad things - just different - so there is no reason they should be getting you down anyway. I still do my morning run and evening cycle in winter as much as I do in spring or summer. And I like the variety of doing it in the dark on the winter mornings. And I like the feeling of a bit of rain on my face. Too many people run from those things without stopping to think in some situations "Is it actually that bad? Lets just enjoy the sensations"

Chain Smoker · 21-10-2015 06:20PM

Always have some sort of plan on the horizon that you feel somewhat positively about, very easy to slip for a patch of apathy to stretch out significantly if you haven't some deadlines and such of sorts on the horizon. When something's getting close make sure you've another thing set up for when it has passed.

Maintain your hygiene, that daily shower you might put off to the next day can be really refreshing.

Some form of physical activity, doesn't have to be anything huge at all, but maybe just make a point of going on a 30 minute stroll each evening. I couldn't tell you the amount of times I really struggled to get myself out the door then wound up walking around for hours and having a thoroughly pleasant day.

Leave your home area without your phone or anything like that so you can refresh your mind a bit (even if it's just by walking to the local park or whatever). If you like reading, reading a book in a different environment is an easy way to spend a prolonged patch of time away.

Buy some foods every week that you'll have to actually cook instead of falling back on comfort foods, if you're not extremely depressed you'll probably muster up the energy to make use of them before they go bad. Even if it's a bland-**** of a thing you wind up making (like everything I've ever made ever), it's probably healthier than a microwaved cottage pie and the process involved is pretty nice, I find. Buy one thing on offer you don't usually get that you've to figure out how to make use of in the meals.

Socialise if you can, easiest way to get out of your own head for a few hours. If there's no one nearby that you can meet up with a call or skype session can be just as good.

Write your thoughts out in a quick and impulsive manner. In your head it can get caught in a loop without reaching any kind of conclusion, on paper you'll at least catch that pretty quickly. I've actually kept a diary this whole year so far, there's patches where it gets really ranty but I could tell even at the time it was a relief to ramble the thoughts out.
Having a good pen where the ink flows nicely is pretty vital, the actual readability of what's being put on the paper is damn near irrelevant.

Start a project. If you're at all into crafts or anything like that, just launch into one. It could be some thing along those lines which grabbed your interest as a kid and you never got to check out (newsflash: all those things you wanted and never could get as a kid actually cost f*ck all!), it's extremely relaxing and feels great.

youreadthat · 21-10-2015 07:43PM

I've never experienced the "winter blues". I think growing up in the countryside has given me a love of and interest in nature, birds, climate etc. I really try and embrace every season, I love the contrast between the different colours, the animals' pace of life changing, the contrast between the dark cold days of winter and the long warm days of summer (I'm in eastern England, summer is a lot better than in Ireland

). I also enjoy country walks and gardening which are easy ways to keep spirits up.

One important thing I think people fall into the trap of is to put so much emphasis in using Christmas and New year to spend money, have fun, and be a general "anti-Winter darkness" kind of thing. The problem with that is it may be the end of the calendar but not of any season, you still have most of winter to get through so is it any wonder people crash in January after the high of Christmas. People should just change their perspective a bit and live and enjoy the world. The seasons and society don't care about you not wanting to get up in the dark.

XplaygirlX · 21-10-2015 07:47PM

Winter is the best season of all

Hate summer and all the heat and humidity. I also hate going out in summer cause it's just so hot and sticky. Winter is so much more healthier

Seve1980 · 21-10-2015 07:56PM

OneOfThem wrote: »

I like to watch wild animals go about their business. I live in Dublin, so I'm a little limited. We're talking street pigeons, feral cats, stray Jack Russels and Daddy Long Legs. I like to imagine I can hear their thoughts. Sometimes they'll throw you a look. And their look says "aww, did your girlfriend tell you she doesn't love you? One of my babies got eaten by a magpie earlier, her name was Sarah, I kinda liked her... magpie ate her. Now if you'd mind getting the fvck out of my way, you big fvcking girls blouse, I've to try to find enough food tonight so that I have enough calories stored up so that I can burn enough energy so I don't freeze to death tonight, and can manage to survive long enough to feed my remaining two children tomorrow. There's a good lad."

Reading posts like this would lift anyone's spirits

GLaDOS · 21-10-2015 08:34PM

Music is a big one for me, if I'm feeling down first thing I'll do is reach for an album that feels right and cut out all other distractions.

Going for a walk is a great way of getting things out of your system.

Bit of an odd one probably, but I find spending an hour or two preparing a meal to be quite therapeutic. Gets you busy and you have something to show for it at the end. Plus, food :pac:

Menas · 21-10-2015 08:37PM

ScienceNerd wrote: »

Music is a big one for me, if I'm feeling down first thing I'll do is reach for an album that feels right and cut out all other distractions.

As long as that album is Joy Division's Closer then you are bang on the money.

GLaDOS · 21-10-2015 08:42PM

Menas wrote: »

As long as that album is Joy Division's Closer then you are bang on the money.

Far from a bad choice

It can vary quite wildly to be honest. Sometimes I'll want something upbeat to beat the blues while other times I'll want something melancholy to indulge the feeling. Other times I'll want aggression while other times I'll want chill out. Can't really explain it but I usually know what sort of music I want.

Medusa22 · 21-10-2015 09:26PM

Copious amounts of chocolate, or alcohol, or tea, or sex.

I find reading a really good book helps, just getting lost in it and forgetting myself and my own thoughts for a while.

Listening to music.

Going for a walk and listening to music, I find that really helps when I just need to escape for a bit, I often don't feel like it but I feel so much better afterwards.

Having a really good scrub in the shower after a walk and coming out feeling warm and clean.

wakka12 · 21-10-2015 09:34PM

Deleted User wrote: »

Also I find avoiding After Hours to be a good idea...

I find the opposite. I don't think theres been a day I checked AH where it didnt make me laugh out loud at least once

Gwynplaine · 21-10-2015 09:35PM

There's only 1 solution to Blueballs, pull the gut out of yourself.

thegreatgonzo · 21-10-2015 11:22PM

Coming home to a happy, adoring dog and a demanding majestic cat always cheers me up. And tea, lots of tea.

boobar · 21-10-2015 11:47PM

A good movie preferably on the big screen.

A good spin on the bike, even better if it's one of those crisp winter days. In home then with a good book or listen to some decent tunes.

That's what keeps me sane anyway.

This Fat Girl Runs · 09-11-2015 03:25PM

In August, I started dreading winter; I started taking vitamin D3 to try and head off the winter blues. It doesn't seem to have worked. I get these blues every year but this year it's particularly bad.

Running helps, definitely.
Sometimes, I don't fight the blues and put on a sad movie that I know will make me cry. A good cry can help.
Writing.
Reading.
Volunteering
Meeting up with friends.
Petting my cat.
Making plans for the future (short term AND long term).
Music (the right kind of music, I have to be careful with it!)
Making changes like getting my hair cut.
Light....lots and lots of light.

I've also been talking about it with my close friends. It helps to acknowledge where I'm at and that they know how I'm feeling. I don't have to pretend for them. I know that with them I can get through the winter...Last week I was thinking 'oh gosh I feel like this and it's only early November? How am I going to get through this?' but with the above and my friends, I know I will.

Duggy747 · 09-11-2015 03:35PM

My animals are a great way to instantly cheer up after a crappy day or when feeling low.

My degu died 2 weeks ago and she was the one who was the happiest to see me when I came home every day for 4 years, didn't matter if she was sleeping or in the middle of eating she'd run up to the top of her cage looking for me. That's still weird getting used to her not in the house anymore.

On the plus side, we did recently get a puppy so his "OHMYFÚCKINGGODILOVEYOU!!" attitude never fails :pac:

If it's not animals then pizza, beer, movie, gaming, or just walking anywhere while listening to music always works a treat. Basically anything that allows me to take my thoughts away from something bothering me helps me process it better.

BettePorter · 09-11-2015 11:58PM

Anytime I start to feel remotely sorry for myself I think of that woman who lost her hub / kids to a suicidal driver on way back from holiday (AND forgave him!) My **** will never be comparable. Perspective perspective perspective!

Padster90s · 10-11-2015 12:03AM

Same as the last poster, always think other people have it far worse. I'd snap out of it fairly fast after that.

XR3i · 10-11-2015 12:06AM

drink

Figbiscuithead · 10-11-2015 07:43AM

I don't suffer from depression, thank jaysus, so I'm talking strictly about the blues here.

Going for a long walk with one of my favourite bands in my ear.

Reading a good book. As someone else said, the fact that someone has sat down and gone to the bother of writing something so brilliant makes me hopeful. If the book is truly brilliant, it's an excellent way to distract yourself and can remind you were all in this together.

Coffee or glass of wine somewhere alone with my book.

Telling whatever is up with me to someone if it's really bothering me otherwise I generally work through it myself.

How do you counteract 'feeling blue'

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