How do you lift yourself out of a really bad set of the blues?

If you feel lost, completely, utterly lost, what do you do? How do you reset your brain to be more upbeat and positive?

work at the soup kitchen or volunteer at the hospital....

I should look at our local food bank...

Hi,
I had a big long thing typed up but then deleted it all. I listen to as much music as I can. As much as this sounds strange I often will listen to songs that reflect that mood. Not sure what that is about. I guess I have gotten used to feeling lost and it is good to find others that reflect that feeling in their songs. I don't listen to those exclusively though and often will come across another that lifts my mood. Just my thoughts at this late hour. Hang in there and always...

Peace

I have been a fan of blues music for a long time. It helps me when I am down because it reflects the universal human condition.

The blues also help me when I am feeling good. I like the genre so much it can buoy me up when I am in a good mood, too.

Music is almost unbearable to me - unleashes so much strong feeling that I can hardly handle at this point. Peace to you too, I hope we both get beyond feeling lost.

If only to yourself.

Seriously, :-)

Thanks, PBS Poll-435.

If you're really down, then get yourself to a therapist. Honestly, I've been there, and they have saved my life more than once...

In the short term, do something for somebody else. It's amazing how good you'll feel after you help someone get through something.

We are here for you, sweetie!

:hug:

how the economy is kicking my family's butt. No money for a therapist at this point; but my dad was a psychiatrist so I have a few coping techniques tucked away.

Thanks for the hug, CaliforniaPeggy.

Just at a crossroads, trying to figure out what to do next. Give up this current struggle, admit defeat and move on, or keep on struggling. Don't know what to do.

uncontrollably, too many memories.

But I'll try.

The music I love will always set the seratonin flowing, as long as I don't play tunes recorded by old friends who I miss terribly.

The energy level ratchets up, the cares of the world go away for a while, the mind is engaged in the skill of the performers, it's all good for the disposition.

and I don't have the energy to find new music that won't trigger my emotions.

But every once in a while I'll look for the online video of Fats Domino, Jerry Lee Lewis and Ray Charles and that helps for a few hours.

Just askin'. It might be good for some people.

Seriously, I think the best thing to do is tell the whole story to someone you know to be wise and warm. There are lots of people on DU who fit that, if no one does IRL.

Also, I don't think money is a factor in mental health attention -- you should have a local clinic available I think.

I'm there with you tonight, still missing my parrot, who has to live somewhere else now.

Now that my kids and pets are all with other people, the knowledge that I am entirely superfluous is wearing at me a little. I could see it as a strange sort of freedom, I suppose, that I am not really necessary for anything anymore, and the scars of my absence would heal over quickly.

Tucker

What happened?

You sound so sad and lonely. :hug:

But I am glad for your company. This emotional place is really really tough.

as the funds situation is a huge part of my problem right now. I am able to cope with damn near anything but this current swirling fear about my future.

outside, just talk it over with someone.
Sometimes I buy myself a little present.
Sometimes all of the above.

Fb, thinge WILL get better with time and other interests. Find something you really like to do and do it.

All the best,

mark

PS: Please continue to post here about how this is going....

I love to drive out in the country when I have the blues. It's so soothing.

I recognize that it is myself occupying all my thoughts. Not good, so I think of someone else that has it worse than I. That's not too hard. If that doesn't work, I imagine what it would be like to live in Baghdad, Somalia or the Gaza Strip, for example. Suddenly whatever it is that's bothering me doesn't seem so scary anymore.........

Not hordes of people like at a concert but window-shopping at a mall or outdoor farmer's market or art fair. It would be so easy to plop on the couch and soak in the misery but seeing others out and about helps me feel better inside at times like that.

Then tell yourself how likely it is that things will ever be that bad. At this point, recognize that you're making things worse for yourself by your own catastrophizing.

You should start feeling better almost immediately.

Or go for a walk on a sunny day. Exercise helps as well...

Seriously. Doesn't matter the time of year, there's something about that music that helps pull me out of the slump.

I've read that exercise can be as good as some anti depressants. As little as 20 minutes of moderate intensity aerobic work most days of the week. It seems to help me.

Lacing up my shoes and hitting the trail, feeling my feet pound the ground and hearing the rhythm of my breath while I focus on navigating the trail- just losing myself in the physical exertion- takes my mind off it even if just for a little while.

It's a source of accomplishment for me too, something I DO have control over. I always feel better afterward.

A walk is fine, although I prefer something more strenuous, like spinning classes. Always a mood lifter. The nice thing about taking a walk, however, is that it gets you out into the sunshine--another pickmeupper. I found out, quite by accident, that I have a mild case of Seasonal Affective Disorder. I get depressed during the winter. I came to the realization that it was the short daylight hours while in the lighting section at Lowe's. I was standing in front of the fluorescent lighting display, which is basically a wall of lights. I immediately felt the gloom lift away. The period right before Xmas has the same effect on me, because of all the lights. I used to find all of those houses with the excessive displays to be really tacky. Now, I love them!

And, I concur on hugging your cats/dogs, too. Always a mood-lifter.

I try to get at least an hour of the most exhausting exercise I can every day. I've heard that most depression is really anger turned inward. It helps to identify whatever it is that's making you angry or stressing you out and then visualize obliterating it when you exercise (assuming you can't do anything to relieve or avoid the source of the anger).

It *really* helps with your general mood thanks to all the endorphins and you sleep much better too.

Also, if you can't afford professional help, try observing how you feel after you eat certain foods. I have some very obvious trigger foods both for depression (heavily saturated fats) and irritation/aggression (lots of sugar). Maybe you can make some dietary changes that will improve your outlook.

You can also probably find a free support group for depression in your area or some good resources online.

I am a former fitness nut, yet when I was experiencing the worst of my depression, there was no way I could have tried or relied on that method... I think that might work best for more mild to moderate cases.

Go love your kitties!

and made my kids (ages 19 and 17) listen to the christmas music station on the tv while we bbqed last night. it really helped.

and told him that I felt helpless, anxious and angry. I told him that I couldn't even get through a job interview with out crying. Hell, he saw that I couldn't even get through the Dr visit without crying. He gave me Paxil and it's been a great help with getting my feeling of control of my life back. I can actually get through entire days now without crying or going off verbally on someone.

The reason I survived high school was my tech theatre classes. If I wasn't messing around with power tools or carving styrofoam, I was building intensely detailed white models. When you have something with all that detail to focus on, it lets problems fade into the background. Try getting a model kit, or just getting some scrap bristol board and designing a house or your dream skyscraper.

Hello?

mark:hi:

I just focus on the knowledge that it will pass. With therapy and medication those lows no longer last for months or weeks.

Sometimes I try to think of the good things in my life and the people who love me to lift me up... other times I let myself sink into it and feel every bit of pain that's dragging me down... thinking hard about exactly what things are making me feel so bad, trying to analyze the reasons, accepting them as part of who I am or dismissing them as lingering BS leftover from abuse, and just generally trying to get it over with ASAP.