Depression happens to everyone from time to time, and sometimes it’s even pleasant. Slight sadness, a melancholy mood as a result of temporary loneliness, in this state it is good to drink tea, look out the window and re-read the classics - this way the emotional sphere of a person is cleansed. But what to do if sadness is not light, and sadness suppresses and interferes with life?
Before you can understand how to get rid of sadness, you need to find out what causes it. Perhaps sadness was the result of chronic fatigue and high levels of stress - every resident of a metropolis sooner or later faces such a problem. There is nothing good about this, but at least you can fight such sadness using your own methods.
What causes sadness
Sadness often arises due to personal relationships. It is enough for a loved one to drop a careless phrase, and his partner is ready to cry from misunderstanding and inner loneliness. Most often, this occurs due to minor problems in relationships that accumulate and become causes of lovesickness. Of course, it is necessary to fight this - first of all, you should normalize your own condition, and only then analyze it.
Perhaps a loved one really said something offensive, but it’s worth thinking about what he really wanted. In any case, such situations should be resolved together, during a peaceful conversation, when both are in an almost equal state of mind.
Another “subtype” of sadness is due to one’s own failures. Are you not always able to achieve your goal? After counting his achievements, a person may find himself in sadness. However, you should not allow this emotional reaction to completely take over you.
There is also inexplicable melancholy. It would seem that there is nothing special - no love story that could unbalance, there is no feeling of loneliness or any failures. At first glance, everything goes smoothly, but from time to time a person feels sad. This may be due to chemical and hormonal imbalances.
If the scale is not too large, then you can cope with it using your own methods - they will not hurt in any case. And in case of serious disorders or disorders, it is better to consult a doctor to find out how to get rid of melancholy.
Medical point of view
The results of the study were published in a special periodical, Molecular Psychiatry.
According to data obtained by scientists, if a person periodically falls into sadness and sadness from any experiences or loneliness, his release of opioids is significantly reduced, which does not allow the brain to “adjust” the mood. Thus, the tendency towards depressive moods significantly reduces the production of opioids, and the person ends up in a vicious circle that ends in clinical depression or nervous breakdown. Neurologists and David Hsu, who led the study, recommend fighting depression before it becomes a reason to see a doctor.
What is sadness?
Sadness is a negative emotion that arises as a result of dissatisfaction with one or more areas of life, the current state of affairs, as well as past events or future forecasts. Outwardly, this feeling manifests itself in a depressed mood, a reluctance to do anything, and also to communicate with others. Usually we don’t even think about how to stop being sad and quickly get back on track, but simply wait out this state. And fleeting melancholy passes by itself, allowing us to enjoy pleasant events again.
But sometimes it comes to a severe form of sadness, which knocks a person out of normal life for a long time, preventing him from working effectively and doing everyday activities. In this case, you should not hesitate - you need to pull yourself together and try to correct the situation by trying one or more methods that we will talk about today.
Methods of dealing with melancholy
How to overcome melancholy and get into a normal state of mind? First of all, you need to allow the body to function correctly and well. According to experts, many sorrows are associated with low levels of endorphins, so it doesn’t hurt to raise this level by means available to every person. It doesn’t matter whether you are sad from loneliness or from fatigue - these recommendations will help everyone.
What raises endorphin levels:
- physical exercise;
- exposure to the sun and fresh air;
- some food products;
- laughter and fun;
- music;
- sexual act.
Where does sadness come from?
Most often, this condition arises for a completely objective reason - due to dissatisfaction with certain circumstances of one’s life. Sadness for no reason is a fairly rare occurrence. Usually there is some unpleasant event associated with loss, mistake, disappointed expectations and other disorders. As a result, the mood deteriorates, but does not make fundamental changes in a person’s life. He continues to work, meet with friends, and do other daily activities.
Some people have a genetically determined tendency towards sadness, leading them to prolonged melancholy or depression at certain periods of their lives. In such states, people lose the ability to enjoy life, they lack hope and motivation to move forward, and there is only a permanent feeling of their own helplessness. Sometimes this condition lasts for months.
Studying different emotional states, scientists found that sadness is the longest lasting. For most people, this emotion takes 240 times longer to experience than joy. Sadness from even a minor unpleasant event completely disappears only after 5 days. Fortunately, there are techniques that can significantly speed up this process. And today we will analyze the most effective of them.
Physical exercise
Regular physical activity steadily increases the level of endorphins, but if a person is a little far from sports and gymnastics, then this method is unlikely to suit him. In this case, breathing exercises and yoga-style warm-ups will be much better and more effective. Yoga is essentially a unique practice that focuses on both internal balance and physical activity.
Regular breathing exercises will help saturate the body with oxygen, which will not only make the blood move faster (and speed up metabolism), but will also help improve oxidation. You can use any set of breathing exercises - for example, Strelnikova’s gymnastics. Breathing exercises can be used daily; it improves health and helps fight negative feelings of any kind and even melancholy from loneliness.
Physical exercises in the form of joint gymnastics are reminiscent of effective stretching - everyone knows how pleasant it is to warm up and stretch. A few bends and squats, good stretching and back strengthening exercises will relieve fatigue and irritation.
You can also use dancing as a sports exercise - you can include some kind of dance lesson, or you can just fool around a little while listening to good music.
Lack of sleep
Good restful sleep has a great impact on our health. We may feel drained because we are so tired. Neuroimaging and neurochemistry studies at Harvard University show that a good night's sleep helps improve both mental and emotional resilience. While chronic sleep deprivation creates the basis for negative thinking and emotional vulnerability.
Music
Musical works do wonders for a person - modern scientific research shows that music can not only improve your mood and relieve stress, but also significantly improve your health. Psychologists and specialists in spiritual practices advise not only listening to your favorite music (and, of course, dancing to it), but also from time to time listening to various mantras and spiritual chants - special verbal formulas sung in a choir accompanied by instrumental music help the brain tune into a positive mood.
How to get rid of despondency and melancholy: 25 tips and recommendations
Useful tips
Sometimes life begins to seem hopeless, dull, insipid and completely uninteresting to a person.
This happens because he stops experiencing vivid emotions.
, he is no longer pleased with the things that previously could captivate him to the point of self-oblivion.
A person in such a state sees himself as superfluous in this world, and the entire world around him as gray and dull.
If you suddenly feel the urge to be alone often
, and gloomy thoughts are your faithful companion, this means that you are under the influence of despondency.
This state should never be triggered.
It is considered dangerous in nature. There is no need to think that this will go away on its own. Maybe someday it will pass, but it will certainly leave its indelible mark on life, and it will take a very long time to get rid of the consequences.
Dejection is considered the same laziness, only many times worse and stronger.
This is a state when you don’t want to do anything at all, neither work nor rest. Life becomes unpleasant and over time a person completely weakens from melancholy and apathy.
Dejection is when we inside ourselves cannot come to terms with a particular situation and do not accept it in any way, but outwardly we put on a mask that everything is fine and everything is fine.
Therefore, it is necessary to break this outer mask from time to time.
How to deal with this scourge? What should you do first? After all, if you don’t work on it, you may not even notice how it will completely destroy your life to the ground.
It is known that in life there is a time for everything.
In autumn and winter, cleansing occurs, and in spring and summer, on the contrary, filling occurs. In winter, people feel sadness most acutely; they want more sun. It is precisely because of the amount of light in the warm season that life becomes so easy and joyful.
Therefore, it is good to let go of all grievances in the fall, so that in winter the blues do not cover you headlong.
It’s even better to build goals, plans and objectives for the next year. Then complete spring renewal will begin in life, and harmony and joy will begin to reside in the soul.
1.
Try to be outdoors more often, in nature.
Take a trip to the mountains.
2.
You need to eat right
, eliminating all junk food from your diet.
3.
You need to straighten out your relationships with all family members
, as well as with friends and work colleagues.
4.
Make it a rule to exercise regularly
, choose the most suitable sport for yourself.
5.
It is necessary to try to live and act according to your nature
(male and female), trying not to violate its principles.
6.
You need to be able to earn money and become more successful.
This applies to men to a greater extent.
7.
You need to bring benefit in this world with every deed, every action.
Try to do good deeds and the more often the better. You yourself will feel an extraordinary surge of strength from the fact that you were able to help someone.
8.
Do charity work.
Start small - just start feeding those in need. It’s not difficult and won’t put a big dent in your pocket, but it will reward you exponentially.
9.
You need to learn to live selflessly, completely get rid of selfishness.
Be kinder to other people.
10.
In order to overcome despondency, we must learn to thank
even those who once hurt us and caused us trouble. At first it is not easy, but then the picture changes.
Why is this necessary and what does gratitude give? First of all, at the moment of gratitude, the energy of joy comes to us, we begin to see the world in a completely different reality. Anger and resentment go away. We are completely cleansed and there is no point in being offended by anyone.
11.
One powerful practice is to repeat the following phrase:
“I feel that every day I live my life is getting better in every way!”
It will be enough for you to simply repeat this constantly if there is joy and happiness in your heart.
12.
If it so happens that despondency has already penetrated deeply into your subconscious, then in order to work through it, it will take two to three years.
Under no circumstances should such a condition be allowed to take its course, otherwise it will only worsen. Be sure to work with it and do not launch it.
13.
One of the strongest techniques with conscious breathing will be very effective in combating despondency.
To do this, you need to constantly return to a state called “here and now.”
This is when a person is strongly focused in the present moment, he is filled with a feeling of happiness and joy from within, he does not think about what will happen or has already happened, but is completely immersed in the “here and now” state.
10 conscious inhalations and exhalations will be of great benefit, because with such breathing our mind turns off, our immune system begins to work better, and despondency completely disappears.
14.
It is necessary to understand that there is nowhere to hide from all your programs written by life.
Sooner or later you will have to solve your problems, and it is better if this happens in this life, and not in the next.
Therefore, you need to quickly sort out all your problems and completely solve them, stop succumbing to the blues, and start living in a great mood and in good health.
If you see even the thinnest straw in your life, by grasping which you can get rid of despondency, then quickly grab it.
15.
Exclude from your communication those people who can suck all the juice out of you.
After all, a person who is depressed is in itself weak. And it is quite obvious that the presence of such people in your life will in every possible way complicate the process of returning to a joyful life.
16.
Start drinking living water.
Remember, even in fairy tales there was living and dead water. The first revived, and the second could simply kill. In case of apathy and depressive condition, living water is recommended for use. You should not drink tap water, but purified water.
Melt water is very useful, as well as water that has previously been infused with silver or coal. You can even agree with water that it will heal with its positive properties.
For example, when it stands under the sun's rays, it will fill you with the necessary vitality.
After all, it has long been known that water is an excellent conductor.
Whatever information you put into it, you will fill yourself with it by using it. 17. If you are suffering from uselessness and idleness, then you need to immediately get involved in any active activity:
get a job, or even two at once, make new acquaintances or some kind of personal relationships, join a group of active people with similar interests. It is necessary to fully bring something significant and better into your life.
18. Avoid watching dark and scary films.
You can always watch a sweet and kind family movie. Look through beautiful art magazines. Have a picnic on the weekend. Don’t skimp on what will definitely lift your spirits - treat yourself to pleasant little things: souvenirs or small purchases that will pleasantly please you.
19. Try not to envy other people.
This is the fastest way to despondency. Don’t look if someone has a more expensive car than yours or has a more luxurious house built. Just to each his own in this life. And envy will slowly destroy you. Remember this.
20. If you go out into nature, listen to the sounds around you:
The usual singing of birds, the sound of leaves or the wind can activate your memory, which is responsible for the emotions associated with pleasant memories. The main thing is to listen to them more carefully.
21. Sometimes it is simply vital to treat yourself to something frivolous, but very important.
It could be something tasty.
Diets away! It’s okay if you eat a small high-calorie piece of cake, the main thing is that you will feel the real joy of being.
Or it could be an ordinary cup of coffee, but so aromatic that you will savor every sip, enjoying its flavor nuances.
Whatever you pamper yourself with will benefit your body, as long as at this moment you think about good things all the time, and do not “chew” grievances and complaints once again.
22. Never feel sorry for yourself.
This is the most dangerous path. Sometimes people like it when people feel sorry for them and express their sympathy for them in every possible way. Listen carefully to what is happening in your soul, otherwise despondency can quickly turn into despair.
23. Fight your laziness.
By achieving even the smallest victory over it every day, you will get good results in the future. And it's all about consistency, consistency and regularity. Profound laziness is cured through compulsion.
Every time the phrase “I don’t want” must be answered with a firm “I must.”
You shouldn’t indulge yourself in the fact that you don’t want to do anything.
By cultivating willpower in yourself, you can achieve great results in life by overcoming your weaknesses. And the most important thing is to cope with despondency. 24. Try to live a smooth life, know how to calm your mind, learn to receive natural emotions of joy, harmony and love.
Learn to perceive all events, both good and bad, that happen in your life absolutely calmly and never react violently to them.
25. Try not to think about more than two problems at the same time.
Always avoid people who can fill you with unpleasant conversations, terrible stories about disasters that have occurred, or ordinary gossip.
Never infect others with your gloomy thoughts; try to always share only good and positive moods.
Remember that your enemies, with ease for themselves, use your worldly sorrow. And colleagues in the shop who are distinguished by their cheerfulness will easily “jump” you up the career ladder.
And even your beloved girl will find herself a more cheerful guy, unable to withstand your constant whining and discontent. Therefore, live in such a way that your ill-wishers become depressed, and you, meanwhile, are a complete optimist.
Every day, slowly but surely move towards long-awaited joy, overcoming melancholy and sadness along the way.
You can safely perform the most incredible and unusual actions for you, just so that you again feel like a fulfilled and happy person, ready to create and enjoy life.
Always remember the basic rule - true joy does not depend on the amount of money,
not from any coincidence of circumstances. It is inside every single person. And all you need to do is wake her up.
Now you have enough advice to get rid of despondency. Start taking action today, try to live harmoniously and according to
Mental and emotional health factors
Various life events or circumstances can cause feelings of emptiness or sadness. We are all different. We may be very upset by a yelling boss, but our colleague will not attach any importance to it. Different perceptions affect our mental and emotional health, respectively, each person has a feeling of emptiness for their own, special reason.
Here are examples of the most common factors influencing the appearance of internal emptiness in people:
Boredom
When we are bored and dissatisfied with our daily lives, we may be faced with an inner feeling of emptiness. Sherry Amatenstein, a licensed clinical social worker, explains:
We feel meaningless and do things whose ultimate purpose we cannot explain. A lack of meaning can make us feel empty inside.
Loneliness after a romantic breakup
After a relationship or marriage ends, you may feel empty.
The Harvard Study of Adult Development, one of the longest studies of adult life, spanning 75 years and still ongoing, found that maintaining loving relationships with spouses, family and friends is one of the most important factors in our happiness. It's no wonder we feel depressed and lonely if we lose a romantic relationship. Because loneliness is associated with many maladaptive conditions such as depression, it is important to find multiple ways to cope with them. You can seek support from loved ones or talk to your best friend, or visit a therapist if feelings of sadness and inner emptiness interfere with normal daily life.
Grief
After the death of a loved one, many experience a feeling of complete numbness or emptiness. This emptiness in the home or heart should subside on its own. There are different ways to cope with loss and come to terms with it. For example, spend more time with loved ones or seek professional help if the feeling of loss and emptiness persists for a long time.
Depression and other mental health problems
The challenge with depression is that it can include a range of symptoms. For example, it may manifest as temporary sadness and feelings of depression. Or we may feel less interest in activities we usually enjoy. These factors can cause you to feel empty and tired.
Sherry Amatenstein, a relationship psychology expert, warns:
A strong and persistent feeling of emptiness or unworthiness may indicate serious problems. These feelings may be associated with a chronic mental illness such as depression or post-traumatic stress disorder.
Amatenstein adds that feeling empty can also be a defense mechanism. For some people, after a traumatic event, it is easier to “switch off” and feel nothing than to cope with strong emotions.
If your feeling of emptiness reflects what is called major depressive disorder, clinical depression, post-traumatic stress disorder, or seems to be caused by experiences, it is recommended to seek help from a psychotherapist.
Fatigue
Feeling empty can be caused by fatigue. Perhaps you've been through a lot, and now you feel physically and emotionally drained.
If you're feeling tired and empty inside, some of the following tips may help:
- seek help from your partner, close friends and people who can support you;
- include rest in your daily schedule and determine how many hours you need to get enough sleep;
- try breathing exercises;
- teach to meditate.
See if any of these activities help ease the feeling of emptiness. If these solutions do not work, it is worth delving deeper into the search for the causes of your condition. Write down what exactly makes you feel emptiness, in which cases it appears most painfully or intensifies.
As you evaluate your responsibilities and current situation, you may find that certain obligations no longer fit into your life plan the way they once did. Remember that refusing something is not a sign of weakness or lack of commitment.
Thus, if you can eliminate what makes you feel spiritually empty, it’s worth doing. For example, hiring a nanny for a child on days when you need to do a lot of things in the city. It will be much easier for you to deal with them on your own, and it will also take less time and effort.
We wrote about what chronic fatigue is and how to cope with it here. It is also a common cause of feelings of inner emptiness.
