Everybody gets the blues at one time or another. Feeling gloomy or melancholy is not to be mistaken for severe depression for which, you most definitely must see your physician.
The state of mind to which I am referring, if not addressed or taken seriously, may possibly lead to a depressed state, but, is not quite as bad. Most times it will not be long term or hard to get over.
There are many underlying causes of melancholy, for example: breaking up, time seems to be the best way to overcome this. Stress and overwork, which, whether you can financially afford or not, may require time off, some “me time”, a nice relaxing bath, a good book or whatever helps you escape from everyday anxiety. Hormonal fluctuations, menopause, pre menstrual syndrome and childbirth tend to send our hormones for a loop - again, a visit to the doctor may help to straighten this out if it lasts more than a couple of days. Seasonal affective disorder is a more common disorder in the northern hemisphere possibly due to the decrease of sunlight in the winter; often increasing exposure to light can help this condition, occasionally it is more severe and you may need a physician's assistance. These are but a few of the reasons we may feel down.
With all these causes to feel blue, it is a wonder anybody can be happy at all. Most times, it passes as quickly as it appears and all of us cope in different ways some that can be quite self-destructive. Certain of us will use alcohol/drugs or other addictive measures like shopping or gambling to combat their feelings of sadness, others will just withdraw from those around them and a few actually will lash out in anger. These methods tend to cause a cyclic effect, bringing us spiralling further into the murky depths of guilt and other negative emotions, chasing happiness and joy further from our grasp.
Cheer up! There are better ways to beat the doldrums. If you know the reason you are feeling blue, then deal with the issue at hand before it gets worse. Take that “mental health” day, you can't afford not to. Sometimes, a bit of exercise can help put that smile back on your face, although, you might need to get some outside motivation from a friend for this. Taking a long walk with a buddy that has a sympathetic ear could help get rid of bottled up emotions that might be coming between you and your happiness. If you are not sure just what is bugging you, try "journaling". Writing your feelings down is an amazing way to discover what is happening in your head. This is an opportunity to actually see your internal dialogue and how it affects your mood. It can be a useful tool when dealing with the blues and when you find out exactly what you are telling yourself, you have the option to change the negative aspects of it.
We all want to be happy, once in a while the blahs kick in and override our pleasure but we can beat it, sometimes we just have to look our misery in the eye and put it in it's place.
