Low day

[S18]

Hi guys,

having one of those low days currently... Nothing has happened to me and I have nothing but good things happening with myself and my family but I feel the sinking feeling in my chest, feeling low/ flat/ down and on the verge of tears for no apparent reason. 

How do you guys best manage your low days?

S

[Ollie74]

Hi S,

When I am feeling down I use my words to force myself to feel better. Let me explain that better. If I say out loud to myself (make sure no one is within earshot or you may sound like a crazy person!) whatever it is that I need to hear over and over and over, then I eventually start to "feel" better. Your subconscious mind is running bad thoughts on repeat without you knowing and making you "feel" bad. If you override it with positive thoughts, that crushing bad feeling will disappear. 

 Hope this helps.

[Doolhof]

Hi S,

There are plenty of ways I deal with a Low Day.

Sometimes if I don't have to be at work I have a sleep in and think of nice things I would like to be doing, even if I don't get to do them! The positive thoughts help.

Phone a friend who is always ready for a chat and a laugh.

Go fro a walk and really stretch out, start puffing and get your blood flowing.

Do some work in the garden.

Read a good book or watch a movie, something cheerful would be beneficial.

Write out what is hassling you, then rip up the piece of paper with all the negative stuff on it.

Invite a friend out for a coffee.

I'm not sure if you are male or female, but either way dress yourself up so you feel good about yourself, if you are a bloke, you might not want to go the whole way with makeup and nail polish, but then again you might! Your choice. Ha. Ha.

Clean out a cupboard or the garage, be active  and feel a sense of achievement once you have finished.

Draw a picture, or get out some paints. Write a poem about how you are feeling.

Go outside and see what is happening around you.

Do some cooking and invite someone around for dinner.

Think of stuff you like to do on your good days and try one of those things.

Share your are and friendship with others here at BB. So many people are needing someone to listen to them and give them a boost!

Hope this helps in someway! We all need to know that someone cares how we feel. I acknowledge and understand you are having a down day and hope you are able to find ways to improve how you are feeling.

For myself, I am going for a walk later and will be pottering in the garden then hope to do a little writing to get stuff out of my head.

All the best to you and your ventures today! From Mrs. Dools

[S18]

Hey guys

thank you for taking the time and read my post and reply.

these are good suggestions! The talking about what's bothering me parts though or writing down won't work cos I honestly don't know the reason that I feel down. But sounds like if I try keep busy and distract myself it may be helpful so it's worth a shot

S

[geoff]

dear S, a couple of great replies back to you.

You have to remember that by having a low day nothing needs to have happened it's part of this illness or perhaps it could be that everything we have is good, that is the family, our life style and more, then we have this doubt that goes through our mind and we ask ourselves 'why is it possible that I feel so low when all is fine', so it keeps pulling us down. Geoff.

[Doolhof]

Dear Geoff,

Thanks for the reminder that stuff just happens when we suffer from depression. I have been struggling the last couple of days to feel positive and to achieve much of anything.

Sometimes I am far too hard on myself and need to cut myself a bit of slack, but think I have forgotten how to do that! I need to consider some of the options I have mentioned earlier to S18!

I'm on my way to the airport to pick up my husband as he has been away for a week. I haven't actually missed him at all so that makes me a little sad and makes me question the strength of our relationship.

On the way to the airport I am going to take a walk along the beach....even though it is raining. It might help to blow away a few doubts and some confusion!

So S18 if you are reading this as well, we all have down days. The thing is to pick ourselves up again, dust ourselves off and keep going!

The great thing about the Community here at Beyond Blue is that people do care, people are willing to offer help and advice, and we all need to know that people try to understand and offer support even if they don't totally get what each person is going through!

So to everyone out there reading this, share your care and concern with someone else. You never know how much someone needs a kind word!

Cheers to you all, from Mrs. Dools xxx

[S18]

Thanks Geogf. You are spot on, I have a wonderful partner whom I love a lot and who would do anything for me along with a beautiful 14 month old daughter who is just the light of my life. We have a nice house etc and we have close families that live close by.

But I'll continue to make myself feel bad (unintentionally) and just a small thought can leave me unhappy for days! And Dools I understand how you are feeling, when I am feeling like this, just so down and low you do question your relationships as if that's what's making you unhappy to start with although I know it's not. 

Last few days I feel like when I have done some kind of exercise in the morning it makes for a better day than others... Not sure why but seems to help so maybe that's worth a try Dools.

thanks again guys for listening

[geoff]

dear Mrs. Dools and S, I have only picked up this post again, but a very good point has been raised here and that's ' makes me question the strength of our relationship' and once this begins to happen means that a crack maybe appearing whether this is caused by our illness has to be decided. L Geoff. x

[Doolhof]

Hi Geoff and S18,

Thanks for your comments. Yes, it is a little confusing at times to know Geoff if the friction in the relationship is adding to the depression, or if the depression is adding to the friction in the relationship! It does pay to take a step back and try to consider which is happening! Thanks for making that point.

S18 I do like the idea of trying to find time for a little exercise in the mornings, it is just a question of fitting everything in before I leave for work. I am already getting up at 6.00 a.m. I do find I feel better after having been out for a walk, just need to work on my daily schedule!

I've just realised it is Thursday and I have not sent in my tax invoice for the week! It was supposed to have been in during working hours! Some days I am not even sure what day it is. Ha. Ha.

Wishing you both a great weekend, that is coming up pretty quickly too!

Cheerio for now, from Mrs. Dools

[criss]

Hi guys new here,

A low day brought me here to read and reflect and I totally understand everything you have all said. I have tackled anxiety, depression and change for years now and the last few years have been wonderful in terms of managing my life better but low days often hit and can knock you about.I have to say these days I do exersise, eat well and do the 'right thing' in terms of nurturing my mind with good thoughts, meditation and self talk. However sometimes you just have to ride the wave. Sleep in, do nothing for a while and let it be. I did that today and I'm feeling a little better.

What has triggered all this is work changes. I have been where I am for years and being made redundant. I have been looking around for work and although I know my work ethic and skills, everything 'out there' seems so overwhelming. and I do need to work as I support myself. I haven't been able to sleep properly and all my plans for any holidays ahead etc have been put on hold and this makes me feel deeply insecure. I tell myself positive uplifting things but that little feeling creeps up in my gut and thoughts at nighttime. I know this is all normal but it has triggered all these thoughts of loneliness and being alone in the world which I know I am not. I find it hard to flow with life rather more used to having everything under  control! Realistically I can see how I need to learn to flow with things and try to do one or two positive things a day to help myself move forward.

I am learning that not everyday can be perfect. Things happen. I have not stopped working for over twenty years and this frightens me. I don't want to be out of work for too long. I need to feel productive and earning and being in control of my life. Low mood can take you to dark places of irrational fear and I hate when that happens to me. You just want to talk it through with someone and sometimes I have found I don't want to keep calling my friends to repeat my fears over and over because although I know they understand many just don't like to hear it over and I don't want to sound weak all the time. Everyone I know sees me as a strong confident person many people have said to me I should have nothing to worry about. Yet I do worry and I do feel afraid so often when these low days hit.

Today I just took the day off and let myself be. Found myself here. Thanks for listening.