What do you do??

[JimFromOhio]

Lately

I work when I'm feeling that way. This has been working for me.

 

[cookiecat]

Music, mostly

It's odd - as I've gotten older, I've stopped listening to music as much as I used to. Recently, my husband has a music therapist come once a week. She spends an hour playing the guitar and they sing together. I've only sat in on one session; it was so sweet to see the calm it created. I took that to heart and rather than turn on the tv (which I was using just as background noise), am getting back to enjoying music.

I get up off my ass (a real struggle when I have the blues) and DO something. Hopefully something that brings some sense of accomplishment.

You are sooooooooooo right! It's hard to get up and go!!

browse my favorite used book store.

or my second favorite one.

or that other one that isn't as good but will do in a pinch.

Books

I always try stay positive. Do things that are positive. I prefer to be alone when I feel that way.

My glass tends to run half empty. It's a struggle at times to stay positive. Neutral is more like it.

 

[cookiecat]

If it's the appropriate temperature, a swim in the ocean can revive me. Otherwise, I try to head outside or talk to someone about how I'm feeling and ask for a hug. Human touching and interaction can draw me out of a slump as long as it's an interaction where I don't expend my own energy stores. I need building up at that point.

Water is always cathartic. How fortunate you're near the ocean! Jim's post below speaks to touching. The act of someone caring for you?? That energy drain is all too familiar.

Non-sexual human touch is always good and positive. Even if there's no talking.

It can be good. Difficult to do if you don't have a human around to touch. This sounds really weird but for a short time a long long long time ago, I used to gamble more than I should have. It wasn't the gambling - I quit that easily. Instead, it was this feeling of being around people, the sounds. I could feel like I was interacting even though I really wasn't. Talk about that false reality. Fortunately I snapped out of that phase.

Just being able to identify the "dark days" is a huge relief to me - I know they are going to happen, and so I adjust my focus accordingly, which includes notifying those around me that a dark day is happening.

Molly mentioned music. Well, this is kind of odd, but I head to church and crank up the big pipe organ and fill the sanctuary with just loud music. I call it my "therapy" session, and often I find that without knowing it, I've spent two hours working out the problems with the help of my friend Bach and others.

Wow! The fact you CAN go to church and play the organ is amazing. Pretty cool.

 

[cookiecat]

Quiet and loud both have worth. I think a bit like far said strong was dismissed or shamed and shamed loudness in women is not seen as attractive often, but a good loudness in appropriacy for YOU is valuable and volume is contextual.

I seem quiet too, but I have volume too. A quiet choir with no fortissimo is of little use in a big space, we just want the piano too. There is use perhaps in a gush of volume to get the 'gumption' flowing and then more quiet practice to sustain in, or find it before harvesting it? Experimenting for our individual wants is good, introspection at great not perhaps so useful in the doldrums; things look bleaker.

Oh gosh, I'm loud and I have no shame about that. I didn't get the shaming comment, unless it was pointed at that worn out cliche one poster brought up (I can't be submissive because I'm too confident or outgoing. Something like that)

I enjoy being in a group, bringing people together, making people feel comfortable, hopefully making people laugh. Brash? No. Joyful noise? Yes. As you say, in context.

Totally agree about the bleak outlook. If I give myself too much time to think, I no longer think in a linear fashion and everything becomes too circular. A chaotic hamster wheel.

 

[PapaRomantic]

Wow! The fact you CAN go to church and play the organ is amazing. Pretty cool.

Music has always been a part of my life. Sometimes it is a curse, but most of the it is a tremendous blessing.

 

[La damnee elle la licorne]

 

[PapaRomantic]

But organs are something! I have a few friends who are jazz organists, I swear the church organs pro up a bit for the work out

I agree. Part of the relaxation for me is the pure power of which the organ is capable. The classic composers knew how to take advantage of that power. Being able to play that kind of music now is worth every torturous second of practice my mom forced me to do as a kid!

Perhaps she knew I was going to need lots of therapy!

 

[Farawyn]

Music
Walk my dog
Phone a friend
Pet my cat
Pet my pussy

 

[PapaRomantic]

Music
Walk my dog
Phone a friend
Pet my cat
Pet my pussy

I think you accidentally mentioned the last thing twice....

 

[Farawyn]

I think you accidentally mentioned the last thing twice....

I know what I said.

 

[SalvDali]

When I am upset or angry. I run. It used to be something I only did when I was upset but as I got older I realized I had my fathers temper so now i treat them the same. I shut down. I put on my sneakers and I run till there is nothing left. I have never found it comforting to be around anyone when I get like that. I want to be alone until I push through.

 

[Eva_Star]

Glitter thread.

Go on a nature hike. There is this gorgeous trail near a creek by my house. I walk the trail then sit on the rocks with my shoes off, no matter how cold the water is ...and dip my toes in. Letting all the dark wash away. The spot is amazing because birds, bunnies and fish stop by. I love it so much. It's my sweet spot in a sometimes sour world.

And...I build a blanket fort...with a huge box fan blowing into it. I lay in my little blanket womb with the wind whipping around me until I feel as happy as I did when I created my first blanket fort as a child.

 

[DeepGreenEyes]

- Wallow in despair and self-pity and perpetuate my down cycle.
- Withdraw from people and things I enjoy.
- I work out. Hard. Until I'm revived and sore and tired and sleep better.
- I have go-to playlists for different moods.
- Hike.
- Read the Tao te Ching.
- Build stuff.
- Meditate.
- I had a hard year, and I built a little Asian garden. I sit there and watch the trees and drink coffee or wine.
- The Naked Gun movies often help.

 

[DrDelirium]

What do you do when you feel bleh? Down? Yukky. Melancholy. Sad. How do you get out of it?

I'm not talking depression - that's a whole 'nother topic to tackle. I believe there's a thread in Talk about it. I'm wondering about a momentary case of the sads or the blues. Whatever you want to call it.

Just curious.

Grab the guitar and sing the blues.

 

[RubiDia]

What do you do when you feel bleh? Down? Yukky. Melancholy. Sad. How do you get out of it?

I'm not talking depression - that's a whole 'nother topic to tackle. I believe there's a thread in Talk about it. I'm wondering about a momentary case of the sads or the blues. Whatever you want to call it.

Just curious.

Miss my appointments. Constantly.

 

[Farawyn]

Miss my appointments. Constantly.

.....

 

[La damnee elle la licorne]

 

[cookiecat]

Thanks for the input. Lots of great suggestions! On that note, it's a bright, sunny day. Headed down to get mr. cookie. The plan is to go fishing. We've been looking at fishing options for quadriplegics but there's not much out there!! Still, we bought me a fishing pole, some lures and I think he's (sort of) excited to boss me into becoming a fisherperson! I'm looking forward to just getting him out, near the water, in the sun.

Enjoy the day.

 

[DeepGreenEyes]

Thanks for the input. Lots of great suggestions! On that note, it's a bright, sunny day. Headed down to get mr. cookie. The plan is to go fishing. We've been looking at fishing options for quadriplegics but there's not much out there!! Still, we bought me a fishing pole, some lures and I think he's (sort of) excited to boss me into becoming a fisherperson! I'm looking forward to just getting him out, near the water, in the sun.

Enjoy the day.

That's pretty great, cookie. Enjoy.

Thank you for the thread, too. It was interesting to hear how others handle course corrections, and a useful exercise to take inventory on the tools I use to lose the blues.

 

[RubiDia]

What do you do when

Call it something else.

 

[desertslave]

Listening to music is my first go-to, followed by taking a drive somewhere. Lately my best mood elevator has been sitting outside and watching the world go by. We have lots of amusing birds and other critters, and they always seem to cheer me up.

 

[cascadiabound]

I work so hard physically until I drop.
I cry until I can't cry any more.
I write and write and write.
I talk to friends.
I curl up under the covers and think about never leaving, and then I get up and work hard physically until I want to drop.
I stop eating.
I try to remember what my routines are and just do them even if I don't feel like it.