Okay, you've been doing great and then one day you find yourself not doing so great. You feel like you are at the edge of being sucked into that gravity well called depression...or anxiety...or whatever your downturn brings. Is there something you can do to arrest those symptoms and "right the ship" before you nosedive? I would like to recommend the concept of "mood boosters."
I credit a recent article by Tanya Hvilivitsky, "7 Life-Changing Tips to Dodge Bipolar Depression." (You can search for this article on the bphope.com website.) Her tip No. 4 is to "keep a list of mood-boosters." What an intriguing thought! The idea is to identify activities that can serve as "mood boosters" to lift you out of that gravity well. I can think of several types of things that can help you restore "neutral buoyancy," whether you wrestle with bipolar or unipolar depression:
Things you enjoy doing (when you are euthymic or slightly manic)
Things that distract you (in positive ways)
Things that give you "flow" (being so immersed in an activity you don't mark the passage of time)
Things that give you a sense of accomplishment
Things that connect you with people
I've only just started my own "mood boosters" list. This is what I've come up with so far:
1) Doing a "gratitude fest." I go to a quiet place, take out a piece of paper, and begin to write down all the things for which I am profoundly grateful. (My wife, my kids, my grandkids--oops! I just gave away my age--my church, my friends, my health, etc., etc. We Christians have a distinct advantage here. Being thankful is something we do as a matter of course.
2) Reading for pleasure." I go to a quiet place--the local library reading room works for me--sit down, and read something just for the fun of it--politics and world news excluded.
3) Immerse myself in a hobby. For me this is amateur radio. (Don't make fun of me. There are actually 700,000 of us in the U.S.) If you don't have a hobby, try something new. When I retired, a good friend challenged me to pick up a musical instrument and learn a language. I see no reason to save this advice for your Medicare years. Such activities can also give you a sense of accomplishment, which can boost your mood.
4) Find something that distracts me, calms me down. For example, It's been established that pencil coloring can relieve stress, calm the brain, and help the body relax. It can also help with feelings of depression or anxiety, a bonafide "mood booster." Check out:
This is one I have yet to try, but I did pick up a coloring book and pencils.
5) Do something for "flow." Flow means you get so engrossed in an activity that you don't mark the passage of time. For me, this is writing. Again, I find a quiet place, sit down with pen/pencil or my laptop, and write. I've written articles like this one. I've also written e-books. But the simplest thing I do is to keep a journal.
6) Finally, reach out to people. Don't retreat into solitude. Call a friend (or family member). Go out for coffee. Interact. Socialization is one of the best "mood boosters" in our arsenal.
So there you have it. Why not make your own list of "mood boosters?" Then the next time you feel yourself trending downward, pull out your list, roll a die (or pair of dice) and tackle that item, whether or not you feel like it. If it doesn't work, don't panic. Choose another and see what happens. I wish you much success.
Blessings!
The Christian Bipole
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