5 Ways to lift your depressed mood; inspiration from “as”

WHAT IS DEPRESSION?

Feeling down and giving up hope? The feelings can be so heavy it may be hard to get out of bed, socialize, and truly engage in life.  Stevie Wonder eloquently touches upon this mood state in his song, As, with this lyric:

We all know sometimes life's hates and troubles
Can make you wish you were born in another time and space

These feelings, behaviors, and perspectives are a few signs of depression. Depression can also leave you feeling disinterested in activities usually enjoyed and lacking in energy or motivation. You might feel excessive guilt or have a hard time making simple decisions.  There are also physiological impacts of depression like sleeping too much or too little, eating too much or too little, and moving slowly or being fidgety or unable to sit still. Depression can progress to where people start contemplating death and dying or even suicide and homicide (if this is you, please call the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline at 988).  

Although we may all feel some of these symptoms from time to time, it may be wise to seek out a trained professional if you experience several of those symptoms consistently over a 2-week period or longer and struggle with the symptoms impacting your life functioning. A therapist can coordinate with a medical professional to make sure the symptoms are not due to another condition, like hypothyroidism, neurological changes, or other mental health disorders.

Shift from feeling depressed to hopeful.

These simple steps below can help get you started on your road to recovery.

5 WAYS TO LIFT YOUR DEPRESSED MOOD

Now that we have an idea of what depression might look like, let’s focus on solutions. Understand that that it may be necessary to practice these solutions consistently over time while also engaging in treatment like psychotherapy to send depression into remission, but these are still steps you can take to begin to make changes that may help lift depression over time.

 1.       Practice Gratitude

With depression it can be easy to filter life experiences through a negative lens. One of the reasons practicing gratitude works is because it requires taking action to deliberately identify the positives in life. This is not to negate or invalidate negative situations you may be experiencing; those tough situations still stand and require their own acknowledgement. Practicing gratitude by making a gratitude list, for instance, is way, however, to see your situation and life in a more balanced way. Yes, there may be struggles, but it is likely also true that there are good things happening. Some days it may be hard to appreciate that. This is where a gratitude list or journal can help. Try making a list of 50 things you are grateful for. Anything goes—you can be grateful for sunshine, clean air to breathe, the ability to read, or food in your fridge. There’s 4—46 to go! For more information on this strategy, check out my blog post on Gratitude & The How of Happiness.

2.       exercise

Physical activity boosts our “feel good” chemicals in the brain, the same chemicals that are released when taking an anti-depressant. Exercise releases serotonin and dopamine. These neurotransmitters help regulate mood and boost it when moods are low. Assuming you are cleared by your physician for exercise, try starting simple. Block 20-30 minutes for exercise in your calendar three times in the week. You can keep it simple by taking a walk at a local park or in your neighborhood. You could get out the bicycle, take a swim at a local beach or pool, or enjoy a nature hike. Increased physical exercise not only releases feel good neurotransmitters but will also give you a sense of accomplishment and can help improve the quality of your sleep.

A group exercise class.

This is a great way to combine several suggestions for boosting mood: exercise, hobbies, and socialization.

3.       Schedule time for hobbies

Often with depression, people stop engaging in hobbies they previously enjoyed. It is easy to get away from your passions and opt for laying in bed or siting through a Netflix binge. It can sometimes be hard to find the motivation to re-engage with your old hobbies. Start by reflecting on the things you enjoyed before you felt down. If you cannot think of anything  you used to enjoy before feeling depressed, think back to when you were a child. Likely the things you had fun doing as a kid are the same things you enjoy now like playing a sport, making arts and crafts, playing board games, or being out in nature. Choose just one activity and put it on your calendar. Keep the timeframe short and sweet--15 to 20 minutes only. Commit to just this one activity for starters and see how you feel after engaging in it. Chances are you will at least feel good while you're doing it and may want to schedule yourself another appointment for fun.

4.       Socialize

Sometimes when people feel down, they just want to avoid others and isolate. This will only perpetuate feeling depressed. Although it is hard to do when you're down and out, it's really important to socialize with others to boost your mood. We truly are social beings and thrive off our interactions with others, even the introverts in their own way. You may want to call on a friend or loved one or take them up on their offer to get together. Schedule an activity as simple as walking through the mall together, getting a cup of coffee, or sharing a lunch. Committing to an activity with another person is more likely to lead to follow through. Likely once you get out and engage with your friend, you'll at least appreciate the good time you had, and this may motivate you to do it again.

5.       Find spiritual Inspiration

For this tip, I want to circle back to Stevie Wonder and my favorite song of his, As. Here are some of his lyrics that inspire:

We all know sometimes life's hates and troubles
Can make you wish you were born in another time and space

But you can bet your life times that and twice its double
That God knew exactly where he wanted you to be placed

So make sure when you say you're in it but not of it
You're not helping to make this earth a place sometimes called Hell
Change your words into truths and then change that truth into love
And maybe our children's grandchildren
And their great-great grandchildren will tell
I'll be loving you

Stevie is reminding us that no matter how depressed we might feel, we have to trust in something greater than ourselves and trust that there is some greater purpose or reason for why we might be going through what we are going through. There are a range of possibilities here; some may believe in a generic Higher Power, other may believe in God, and some may feel inspiration from the awesomeness of nature to name a few. The point is to anchor ourselves in whatever we find awe-inspiring, trust things will improve, and hope in the future.

With depression, negativity about the future can be life-threatening. Hope is crucial in challenging depression and persevering despite the depressive mindset telling you to give up. This is a false voice. There is hope. I know there is. That is why I do this work as a psychologist. If these tips fail to shift you out of depression, please reach out to a mental health professional, family member, or spiritual or religious leader. Connect with others and take a chance in asking for help.

BENEFITS OF ONLINE COUNSELING

Online counseling saves you time and energy as you access mental health care from your home or office without having to take time out to commute to and from the appointment. Relax in the comfort of your own space as you devote one hour to self-care. Secure platforms are used to protect your privacy. Research shows online therapy and in-person sessions are equally effective. So why not choose the more convenient option? Save time, gas, and minimize stress so that a one-hour appointment takes only one hour and not 3 with traffic.

BEGIN COUNSELING WITH AN ONLINE THERAPIST IN COLORADO, FLORIDA, MARYLAND, AND PENNSYLVANIA

If you’re tired of feeling overwhelmed, stop wishing and take action towards change today! AROSE eTherapy® offers a Free 15-minute consult. If you would like to proceed to services after your consult, we’ll book you our next available initial appointment, and you’ll be on your way to healing!

AROSE eTherapy® offers over 17 years of experience in offering mental health services.

ABOUT the author

Alicia Rozycki, PhD

Dr. Rozycki is a licensed psychologist and the founder of AROSE eTherapy®, an online therapy practice serving high achieving professional women and military affiliates including active duty, veterans, spouses, and government employees. Virtual sessions are available in Colorado, Florida, Maryland, and Pennsylvania. Learn more about Dr. Rozycki.

Wonder, S. (1976). As. [Recorded by Stevie Wonder.] On Songs in the Key of Life. Hollywood: United States: Tamla.