5 Tips For When You’re Feeling Low
When you are going through a low period, it can feel overwhelming and hard to snap out of.
It can look different for everyone but can include symptoms like:
· Excessive sleeping/under sleeping
· Lack of motivation
· Low mood
· Lethargy
· Sadness
· Loneliness
· Isolation and social withdrawal
· Anhedonia – loss of pleasure in things you usually find pleasure in
· Irritability
· Hard to regulate your emotions.
· Negative self-talk and negative outlook on the world
· Numbness
· Hard to focus
· Difficulty keeping to a normal routine – work, university- any responsibilities or duties
During periods of low motivation, its hard to do things like get out of bed or get dressed for the day, let alone go take care of your daily responsibilities. This can turn into a vicious cycle; when you don’t get out of bed, it can trigger a feeling of guilt for being unproductive and then this can trigger off negative self-talk and beratement, leading you to feel worse than you did before. Withdrawing also stops you from being exposed to potential opportunities for connection or enjoyable activities that may lift your mood.
See below an image to help show the cycle:
Being in this state can sometimes cause you to get stuck in an unhealthy loop.
So the next time you feel like you are about to enter a depressive period or are already in one, here are 5 tips to help you get through it:
1. Break the cycle
The important thing to focus on is trying to break the cycle. When you are in these states, your mind and body are going around in circles. Your instinct will be to withdraw and hide away. The idea here is to try to the opposite of what your depression is telling you to do. It’s not about pushing yourself too much the other way that you burn yourself out, its about gently trying to get yourself up and out to expose yourself to more meaningful and fulfilling connections and experiences.
One way to do that is behavioural activation. Simply put, its scheduling activities or behaviours that help activate yourself to get you unstuck. There is much more to behavioural activation than written here but you can read more about it in the resources below or speak to your mental health professional about it.
Trying something different may be effortful and hard to do at first but like the image above, once you do more of what matters to you, it can help increase serotonin and allow you to break out of the pattern you are stuck in.
· So if you don’t feel like seeing people, then try make a plan with one friend who you feel safe and comfortable with.
· If you don’t feel like eating, make a plan to go out for a meal with a loved one or cook your favourite food
· If you feel like hiding away, try and go for a gentle walk or do something you normally love to do
· If you feel too overwhelmed to do all your laundry or do your assignment, then just write one sentence or fold 5 pieces of clothing- something is better than nothing
So remind yourself: I am helping myself break the pattern, break the cycle.
2. Step by Step Method
You might be reading this and think I cant even muster up the energy to get out of bed let alone out with a friend. So then try the Step by Step method. Sometimes thinking about the bigger picture is overwhelming and we don’t have the clarity or foresight in these moments to understand how we are going to make all these things happens.
In those moments, try just thinking about each step alone. If you’re in bed, focus on sitting up in bed. Next, focus on having a stretch. Next just make it to the cupboard. Next just focus on putting on a top. Then some pants. Then just focus on getting to the door. Step by step. One foot after another.
This method helps you bring your attention to the present and breaks down overwhelming tasks into smaller bite size steps that may feel more do-able.
3. Show up
Just. Show. Up. If all of the above is too hard, then try just focusing on showing up. Maybe you have a dinner to go to, a social event, university lecture or a work day. Whatever it is, try not to think about what might happen there, who will be there etc. All I want you to do is to focus on showing up.
You aren’t trapped, you can always leave if you’re not feeling it.
Just show up and let the rest unfold as it will.
4. Make time for connection
Pain is isolating; physically and mentally. When we are in pain, it feels like no one understands its depths like we are feeling it in that moment. In these moments, its exactly your cue to break the cycle and connect.
Connect with self. Have a relaxing bath or give yourself a gentle massage.
Connect with someone. Text or call a friend.
Connect with people. Walk downstairs and chat to your housemate. Or go to local park or cafe.
Connect with nature. Go for a walk in nature, take your shoes off and connect your feet to the grass.
Connect with that good feeling. Put on some music you love.
Connect with help. Make an appointment with the GP online to have something to be accountable to.
Connect with life. Go and cuddle yours or a friends pet.
5. Don’t be so hard on yourself.
Its common for people in low moods to beat themselves up mentally about being unproductive or ‘lazy.’ In these moments, it’s important to be kind to yourself. Treat yourself like you would a friend. Nurture yourself, don’t be mean to yourself. If you need to lay low to get through it, that’s okay too. Its when it becomes in excess that it may become a problem. So just remember, you are just trying to get through it. And for that time, thats all you need to focus on.
Be kind to yourself. You are doing the best you can in the circumstances you are in.
Whilst you’re doing these things, notice what it feels like. Make it intentional and be present. Notice what it feels like when you rub your own skin, or what it feels like to send the unwanted negativity back down into the earth through the grass.
Connection is the rope that helps bring you up when you are stuck at the bottom of the well.
Bonus tip: Speak to your GP
You don’t need to go through it alone. Reach out to your trusted GP to help you manage your low episode. Trying to get through it alone is like trying to escape a muddy swamp with no help. Sometimes you just need someone to help guide you through it. Bonus is that it also gets you out of the house and checking in with a health professional.
Another idea is to speak to your psychologist (or counsellor if you have one) and speak about session frequency and whether some extra sessions during this period may be helpful.
So if you are experiencing a low period, you are not alone, there is help out there for you. We hope these 5 tips are small things that can enhance your wider journey to healing.
If you are struggling, please reach out to the contact services below.
Resources:
Beyond Blue
Psychology Tools (Image)
https://www.psychologytools.com/self-help/behavioral-activation/
Behavioural Activation
https://www.psychologytools.com/self-help/behavioral-activation/
Contact Numbers:
LIFELINE - 24 hours/7 days
13 11 14
BEYOND BLUE SUPPORT SERVICE - 24 hours/7 days
1300 224 636
SANE - 10am-10pm/weekdays
1800 187 263
Author: Cody Tonkin, Registered Psychologist