6 things to do right away when you're in a bad mood
Miscellaneous / / April 02, 2023
Play detective and remind yourself that you won't be sad forever.
We all have days when we feel irritated, angry, anxious, frustrated, or tired. In some cases, the reason for a bad mood is obvious - for example, we had an unsuccessful presentation at work, we are going through a difficult breakup with a loved one, or we simply did not get enough sleep. In others, everything is much more hazy, and our mood suddenly changes for no apparent reason. At such times, we need urgent psychological help. And here's what you can do first.
1. Talk about your emotions
Think about the people around you. It is unlikely that you want them to suffer from a change in your mood. You may even need their help and support. So try to take responsibility for your emotions and honestly talk about your bad mood to a partner, friend or colleague. This will allow others to understand what is happening and why you are "sulking" or "snarling." In addition, explain to other people what you expect from them: for example, to be left alone, hugged, or listened to.
2. play detective
Show your curiosity. Try to understand why your mood worsened today and not yesterday. What could have affected you: lack of sleep, hunger, stress over a difficult project at work, or anger over a morning quarrel with a partner?
What are you thinking about? Emotions arise in response to thoughts. Sometimes it is difficult for us to follow our own thoughts, especially if we focus too much on physical sensations. Here again, you need to turn on the inner Sherlock Holmes: stop and pay attention to what is going on in your head. The main goal of this “playing detective” is to get to know yourself better by identifying triggers for bad mood and eliminating the factors that fuel it.
3. Solve minor problems
Tired? Get at least an hour of sleep. Hungry? Come down to lunch. Worried about not being able to do your job? Ask colleagues for help or discuss the level of difficulty of your tasks with your boss. The sooner you deal with the problems that cause your bad mood, the better you will feel.
4. Postpone big decisions
Simple actions like “taking a nap” or “eating” will save you from minor problems that can be solved here and now. But if the bad mood is connected to a serious problem, it is better to postpone the decision until the moment when you are emotionally stable. For example, if you quarreled with a partner and are now very angry with him, you should not talk to him in this state, and even more so, you should not immediately think about breaking up the relationship.
When we are especially excited, we begin to look narrowly at the world around us. Our "emotional brain" switches to black-and-white thinking and comes up with radical solutions. It's like making decisions drunk: they seem right at first, but then we regret them.
Try not to fall for the tricks of the brain. Tell yourself that now is not the best time to act. Wait until your "rational brain" is back in action and think it over again without emotion.
5. calm down
When you've fixed the small problems and put off the big ones, try to calm down. This can be done in the following ways:
- Meditate. Usually 10-15 minutes is enough to feel better.
- Write down your experiences on paper. This will allow you to throw everything out of your head and stop obsessing. Just do not spend more than 10 minutes on recordings, so as not to become discouraged.
- Go in for sports. It is enough to spend all the same 10 minutes and do simple stretching exercises or take a walk to get a portion of endorphins.
- Make time for thoughtful pursuits. For example, play your favorite game, draw, cook - do something that completely absorbs your attention.
- Get some sleep. Both a 20-minute nap during the day and an earlier lights-out in the evening will do. Sleep "reboots" the brain and destroys all mental "garbage".
6. Remind yourself that this will pass
Our moods rise and fall throughout the day for many reasons. It is important not only to be aware of these changes, but also to be patient. Even if you do nothing, most likely, at some point you will still feel better.
If you constantly suffer from mood swings, but you can’t find the cause on your own, it may be worth contacting a specialist.
Read also🧐
- How to deal with a bad mood in any situation
- 15 ways to improve your mood in less than half an hour
- Why mood changes every 5 minutes and what to do about it