6 keys to overcome sadness

Some fundamental ideas to learn how to cushion the impact of sadness.

Many people who come to psychological therapy define their problem through a word often used in these contexts: sadness.

However, the fact of suffering psychological discomfort does not mean that we should understand what is happening to us. That is to say, the subjective sensation of being in a low mood does not imply that we are automatically aware of the problem that is affecting us, even when we believe we know the cause. That is why under that label called "sadness" can hide different needs to be solved.

In this article we will explore the topic of how to overcome sadness by going to the possible causes of itThrough useful tips for the day to day.

Key ideas to learn how to overcome sadness

This is a series of tips in summary format to learn how to overcome the feeling of sadness, a type of emotional pain that affects many people. However, keep in mind that they cannot replace the effectiveness of a psychotherapy process.

1. Keep a self-record in the form of a diary.

The first thing to do is to become familiar with the thoughts and situations that we associate with moments of sadness. That is to say, we should not limit ourselves to experiencing them in our own skin, but we should look beyond them and be able to see beyond them. We must look beyond them and be able to link them to other aspects of our behavior and the events that occur around us..

To express it through a metaphor, we have to go from going to see a sad movie to analyzing the sad movie from the point of view of a film critic, asking ourselves why the way it happens on the screen is more or less emotionally charged, and why certain scenes make us feel a certain way.

For example, if you notice that you often feel bad about yourself because you don't manage to do all the work you have to do, analyze in which moments you feel bad about yourself because you don't manage to do all the work you have pending, analyze in which moments these ideas of guilt go through your head; perhaps you will discover, for example, that you feel guilty about your work.You may discover, for example, that it happens to you after having been eating even though you are not hungry, a mechanism that many people use to relieve their anxiety by "distracting" themselves with something that does not make them think about the responsibilities they have to take care of.

If every day you write down in a small notebook notes about what you feel when you experience sadness and the context (space and time) in which this happens to you, you will be more adept at understanding the logic behind mood fluctuations. And from there, it will be easier for you to set goals to better manage your emotions and your behaviors linked to your emotions.

2. Keep yourself going efficiently

To combat sadness, it is important not to let it drag us into passivity. Be careful, that doesn't mean we should be constantly working; in fact, many people with a tendency to be sad spend too much time busy.. Efficiency is the key

If you lead a sedentary lifestyle based on procrastination (i.e., the propensity to leave everything "for another time"), it is possible that the mixture of unfulfilled goals and feelings of guilt will keep you in that state of sadness and lethargy, feeding the idea that you can only live that way. And if you are always on the go but mismanage your time, the mix of lack of rest and unfulfilled goals will probably also give way to a feeling of guilt and helplessness.

Therefore, it is very important that you structure your time by keeping a clear schedule detailing what you will do during the week. This is also a good way to motivate yourself, because you will always have in mind your next goal to achieve in a matter of minutes or hours, which will make you feel more productive as you see that you are solving problems and needs in a sequential way.

3. Take good care of yourself

It is very difficult to feel good emotionally if we do not keep our body in good shape. For example, something as simple as not sleeping well, not eating well or not maintaining hygiene routines can make us feel significantly lower in mood in a matter of days. in a matter of a few days.

Make sure you go to bed on time and get plenty of sunshine, make sure your diet provides you with all the macronutrients, vitamins and minerals you need, and exercise moderately according to your age and physical condition. That way, your body will manage its energy better and your psychological processes will not suffer, since your body will not be trying to "cover fires" by sacrificing Biological processes that are not essential to survive in the short term.

4. Maintain a rich social life

Sadness is associated with loneliness, and it is considered that both elements mutually feed each other.. Therefore, it is important that you have a satisfying social life, which does not mean that you should have a lot of friends or that you should be content to get along with those who are usually close to you. If necessary, find new friends by taking advantage of the potential of new technologies and their ability to bring together people with common interests.

5. Don't try to block out discomfort

If you try to keep out of your conscience those ideas that make you feel bad, they will come back to it with more force. Try to accept their presence, and in that way you will subtract a good part of the power they have over you, so that you can focus your attention on other things.

6. If nothing works, go to psychological therapy.

If you notice that nothing you try works and the sadness does not go away, keep in mind that this is relatively normal: learning to manage one's emotions is a complex process, and not everyone has the predispositions that allow them to learn this spontaneously, without professional supervision. Therefore, you should know that in many cases the most advisable thing to do is to go to psychotherapy and commit yourself to this process that lasts from several weeks to months.

Are you looking for psychological support?

If you suffer from psychological discomfort linked to low mood and you are interested in psychotherapy services, I invite you to get in touch with us, I invite you to contact me.. I have more than 15 years of experience working with adults and adolescents, and I currently offer therapy sessions both in person in Madrid and through the format of online therapy by video call. Para ver más información acerca de cómo trabajo o ver mis datos de contacto, puedes visitar esta página.

Referencias bibliográficas:

• American Psychiatric Association. (2013). Manual diagnóstico y estadístico de los trastornos mentales. Quinta edición. DSM-V. Masson, Barcelona.
• Forgas, J.P. (1998). On being happy and mistaken: mood effects on the fundamental attribution error. J Pers Soc Psychol. 75 (2): 318–31.
• Keltner, D.; Ellsworth, P.C.; Edwards, K. (1993). Beyond simple pessimism: effects of sadness and anger on social perception. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology. 64(5): 740 - 752.
• Sansone, R.A.; Sansone, L.A. MD (2009). Dysthymic Disorder: Forlorn and Overlooked? Psychiatry. 6(5): pp. 46 - 50.
• Schuch, F.B.; Vancampfort, D.; Firth, J.; Rosenbaum, S.; Ward, P.B.; Silva, E.S., et al. (2018). Physical Activity and Incident Depression: A Meta-Analysis of Prospective Cohort Studies. The American Journal of Psychiatry. 175(7): pp. 631 - 648.