Therapists Reveal 6 Positive Ways To Deal With Sad Feelings

Sad feelings are part of life. You will have moments when you will be happy, but you will also have moments of anger or sadness. When these emotions arise, it is important to know how to regulate and manage them. Without proper management, they can escalate to more serious problems in the future.

Still, easier said than done. Many people around the world struggle with sad emotions and don’t know how to properly handle them. If you are one of those people, keep reading! Here’s how research and therapists reveal 6 positive ways to deal with feelings of sadness.

1. Distract yourself from rumination

Rumination refers to a situation where you essentially get trapped within your own thoughts as you cook yourself in a pot of negative thoughts, regrets, and worries. It is one of the main factors in disorders such as depression and can significantly worsen already negative emotions, according to studies.

As such, wellness tech expert and consultant Tchiki Davis, Ph.D., says that overcoming rumination is the first step in dealing with sad feelings. One of the best ways to do this is through distraction, especially with things that can improve positive thinking regardless. Here are several ways to get distracted:

Do enjoyable activities

At first it may seem like you don’t want to do anything good, but force yourself to do it, and the positive thinking it will leak slowly. Take a walk, play an instrument, participate in a hobby, or even think long-term by signing up for a class or learning something new.

Spend time with your loved ones

Being around people you like can increase the production of oxytocin in the body, causing positive feelings and decreased depressive symptoms. This can help even with mild sadness!

Shock your system

Do something with your body that involves fully engaging you in something intense, like a very cold shower, a difficult exercise routine, or playing an action-packed video game. These actions can force the brain to stop focusing on negative things and direct its energy to the task at hand.

2. Identify and accept feelings

To deal with sad feelings, you must be able to cope with them. That means being aware of them, identifying them, tracing them to their causes, and accepting them. Licensed marriage and family Jennifer Litner Certified Sex Therapist and Therapist recommends asking yourself these questions to begin discovering your emotions.

• What is my current emotion? Is there more than one?
• What happened that caused this emotion?
• Is there an alternative explanation for the occurrence that makes logical sense?
• What do I want to do about the emotions I am experiencing?
• Is there a better way to handle the emotions I’m experiencing than that?

This takes you, step by step, through the complexities of feelings and reactive negativity. Consider rational alternatives and reframe your mind so that you can productively blur the situation. After all, thinking about your emotions can contribute to overall happiness, depending on Sciences. This will not be easy to do at first, but eventually, you will become a pro as the habit develops!

However, not only is it enough to identify the emotions, you must also accept them. Sad emotions are normal and part of being human, and if you try to downplay what you feel, you will invalidate and repress yourself too much. Acceptance of your feelings is what eventually leads to increased positive and a happier life. It may take time to learn to accept your emotions, but as stated, the habit will develop!

3. Let yourself cry

Have you ever heard someone brag that they never cry? Those people might have the most repressed emotion. Crying is completely healthy and is one of the best ways to release the most severe emotions after a sad or difficult event. Here are some reasons why crying can be beneficial, based on Trudi Griffin licensed professional counselor:

Releases endorphins

Endorphins are a neurotransmitter that makes you feel good and makes you feel more positive. When you cry, the body releases endorphins, which relax you and help you feel better.

Activates the nervous system

The body’s parasympathetic nervous system functions in the realm of trauma and recovery from stress. When you cry, this part of the nervous system is activated, which facilitates a faster recovery.

Communicates pain

When you cry, you communicate to those around you that you are in pain. If you have a positive support system, crying around you can help them empathize with you and offer appropriate and helpful levels of support.

Of course, there are some caveats about crying to control emotions:

Circles of support are important

Research suggests that if the people around you, or the cultures you grew up in, find crying embarrassing or a sign of weakness, you may not benefit as usual. positive crying functions.

· Not everything you hear about the “launch” is true

Former Director of Psychiatric Research Laboratories at St. Paul-Ramsey Medical Center Dr. William H. Frey, Biochemist, was famous for his research suggesting that crying could release toxins from the body. This research is now highly disputed and believed to be incorrect or insignificant due to the small amount of toxins released.

Forcing yourself to cry doesn’t help

If you don’t feel like crying, you shouldn’t force yourself to cry! This can backfire and you shouldn’t force a reaction that you don’t have.

4. Take care of your health

A healthy body creates a healthy mind. On top of that, good health makes you feel better anyway, as you’re less likely to be able to control emotions when you’re sick too. Here are some ways to take care of your health to reduce the severity of sad feelings:

Get enough sleep

You need high-quality sleep in sufficient quantities to be in the best physical and mental shape. Board Certified Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner and licensed psychologist Dr. Timothy Legg explains that people who have insomnia increase their risk of developing depression by 10%, according to studies! If you have trouble sleeping, avoid caffeine at night, make sure your mattress and bedroom are comfortable, and stop staring at screens an hour before bed.

Exercise

There is no shortage of research informing us of the many benefits of exercise. The act of exercising releases feel-good chemicals such as endorphins, which increase your energy, relaxation, and positive thinkingespecially among those who are depressed.

Reduce your sugar intake

High blood sugar levels can be responsible for increased symptoms of depression. Investigation has found that it is just as bad for mental health as it is for physical health.

Reduce the use of social networks

Many people who use social networks many people may experience worsening self-esteem, he says investigation. The fact that social media is also quite addictive means that it is often difficult not to fall into a dangerous cycle with the use of this medium. Anyway, it’s just not healthy to watch screens all the time! Try logging out at a certain time, deleting certain apps or accounts, blocking certain websites, or giving yourself a fixed quota for weekly time on social media, Legg recommends.

5. Try common relaxation practices

People have turned to proven methods for relaxation and emotional regulation for centuries. Many practices that help relieve stress can be just as beneficial for sadness. Griffin recommends:

· Full attention

Mindfulness refers to the act of being fully present and grounded, releasing the worries of the past and the future. It also means being aware and aware of your emotions and situation with acceptance and patience. As such, it is not only relaxing, it can also help you combat rumination, identify feelings, and accept them. Numerous studies have indicated that repeated use of mindfulness can alter the way your brain reacts to negative emotions, potentially shortening your recovery time.

Meditation

Meditation, especially combined with mindfulness, helps the brain regulate its responses to negative stimuli, according to studies. Just 15 minutes of a basic mindfulness meditation activity can help you relax and focus your thoughts, allowing you to start working through sadness.

Yoga

Yoga helps you become more aware of your body and mind while helping you to relieve stress and improve your mood. Studies have found an effective form of treatment for depression in many cases, especially when provided as an adjunct to a pre-existing treatment.

Tai Chi

Tai Chi It works in a similar way to yoga, helping awareness of your mind, thoughts, and body. The most interesting thing is that it has been scientifically proven to help reduce both physical and mental pain, even in people with diagnosed chronic pain disorders.

6. Talk to a professional

If your feelings of sadness are becoming overwhelming and affecting your daily life, it may be time to try speaking with a professional. There’s a lot of stigma around seeing a therapist, counselor, or psychologist, but that’s because we often don’t consider mental health as important as physical health. If you would go to the doctor for physical pain, you should also see a professional for a mental one.

Litner claims that constant emotional dysregulation over a long period of time is often linked to serious mental health conditions. This can include bipolar disorder, major depressive disorder, and borderline personality disorder. These problems need the right help and treatment.

Also, some emotional regulation difficulties are linked to serious problems, such as family problems and trauma, that also need help, says therapist Vicki Botnick. A mental health professional can offer you the unbiased, non-judgmental support you need if you have these problems. They can:

• Help you manage bass humor changes.
• It will show you the methods for practicing reframing and understanding your emotions.
• Delve into the root causes of your emotional problems
• Teach you to better regulate your emotions
• Prevent worsening of conditions to the point of suicidal desire or self-injurious behavior

Final thoughts on some positive ways to deal with sad feelings