I have a little black cloud over me today.

swampwitch

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I'm trying to deal with half-a-dozen difficulties at the moment and it's just too much.

I'd appreciate if you'd tell me what you do for yourself when this happens to you. I already take care of myself physically, with eating well and exercise, but it's the mental and emotional side that needs some care at the moment.

Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.
 

jenny82

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When I feel like that I try to find some way to mentally escape for a little while (read a book, watch tv, take a walk, etc). And talking about it always helps too. I hope you feel better soon.
 

lookingglass

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Originally Posted by SwampWitch

I'm trying to deal with half-a-dozen difficulties at the moment and it's just too much.

I'd appreciate if you'd tell me what you do for yourself when this happens to you. I already take care of myself physically, with eating well and exercise, but it's the mental and emotional side that needs some care at the moment.

Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.
I triage things. What ever is the most difficult I deal with first.



I hope all is well with you.
 

starryeyedtiger

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Sometimes, all that will help me in the world is an Afternoon/dinner out with my best friend Renae - she always seems to know how to distract me / cheer me up when nothing else will. Also sometimes a nice hot bubble bath with candles and classical music helps me unwind too. Cooking can be soothing too....and so can a good cry sometimes- sometimes i just need to cry and get whatever's bothering me out of my system ( i always feel better afterwards!)
 

mooficat

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aww thats just a real bummer !

well getting some hugs from TCS always helps


If its things you know you can sort out, then write then down with the actions you need to do, even if you cant do the things yet. Sometimes seeing things on paper helps to put them in perspective


Then go have some fun for YOU

Once you complete something, cross it out with a huge marker pen
finality always makes me feel better - over and done with then


Take care
 

ladycat

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maybe try some light stretching/yoga and/or mediation?
 

gingersmom

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I'm usually really good at multi-tasking and am almost always dealing with what seems like personal crisis (not mine, necessarily, but that of my daughter or a friend's, etc.)

I have learned to prioritize, and that helps a lot, but I have also learned to recognize the differences in my body when I am hormonal vs depressed.

About a year ago, the world came crashing down on me emotionally, and I started getting really depressed for what seemed like no real good reason - I thought I had been handling everything pretty well, but when I started losing interest in the things that make me the happiest, in addition to really starting not to care about my job performance, I went to see my doc and requested that I be put on Welbutrin. I take .75 mg per day in the a.m. (this is half the standard dose) and it has made ALL the difference in my being able to cope with everything.

I had taken it years ago with good result, and had been off it for several years, so when I started to feel myself sliding down that slippery slope, I went back on it, and a year later I'm still taking it and I am doing very well. I'm not ready to come off of it yet, but I am no longer in crisis and have been able to cope with whatever has been thrown at me.

My best suggestion to you is to talk to your doctor. Medication does NOT work for everyone - it may be simply that you need an outlet to release pent up emotions to. Do you have a counselor or a friend/mentor that you can talk to to help you get through this time?
 

rockcat

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Sometimes that feeling can be hard to shake. Here's what helps me: Prayers, hugs, being outside, talking to a loved one, and of course, petting my kitties - especially when they are purrrrrrrrrring.
I hope you feel better soon.
 

catsrnmom

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I am sorry that you are having a bad spell..Sometimes I just sit still, and take a really deep breath in with my eyes closed, and think of something that I have really enjoyed in the past. Usually my vision is looking at the ocean again, hearing the waves come ashore. Hugs from me for a better day and days ahead.
 

natalie_ca

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I try to take stock of what issues are in my control and what isn't.

There is no sense worrying and fretting over things that are out of your control to do anything about. It's hard to change your mindset from worrying to not, but it's possible. Once you realize that it's not within your control and that there is no sense in worrying about it and that what will be will be, you will feel so much better.

Another thing I don't worry about is the future. I'm in the hear and now and that's all I have control over. I have no control over the past and for the most part for the future. Sure what I do today may affect my future, but then again it may not. So why worry about it?

It will take practice and dedication but it's possible to change your worry habits.

Also, if you are feeling like you just aren't coping, you should speak to your doctor and ask about Celexa or something similar. Depression often affects our abilities to cope effectively and we feel overwhelmed. I was like that back in 2002 or 2003. I spoke to my doctor and he prescribed Celexa and within a week or two I was feeling "normal" and not so overwhelmed by everything.
 

april31

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hugzzzz. We are here for ya I know what your going through sometimes life seems too much at times. Im not sure of any ideas as ive been feeling the same way but to know that we are thinking of you and care.
 

carolpetunia

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I have a four-part plan for such times:

Step 1: Make a list of the things you need to do, so you don't have to worry that you'll forget any of them. This frees you to forget ALL of them for awhile.

Step 2: Get in the car and put on some great music that makes you want to sing along and dance. Steely Dan works for me, Stevie Ray, some good old Motown... whatever makes your hips twitch!


Step 3: Go to the bookstore and find something new that you just can't wait to read. Nothing heavy -- just engrossing and fun. If you can't find anything that thrills you, try something by the team of Douglas Preston & Lincoln Child. Rip-roaring yarns, every one!

Step 4: Settle into a cozy clubchair at Starbuck's with your new book and a nice cup of whatever you enjoy most... and just let the rest of the world wonder where you are for a couple of hours.

Ahhhhhh... I may take some of my own advice tonight...
 

trouts mom

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I blast really happy music....One song that really helps for me is Happy Face by Destiny's Child...It just makes you realize that things could be so much worse, and really alot of us don't have it that bad. I mean, we have food and clothing, and we live in free countries.

Try to think positive about life..I am a firm beleiver in positive self talk..

Also, take a few deep breaths. Deep breaths actually cause your brain to shift from panic mode to calm mode
 

dragoriana

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What everyone else has said. Read, walk, listen to music, draw, meditate etc. I know if im really stressed i get my dumbells out and exercise my arms till they are burning.
 

kittymonsters

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Lots of good advice here. It is nice to read and find out we are not alone in going through the hard parts of life. Understanding does wonders for the soul!

Different strategies for long or short term black clouds for me. Sometimes I just seem to cope better than others. When I am not coping short term....a good cry always helps. Let all that bottled up emotion out, so I can think clearly and then address the issues at hand in a logical straight forward manner. Sometimes talking to someone (friend, co worker, professional) to get an "outside" non-involved look helps to sort things out for me.

Long term black clouds need medical attention. I am chronically ill, so I tend to get bouts of secondary depression which is very common for people with long term illnesses. So medication is in my long term arsinal to fight off the supercell thunderheads of serious clinical depression.

I am not sure where you are in the spectrum of things, but some of the best advice I can give is to know your limits. Trust your insticts, and if you feel this is more than just a bad blue period, seek medical help.

Lots of hugs and hoping sunny skies come soon!!!
 

theimp98

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well, first, you can only really deal with one thing at a time, fix one thing the best you can move on.

second find a really good game or book to read, to get you mind to move out of the problems for a few.
 
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swampwitch

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Thanks, everyone, for your replies! I've taken all of them to heart.

I made a list of the difficulties in my life right now (there were nine), prioritized them, and wrote what I can do about each one.

Two are in the past, so I by those I wrote "get over it." One is about something that will (probably) happen in the future, so I wrote, "deal with it when it comes." Two others I can do nothing about, so I put, "try to stay positive."

The other four... well... I need to deal with those. I decided to start tomorrow, and work on one at a time. One is the anniversary of a death so I am going to write a memorial.

In the meanwhile, I'm going to play the new Zelda game I've been wanting to play on the Wii (when I need an escape).

OR... I could post those problems and probably someone here can take care of them for me! Just kidding!


You guys are great.
 

bella713

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Originally Posted by SwampWitch

Thanks, everyone, for your replies! I've taken all of them to heart.

I made a list of the difficulties in my life right now (there were nine), prioritized them, and wrote what I can do about each one.

Two are in the past, so I by those I wrote "get over it." One is about something that will (probably) happen in the future, so I wrote, "deal with it when it comes." Two others I can do nothing about, so I put, "try to stay positive."

The other four... well... I need to deal with those. I decided to start tomorrow, and work on one at a time. One is the anniversary of a death so I am going to write a memorial.

In the meanwhile, I'm going to play the new Zelda game I've been wanting to play on the Wii.

OR... I could post those four things and probably someone here can take care of it for me!
You guys are great.
That sounds like a great plan...Good for you
 

cairo

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Originally Posted by CarolPetunia

I have a four-part plan for such times:

Step 1: Make a list of the things you need to do, so you don't have to worry that you'll forget any of them. This frees you to forget ALL of them for awhile.

Step 2: Get in the car and put on some great music that makes you want to sing along and dance. Steely Dan works for me, Stevie Ray, some good old Motown... whatever makes your hips twitch!


Step 3: Go to the bookstore and find something new that I just can't wait to read. Nothing heavy -- just engrossing and fun. If you can't find anything that thrills you, try something by the team of Douglas Preston & Lincoln Child. Rip-roaring yarns, every one!

Step 4: Settle into a cozy clubchair at Starbuck's with your new book and a nice cup of whatever you enjoy most... and just let the rest of the world wonder where you are for a couple of hours.

Ahhhhhh... I may take some of my own advice tonight...
Wow! I'm writing that one down. That sounds like my kind of night.
 
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