noting. "oh there's that voice again. funny how it always comes up whenever i do xyz thing. i must be feeling stressed out" or whatever. putting space between you and the thought instead of just being actively inside it is very helpful for me
I have a "happy" playlist on my phone with all the songs that bring me joy. I use it in case of dopamine emergency.
Also it seems counterintuitive, but I also have a "moody" playlist of sad songs that can often snap me back into a better mood by listening to it. I find wallowing in the sad for about 20 minutes can make me feel better.
This is hilarious, and very relatable. I think the drawing of your negative voice is so cute, even if they suck! What always helps me is just hugging my dog, or kissing my dog, or watching my dog, or smelling his legs, or anything related to the dog.
I've been living with depression since I was about 11 (I'm 31 now), so I'm very familiar with intrusive thoughts. Music helps me a lot, especially when I focus on the lyrics. Sometimes I sing along, too. I often put a specific song on repeat. Talking to family is also helpful, even if I don't talk about what's going on in my head. Self care is important, do something for yourself, even if it's a tiny thing like taking 5 minutes to listen to the birds and look at nature.
Very much the same for me! I also keep a bottle of essential oil of orange, and just taking several good sniffs of that is helpful. And getting out in nature has been scientifically, proven to do good things for us, both physically, and mentally!
I’ve found it to be powerful to write down ruminating thoughts. They seem to lose their power when I read them back over. Like wait, why was I thinking about that for so long? Or there’s something here for me, let’s dig a little deeper.
i basically have to do physical activity or something, or maybe draw?? Something involving movement. It sucks to be in a mood like that!!! it's happening to me a lot lately too!!
I listen to audiobooks to get rid of intrusive thoughts. It helps to do something while listening as well like walking, laundry, dishes. Anything that is distracting enough usually helps.
My husband has a wildflower garden, so I’ll often pop out back and just look around at what’s growing and blooming. I also enjoy yoga, so something that helps me get dopamine is moving my body - so I’ll do some stretches on my living room floor.
There’s a song by The Chieftains called “Changing Your Demeanor”. It’s fast and tricky, and I’ve been trying to learn it just by listening to it in my car (for the past 20 years or so). I have, as my friend says, “Learned it up and forgotten it back down.” It is about feeling better, and contains a lot of (for the Chieftains) improvisational lilting (rum-tum-ti-tum singing) and when I try to sing it accurately at speed, I don’t have the mental space for mean-brain to do lengthy soliloquies. Singing along with it is sort of my emergency first aid when I’m driving somewhere I don’t want to go, and my mood is in the toilet.
I also remember hearing that a person could take their mean inner voice less seriously if they recast it with a different voice actor, one that seemed ridiculous, laughable — a fictional character you could easily tell to “go and stuff it”.
…Maybe having a cast of these fictional character-voices could be helpful, in case one of them stops working.
Smell the soup
Cool the soup
This made me laugh and now I'm going to use it every time I do intentional deep breathing!
Running does help with mine! I also like to view the mean voice as separate from me and talk back to it about how it doesn’t know me.
noting. "oh there's that voice again. funny how it always comes up whenever i do xyz thing. i must be feeling stressed out" or whatever. putting space between you and the thought instead of just being actively inside it is very helpful for me
I have a "happy" playlist on my phone with all the songs that bring me joy. I use it in case of dopamine emergency.
Also it seems counterintuitive, but I also have a "moody" playlist of sad songs that can often snap me back into a better mood by listening to it. I find wallowing in the sad for about 20 minutes can make me feel better.
Same!
This is hilarious, and very relatable. I think the drawing of your negative voice is so cute, even if they suck! What always helps me is just hugging my dog, or kissing my dog, or watching my dog, or smelling his legs, or anything related to the dog.
the voice sucks, not the drawing!
Pizza.
It never fails
I've been living with depression since I was about 11 (I'm 31 now), so I'm very familiar with intrusive thoughts. Music helps me a lot, especially when I focus on the lyrics. Sometimes I sing along, too. I often put a specific song on repeat. Talking to family is also helpful, even if I don't talk about what's going on in my head. Self care is important, do something for yourself, even if it's a tiny thing like taking 5 minutes to listen to the birds and look at nature.
Very much the same for me! I also keep a bottle of essential oil of orange, and just taking several good sniffs of that is helpful. And getting out in nature has been scientifically, proven to do good things for us, both physically, and mentally!
I listen to music. This is something you can do while walking, bathing, gardening, or just sitting around.
I go outside and watch the trees or clouds and listen to the birds for a while. That almost always helps.
Me too! Except I might be out the craning out the window.
I’ve found it to be powerful to write down ruminating thoughts. They seem to lose their power when I read them back over. Like wait, why was I thinking about that for so long? Or there’s something here for me, let’s dig a little deeper.
I force myself to go outside and smile at a stranger.
i basically have to do physical activity or something, or maybe draw?? Something involving movement. It sucks to be in a mood like that!!! it's happening to me a lot lately too!!
I listen to audiobooks to get rid of intrusive thoughts. It helps to do something while listening as well like walking, laundry, dishes. Anything that is distracting enough usually helps.
My husband has a wildflower garden, so I’ll often pop out back and just look around at what’s growing and blooming. I also enjoy yoga, so something that helps me get dopamine is moving my body - so I’ll do some stretches on my living room floor.
There’s a song by The Chieftains called “Changing Your Demeanor”. It’s fast and tricky, and I’ve been trying to learn it just by listening to it in my car (for the past 20 years or so). I have, as my friend says, “Learned it up and forgotten it back down.” It is about feeling better, and contains a lot of (for the Chieftains) improvisational lilting (rum-tum-ti-tum singing) and when I try to sing it accurately at speed, I don’t have the mental space for mean-brain to do lengthy soliloquies. Singing along with it is sort of my emergency first aid when I’m driving somewhere I don’t want to go, and my mood is in the toilet.
I also remember hearing that a person could take their mean inner voice less seriously if they recast it with a different voice actor, one that seemed ridiculous, laughable — a fictional character you could easily tell to “go and stuff it”.
…Maybe having a cast of these fictional character-voices could be helpful, in case one of them stops working.
Uau, that song was not at all what I expected! Such great fun!
I listen to ALL CLASSICAL PORTLAND.
Me toooo!