feeling flat?

Photo: Michal Marcol / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Do you sometimes feel like everything seems too hard? Do you have ruminating thoughts regularly flittering through your mind and feelings of dread, worry, sadness or extreme tiredness wash over you?

It’s ok; you are not alone.

You may be experiencing a bit of exhaustion, or you may be experiencing what so many people (more than many of us care to realise) go through, and that is anxiety, worry or depression.

Mental illness is more and more common and though I’m not a huge fan of calling it mental illness – perhaps more like mood disorders, challenging emotions, mental exhaustion – it is so much more common than most of us are prepared to discuss.

Life isn’t always easy, in fact it is often jam-packed full of things to do, people to see, work to get on with, friends and family to spend time with and care for, shopping to be done, someone that needs our help, houses to clean, cars to wash, things to fix – feeling tired just reading that? Is it any wonder we can have our flat moments? And some of us have more to deal with than others.

If you think you have a rollercoaster ride of a life, the best thing you can do is realise that it is ok and you don’t always have to like it – that’s ok too. And if you think that your feelings might be taking too much of a hold, then it is important to reach out and seek assistance – there is nothing wrong with that at all.

There are some things you can do to help yourself and persistence is key:

Make yourself a Happiness Book. Rejoice in the things that make you feel blissful and write them down so that when you are having a flat moment, you can read the things that make you feel great.

Talk with people about how you feel – you will be surprised at how many people understand what you are experiencing and want to help you.

If you think you need greater help, you may well do – so seek it out. Your GP is a good place to start to ask for a referral to a counsellor, psychologist, psychiatrist or other therapist who can assist.

Smile more – yep, sounds easy but when you feel low, making yourself smile and just looking at yourself smiling in the mirror can help turn your mood around – it’s true!

Exercise and take in the fresh air and nature around you – studies worldwide show the benefits of these simple things in creating a healthier mood.

Use essential oils – again, many studies show the benefits of breathing in the fragrance of lavender, juniper and citrus essential oils. Make an appointment with an aromatherapist or naturopath to help you pick out what you need.

If you, or someone you know, may be struggling with how you are feeling, then there are many organisations and professionals who can help and there is simply nothing to be ashamed about. Looking after our psychological health should not be trivialized, so this article is simply meant to serve as a quick snapshot.

To read more on mental health or to seek help, any of these organisations can be of great assistance:

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