You’re in a funk. You know how that feels. Blah. Bleargh. Blerrrrrh. Motivation is low and bed feels nice and everything else is just too hard. Its frustrating when you have days like this. Especially when you want to get things done. It’s even more frustrating when days turn into weeks and life is moving and you feel you’re sitting on the side of the tracks – not even a passenger on the train. So what can you do about it? 

First make sure this isn’t a bigger problem. Recognise the signs of depression including withdrawing from friends and family, trouble concentrating, feeling overwhelmed, empty or numb, thinking that nothing good ever happens, being constantly tired. If this sounds like you and your symptoms have been going on for longer than a couple of weeks, you may need to see your GP. In the meantime Beyond Blue are a great resource to get help for depression. 

More support lines at the bottom of this article!

Here are 6 ways to get yourself out of a funk and feel better:

1. Talk to a friend. Feeling connected to others plays a key role in our mental health. Catching up with a friend over coffee or a meal can be enough to give us the dopamine hit we need to restart. Choose one of your motivating friends if you need a pop talk. I know I have a few of those and when I’m feeling really low – I usually call on a few and we do a girls night. Laughs, reminiscing and some good old fashioned teasing between pals can be what you need to get you up out of your feels. Have you heard of the concept of the Third Place? You have your home, your work/school – but do you have a third place? I place you can go to unwind, relax and forget the responsibilities of everyday for a while? These places are paramount to your mental health.
2. Water. Every therapist will tell you about the healing power of water. The world is made up of 80% water and humans are 60% water so it’s no secret that water is a big part of our biology. Swim in the ocean or a pool, have a cool shower or take the time to sit and enjoy a cool glass of water. It takes about two hours a week near water to make a real difference to our mental health so make water a part of your routine. If you don’t live near water, use an app such as Better Sleep which plays water sounds that you can drift off to sleep to. Listening to water is one of the most powerful ways to calm anxiety so try and really take the sound in next time you’re near water. 
3. Go talk it out with your pet. Animals have long been companions to humans and often help when there is chaos. There’s a reason ‘Therapy dogs’ have become so popular. Without speaking, animals can create a calm atmosphere of love and loyalty that affects your breathing and heart rate. Some breeds are better than others at providing peace. Labradors are excellent companions and are chosen to be guide dogs because of this. They are patient, kind and friendly which is why they often top the lists of best therapy dogs. Other breeds that can help are Golden Retrievers, Beagles and Poodles. 
   
   
   
4. Move. Moving will help raise your heartbeat and will get your blood pumping. This ‘tricks’ your body into thinking it has energy and will then send messages to your brain that it feels good. Try to move for at least half an hour every day. Walk up and down your street, attend a pilates class, do some jumping jacks in the backyard, go roller skating or skateboarding, walk to the shop and buy yourself a Golden Gaytime, browse your local shops – it doesn’t matter how you move – just move. I attend a females-only gym. This allows me to feel comfortable and (just quietly) they have the most amazing shower rooms I’ve ever seen in a gym, so I can relax and. get ready for work or whatever I’m doing next in comfort!
5. Sleep. This is a biggie. And as you age – it becomes an even bigger biggie. You will need more sleep as you get older, as your life gets busier or when you’re going through a stressful time. Your body needs time to rest and recover. Try to make sure you get a full 8 hours of sleep a day. If not during the night, then have a nap when you get home from work. But don’t oversleep. This is you just avoiding life. Once your eight hours are completed and you still feel tired, try something else from the list. 
6. Take away the thing that you’re avoiding. The Blahs are often related to procrastination. You’re avoiding a feeling or emotion that you just don’t want to deal with. There are two ways to fix this. Either deal with the emotion or feeling and work through it – therapy is great for this as you will be guided and not on your own. Or delete the reason you feel this way. It could be an unhappy relationship or a crappy job or even just housework. Talk to your partner about how you feel, quit the crappy job and hire a cleaner for the housework. Avoiding it won’t make it go away – you will have to deal with it one way or another. 

Some books that have helped me when I get a bad case of the Blah’s include The Happiness Trap, How To Do the Work and The body Keeps the Score. 

For people who need immediate support with depression, anxiety or suicidal thoughts there are a great number of free call lines, some of them below:

• Lifeline provides 24-hour crisis counselling, support groups and suicide prevention services. Call 13 11 14, text 0477 13 11 14 or chat online.
• Suicide Call Back Service provides 24/7 support if you or someone you know is feeling suicidal. Call 1300 659 467.
• Beyond Blue aims to increase awareness of depression and anxiety and reduce stigma. If you or a loved one need help, you can call 1300 22 4636, 24 hours/7 days a week or chat online.
• MindSpot is a free telephone and online service for people with anxiety, stress, low mood or depression. It provides online assessment and treatment for anxiety and depression. MindSpot is not an emergency or instant response service. Call 1800 61 44 34.
• Head to Health gives advice and will connect you to local mental health services. Call 1800 595 212.
• MensLine Australia is a professional telephone and online counselling service offering support to Australian men. Call 1300 78 99 78, 24 hours/7 or chat online.

Thanks for reading, Jen