What to do if you are in a bad mood? How to get rid of a bad mood: the best psychological techniques Mood spoils

And a slice of chocolate can turn our mood upside down. This does not mean that you need to “eat up” a bad mood. But treating yourself to the food you want now is not a crime. And you can burn extra calories through sports exercises. They will not only help you be more fit, but will also contribute to the release of endorphins - the so-called “joy hormones”. Both will improve your mood. Even a simple walk can make a big difference. Don't be lazy to get outside, especially on a sunny day.

Do something creative

Research conducted real British scientists have shown that creative activities help improve mood. Drawing, music, writing - everything can help. And it doesn’t matter at what level you have mastered each task. Even if you don’t know how at all, try to learn. Your efforts will not be in vain!

Smile

Right now. Even if you feel bad, force a smile. And here we turn to a study that proved the theory about the mutual connection between a good mood and a smile. The hypothesis was that facial expressions can change mood. Therefore, at the moment when you feel bad, remember to smile.

Do a good deed

Doing something nice for someone else will make you feel much better. Therefore, if you still can’t make yourself happy, try making someone else happy. Whether an action is great or small is not so important. Even a small step can bring pleasure.

Listen to the music

As I write this article, Pink Floyd, one of my favorite bands, is playing in the background. I listen to them not only while working, but also when I want to get a little pleasure. No one is obliged to listen to this particular group; everyone has their own preferences. But music is a magical thing.

I won’t undertake to speculate on what exactly is happening to the brain at the moment, the sounds that are pleasant to us. But I can say that it really helps. So if you want to relax and forget about your problems for a while, turn on your favorite music and enjoy.

Don't take it out on others

We are all selfish and think about ourselves first. This is fine. But the next time you feel bad, try not to ruin the mood for others. If you feel that you are about to insult or offend another person because of your mood, it is better to leave and be alone. Later you can thank yourself for such an act.

Seize the moment

Close your eyes and think about anything but a green zebra. Now tell me, what are you thinking?

Our brain is designed in such a way that if it becomes fixated on something, it will continue to think about it more and more. In a situation with a bad mood, this is unacceptable. Do you feel like you are only thinking about your sorrows? Immediately switch to other thoughts. Stop feeling sorry for yourself. Better yet, do something that can truly distract you.

Breathe and clear your mind

Yes, yes, the advice is as if I am a master of oriental martial arts. But taking a few deep breaths can really help you calm down. Consider this the simplest form. And she, as many know, is capable of working miracles. Sit comfortably in a quiet and pleasant place and try not to think about anything for a few minutes. This may be a little difficult at first. :-)

Find reasons

If you are in a bad mood rarely, there is nothing to worry about. But if this happens more often than you would like, pay attention to the possible reasons. You can keep a diary to record all the key events in your life. And then, analyzing the records, get to the bottom of the reasons for your own disorders.

Solve the problem

The last point is the most important. If you have found the reason for your bad mood, you need to deal with it. If it's a person, talk to him. If there is a problem, try to solve it. You don't have to spend all your thoughts and free time on it, but don't let it take root in your life.

Did your hairdresser ruin your haircut? Don't fume. At such moments, the most important thing is not to let your mood go downhill and not to make circumstances even worse with your own hands.

And if the classic “calmly count to ten” no longer helps you, then right now try one of the methods of emergency mood lifting.

Give yourself a massage

According to reflexologists, many points located on the legs are directly connected to certain areas of the brain. So next time you feel like pulling your hair out, try kicking off your shoes and getting a little massage instead. Rub your toes thoroughly, then massage the skin between them. This will calm your frayed nerves a little. Has apathy and fatigue set in due to stress? Then rub the point just behind the bump on the front of the foot to stimulate the production of adrenaline in the body. This will help lift your spirits.

Eat a mint candy

Few people know that the smell of mint acts on the brain as an aromatherapy antidepressant. Some smells affect the part of the brain that controls emotions. The aroma of mint helps you feel refreshed, happy and full of energy.

123RF/Stepan Popov

Bring beauty around

One of the most obvious rules of Feng Shui is: if your desk is cluttered, then so is your head. If every working day begins with the sight of a desk littered with papers, then this will cause stress for anyone - a feeling of “blockage” and panic appears subconsciously.

By disassembling your desk and properly organizing your office space (fortunately, there are already many devices for this), you will feel your mood improve and peace reign in your soul.

123RF/lightfieldstudios

Turn on some nice music

It's no secret that your favorite music helps you take your mind off heavy thoughts and helps lift your mood. However, according to psychologists, not all melodies will help you take your mind off the unpleasant events of the day. Overly lively or aggressive music can only worsen the situation, even if it is your favorite one. So choose a melody whose mood is clearly better than yours.

123RF/Ruslan Huzau

Get distracted by something interesting

To stop a “terrible day” in the process of its formation, learn to completely distract yourself from all the worries and hassle associated with it. For 15 minutes, immerse yourself in any other activity, or at least just take a walk. Even an unexpectedly pleasant smell can give you new sensations that will distract you from gloomy thoughts.

Turn your Lights Down Low

Bright electric lighting not only will not help you in your work, but can also cause fatigue and headaches. To relieve tension, sometimes it is enough to turn off the overhead light and turn on a table lamp instead. And if there is such an opportunity, then it is better to use natural sunlight.

Drink some milk

Surprisingly, a glass of warm milk will really help lift your spirits even on the worst day. According to nutritionists, if milk is heated, the amino acids in it are converted into tryptophan, a substance that increases the level of serotonin (the so-called “happy substance”) in the brain and gives a feeling of comfort and relaxation.

Spit and forget

Naturally, if you constantly remember unpleasant events, this will only worsen the situation. Therefore, psychologists advise in some cases to set yourself a limit on “remembering unpleasant things.” After some unpleasant event has occurred, allow yourself to think about it for no more than five minutes. Then “let go.” This will make your life much easier.

Admire nature

123RF/Ivan Kruk

So if your workplace window doesn’t offer a breathtaking view, then it wouldn’t be a bad idea to hang a poster with, say, views of the fjords of Iceland or African savannahs. Or just put a photo from your last vacation at sea on your desktop. A couple of minutes of concentrating on the beautiful scenery will be enough to calm your melting brain.

Buy something

Of course, if you go shopping every time after a bad day, you can go broke. But sometimes shopping therapy is the fastest and most effective way to correct a completely spoiled mood. After all, every time you buy yourself something nice, you provoke a small release of endorphins, and it leads you into a state of joyful intoxication.

123RF/Vladimir Shironosov

Look at the red

Different colors can have different effects on our mood. The scarlet color subconsciously sets you up for passion, enthusiasm and gives you strength.

So if you need to maintain a fighting state, then you can wear clothes in shades of red. If, on the contrary, you need to remain calm and unperturbed, then it is better to wear something blue.

Play

Games like Tetris or solitaire on your computer can be the straw that will prevent you from drowning in the abyss of despondency. A ten-minute break to play will distract you from difficult thoughts, give you emotional release and the opportunity to take a fresh look at a difficult situation.

Spoiling your mood is not such a difficult task, but you need to be able to spoil your mood. We have seven ways that will teach you how to do it like a pro. Suffer with pleasure!

How to ruin your mood:

  1. First way. Warm up. If you have ever been to a team building training, imagine what qualities you would like to have. Now think about which of them are less pronounced in you. Ready! Suffer!
  2. Second way. Count all your shortcomings. Write them on a piece of paper and read them several times, first from beginning to end, and then vice versa. Just think how many of them there really are! You are completely imperfect! It’s scary to imagine what people around you think of you, suddenly they all notice it! Ready! Suffer!
  3. Third way. What words do you use to “cover” yourself when some mission fails?! Repeat them as often as possible so as not to forget! And if you can’t forget, then be angry with yourself for it, be dissatisfied with yourself. And in addition to this, remember how your parents scolded you a long time ago. Now imagine that you are still the same child. You can repeat to achieve perfect results! Ready! Suffer!
  4. Fourth way. Remember people who are not at all attractive, and now imagine what they can say and think about you. Imagine that you are as unpleasant to them as they are to you. Unconditionally agree with their opinion. Feel inferior. Ready! Suffer!
  5. Fifth way. You are a parent. Ask the kids to do something. Tell your children that they are not doing what you ask them to do. Reproach them for this. Remember the families with whom you are friends, whose children are “angels”; they love and respect their parents because they do everything right the first time. Now understand that you are worthless, even your own children do not respect you. Ready! Suffer!
  6. Sixth method. It's been a long time since you paid attention to your husband (wife)! You should definitely take care of your soulmate. Remember that you asked to do it, and your significant other was indifferent to these requests. Note for yourself the desire with which your significant other goes to friends, clubs, bars, and surfs the Internet. Here is another reason for you to feel worthless and lonely. Do not leave this state under any pretext, even if your significant other stubbornly revolves around you. Ready! Suffer!
  7. Seventh method. You should never tell anyone about what you would like, what you need! They simply must understand this only by looking into your deep and expressive eyes. If a person doesn’t understand this at all, then give him various hints: you can wink, smile, or even be offended and talk to him because of this. Beg pity from yourself for yourself. Pity needs constant care! Ready! Suffer!

The mood is not always rosy; it can be spoiled by bad news or even by people who say some phrase poorly. Should you take this to heart, and what to do if you are in a bad mood?

Five rules to lift a bad mood

  • Take a walk. A walk always distracts you from dark thoughts. Especially if you choose it in your favorite place. Some people are soothed by nature, others like to walk around shopping centers. Try to take with you someone who can cheer you up, joke, and add interesting observations. Don’t get hung up on your thoughts, look at people, the world around you, look for the beautiful in it, notice something new. The mood will improve, if only because the body receives more oxygen, the blood accelerates through the veins and the person unconsciously feels better.
  • Buy something for yourself. A small necessary thing or even a small trinket will always improve your mood. Choose clothes with bright colors, they are guaranteed to improve the situation. No money for shopping, take ice cream. It will lift your spirits, because the product contains essential amino acids that can affect the body. If you're afraid of gaining weight, take a banana. In addition to the necessary hormone, it contains vitamin B, you will be less nervous.
  • If a bad mood takes you by surprise, do something pleasant. Cook something delicious. Sew a toy for your child, do something with your own hands. The anticipation that your loved ones will like the surprise will lift your spirits.
  • Play sports, listen to music, read a book. Put things aside and relax. Sometimes you just need to switch gears and get away from depressive thoughts. Watch your favorite show, but not politics or news.
  • Go to the sauna, take a bath, swim in the river, in the pool. It has long been noted that a bad mood is easily washed off with water, so a woman, if she is offended, goes to do the laundry or wash the dishes. There she calms down and her mood improves. This does not mean that you need to constantly wash the dishes, but by washing your body or hands with water, a person removes bad energy. Even the ancients knew this.

How else can you get rid of a bad mood?

We need to figure out what caused this condition. An unpleasant conversation or envy of a friend that she has beautiful shoes. The feeling that there is no time for yourself or problems in the family. After analyzing, try to correct the situation.

Give yourself more time, ask your husband to buy you shoes. Avoid people who spoil your mood if possible. Of course, it’s not always possible to solve the problem, but in this case, try to abstract yourself, dream about something good, and do what you love. Mentally praise yourself more often, if others do not do this, try to fill the void, do not punish yourself over trifles. Smile, rejoice, laugh, do not be shy about your feelings and emotions.

It is common for any person to feel discouraged from time to time, but not everyone knows how to quickly regain their cheerfulness. If you cannot cope with the blues, then most likely you could not determine the cause of its occurrence. Psychologists identify 10 main sources of bad mood and offer 10 ways to overcome it.

1. Wine. Even a slight feeling of guilt can ruin your mood. The surest way to deal with guilt is to atone for it. A typical example: you find that you forgot the birthday of someone you care about. In this case, just take the time and apologize: you can send the birthday person a card or a small gift. You'll be surprised how quickly you feel better.

2. Lack of likes. In the era of widespread social networks, lack of approval from acquaintances and friends has become one of the most common reasons for worsening mood. Imagine that you have just posted photos from your vacation on the Internet, time is passing, and no one has given you a single like. This situation even affects people who are not particularly sensitive. It is important to learn not to take such incidents to heart: people often view the news on the run, simply not having time to evaluate them.

3. Unsolved problems. Many of us keep a list of unfinished tasks in our heads, which can be overwhelming and disheartening. It turns out that in order to improve your mood, you don’t have to complete all your tasks. Research has shown that simply creating a plan of action to achieve your goals can lift your mood.

4. Obsessive thoughts. Some people tend to constantly replay in their memory unpleasant scenes that happened the day before or even in the distant past. Naturally, this cannot serve as a background for a good mood. The so-called distraction technique can help. Even short, focused activities, such as solving a crossword puzzle or playing a board game, can take your mind off sad thoughts and boost your mood.

5. Low self-esteem. Who among us has not experienced a day when we are completely unhappy with ourselves? Our self-esteem is constantly changing, but for a good mood it is extremely important to maintain it at a decent level. To do this, it is often enough to wear something that suits you very well, or do something that you have long dreamed of, but did not find the time. Finally, you can simply call someone who loves and appreciates you.

6. Fear of failure. Sometimes we worry about an important event long before it starts. A sports competition, a presentation at work, or an important exam can make us anxious and dampen our mood due to the fear of not being able to cope with the task. In such cases, do what you can: careful preparation, event planning, or seeking support from colleagues or friends will reduce fear, increase confidence in your abilities, and boost morale.

7. Social isolation. Sometimes we become immersed in our own problems and the bustle of our days, neglecting our emotional and social needs and, as a result, losing touch with our surroundings. Such situations are inevitably accompanied by blues. The cure is communication: call a loved one or even just find time to play with your pet. Research has shown that even brief social contact of any kind improves mood.

8. Obsession with minor irritants. We are often irritated by everyday little things, be it poor utility service, erroneous service bills or car breakdowns. One thing is superimposed on the other, and all together leads to a mood that is by no means the most rosy. In such cases, it is useful to look at everything from above. Ask yourself a question: among these troubles, is there at least one that you will remember in a year? If not, then don't focus on it. And to finally overcome despondency, make a list of five circumstances in your life for which you are grateful to fate: healthy children, good job, caring friends, etc.

9. Hunger. We often overlook such an obvious and banal reason. However, hunger, even more than many other reasons, can negatively affect your mood. Time for a snack!

10. Fatigue. The reason is also obvious, but often ignored. Children are not the only ones who cry when they are very tired. Chronic lack of sleep, for example, negatively affects not only performance, but also overall mood. Don't neglect rest. Even a short nap has been shown to recharge your batteries and relieve the blues.