when you are down and moody ( coping ideas)

[angelic212]

WHEN YOU'RE DOWN OR MOODY. . .



Everyone has times when they get into moods, but some moods are especially dangerous to alcoholics: depression, loneliness, boredom, hopelessness, helplessness, or nervousness. Such moods increase our vulnerability to drinking. To help avoid these moods, we try to fill our life with interesting activities, make efforts to be around people and develop friendships, and do things for others that make us feel good and useful. When these moods occur, we must become alert and aware of the danger and do something to counteract them. Below are some things you can do:

Involve yourself with people

Call a friend, or someone you would like to be more friendly with; talk to them a few minutes, or arrange to get together
Call your sponsor.
Call or write to a relative or old friend you don't see often.
Go somewhere that people are - an AA meeting, a baseball game, a church activity, a swimming pool - even the grocery store.
Call a volunteer agency and offer your services.
Find someone you can do something for - offer a favor to someone, ask elderly neighbors if they would like you to pick up something at the store for them, call a friend and offer to lend them a book or record you think they would like.
Ask a favor from someone - it makes us feel good to receive friendly favors as well as give them!

Do something nice for yourself

Listen to a favorite record, or re-read a favorite book.
Eat your favorite food.
Go get a massage at the health spa.
Go to the movie you have been wanting to see, or buy the thing you have been wanting.
Drive out to the country and enjoy the outdoors.

Take a look at the POSITIVE side of things

Make a list of all good things in your life, or all the good things that have happened to you.
Make a list of all the good things in YOU - for example: kind, considerate to others, hard worker, etc.
Tell your self rational, encouraging things:
"This is a down day, but I know from experience that it will pass and I will feel good again."
"When I count up the good things, the reasons to hope, I know these feelings are irrational and therefore I will ignore them and do something to stop feeling them."
"Everyone has moods like this--it's part of being human; but I don't have to let a temporary thing cause me to ruin everything I have accomplished - I'll wait it out."

Relax

Use your relaxation techniques; enjoy the floating feelings.
Daydream or fantasize about some of your happiest memories, or your hopes for the future.
Act like you feel good--smile, deliberately put a jauntiness into your step, put on an alert, interested expression, make yourself talk cheerfully to people, hum or whistle a cheerful tune--often, when we ACT like we feel good, we start FEELING good.


( i found this on the internet and i thought it was helpful i hope that it helps you all)

love always maria

[darkrose]

Good suggestions. I'm sctually going to try some of those!

-Darkrose

[jenica h.]

Thank you for all the suggestions! I'll be using quite a few of them since I've been feeling fairly morose lately.