We are in a better place than we've ever been when it comes to discussing mental health.
We still have a VERY long way to go.
Besides therapy and drugs, there are simple, daily things we can all do to try to brighten our days.
Life is dark, be we have to try let in some positivity.
If for no other reason than not being trapped in sadness.
What are some of the happiness tricks of the trade we all need to know?
Redditor pissed_at_everything wanted everyone out here to tell us what puts a smile on everybody's face.
They asked:
"What is something that drastically improved your mental health?"
Listen to music. Even if it's Adele. Listen and dance.
Good Night
"Sleep."
ortolon
"Also, learning not to stress about not sleeping when you're lying in bed and rather just getting comfy and letting it happen."
NotQuiteHopelessYet
GiphyToxic
"Knowing it's okay to leave some people behind."
-Black_Guardian-
"I did that in 2021. Cut off my toxic friends, significantly reduced my visits to extended family (they're toxic and live within half a km from my home), reduced my unnecessary interactions with my parents (I live with them) and boy my life is the best it has ever been. I have never had so much peace in my mind (apart from the time when I was in kindergarten)."
More-Masterpiece-561
Silence
"Silencing my activity on social media, and replacing my time spent on there by reading books instead. I’ve finished 6 books since the start of January. I feel so good about myself because of it."
chick3nslut
"I recommend not deleting the account, but just removing the app and posting that you’re getting off of social media, and provide a phone number in case anyone wants to keep in touch/needs to reach you!
chick3nslut
Truth Hurts
"Being honest and transparent about how I'm feeling. 'I'm not mad at you, my brain just hates me right now,' has helped mitigate lots of fights and awkward conversations."
Nillabeans
"Oh my God I went through a sort of spiritual awakening where I realized a ton of s**t about myself and I started saying things like 'I’m not mad at you I’m just mad at the situation' or 'I’m mad at myself' and even if the other person isn’t cool with that and still mad at me, I feel so much better. All the rage came from within and realizing this helped me release so much of it. Traffic still freaking pisses me off though there’s no excuse for congestion."
Rawtothedawg
Beauty
"Something small that has helped me is saying aloud 'What a beautiful day, today is.' It’s small but I have better outlook."
turtlepawa123
GiphyA smile is a start. A smile, sun and fresh air. Always good beginnings. And we have start somewhere.
Healthy Pills
"Taking vitamin D and B supplements and getting enough sleep. Rely helped reduce excessive thinking and fixating on negative things from my past."
AnDagdadubh
GiphySweat it Out
"Exercise."
iamnobody1970
"It sucks at how well it works. I used to hate my mom telling me that exercise would reduce my depression but she was absolutely right. The issue is that when you’re really depressed it’s the last thing you feel like doing. But nothing else has as much of a positive effect on my mental state as regular exercise."
Counterboudd
Given your Worth
"Getting a job that paid a living wage improved my mental health 1000%."
rigel899
"Same for me. I was fortunate enough to be able to move back in with my mother so I could go to trade school and get a well paying job when I finished. My starting pay was double the shi**y minimum wage salary I'd been making a year and a half before. It was like removing an elephant that was on my chest."
MikoSkyns
Parameters Set
"Enforcing boundaries in work."
SmartPomegranate4833
"One thing to keep in mind is that you can always leave. If you are finding yourself dreading work, or a specific aspect of it (like a certain task or awful coworker), you can go elsewhere. Unless you have a signed contract that says otherwise, you don't even need to give notice; that two weeks is a courtesy, not a requirement. Don't ever feel like you're trapped, because you're not."
Coygon
location, location...
"Moving to a place that wasn't winter 8 months of the year and I was close to the ocean. Haven't felt suicidal in over a year and a half, probably for the first time since i was 16."
wyrd_werks
GiphyToxicFace
"Deleting my Facebook account."
theStormWeaver
"Same. My happiness and general development shot into the stratosphere the moment I stopped using that cesspool. My mental health still needs a lot of work, but it surprised me just how toxic Facebook was for me."
Independent-Owl478
Education
"Graduating high school."
LLancee
"For me it was graduating college. I mean, I like learning new things, but at this point of time, I just hate all educational institutions."
Weird-Thread
"Probably had the opposite outcome for me. I haven't felt anything close to the sense of community that I had then."
dlraar
Body Functions
"Stopping hormonal birth control. Didn't realize how much it was messing with me."
impossibility_day27
"Yes!! I felt way more in tune with my body, hormones and moods once I stopped hormonal birth control."
wyrd_werks
"That's what tracking my cycle did for me. Never been on birth control, but when I started tracking all parts of my month, I am so much more in tune with my moods, appetite, libido, marriage, anxiety. I can account for the intense dread and doubt before my period, and enjoy the attractiveness and ease of midcycle. Helped my marriage 10-fold, too."
abqkat
I Can't
"Saying no to things that I don't actually want to do instead of trying to help everyone out."
LoanOptions_ai
"I need this right now."
failure_singlemom
No Way Beer GIF by BuschGiphyEarly Eats
"Eating breakfast."
"I'd often describe to my boss and coworkers that I'd have a really bad brain fog that I sometimes couldn't think at all. I usually wouldn't eat until around 1pm or 2pm when I'd been up since 9am. I had to start getting up around 8am or sometimes 7am and I would have extra time to get food."
"Once I did, the brain fog went away and the change was immediate."
christygl7
Voice Within
"Eliminating negative self talk. Instead of 'Oh God I said something stupid, now she thinks I’m an idiot, why am I so dumb.' I just tell myself 'it’s ok, I misunderstood what she was asking, everyone does this sometimes and it’s no big deal' which usually stops the shame spiral before it can form."
"I was severely depressed before trying this. It didn’t fix everything but it made my life a lot better. Worked at least as well as antidepressants honestly."
emthejedichic
Do Stuff
"Adult hobbies. Surfing. Fishing. Running. Mine are solo activities, but you just need something challenging that you have to work at to get better. It gives you little things to look forward to so you’re not focused on all the depressing crap."
musashi-swanson
"I suffer from anxiety, and can honestly say that taking up needle point as a hobby has really helped me control it better."
justjk18
A Few Ideas...
"Getting a cat."
"Taking vitamins every morning."
"Being honest about my feelings."
"Setting clear immovable boundaries with my family."
MissNinja007
Queen Of Rap GIF by FuseGiphyA Little Time
"I take ten minutes a day (usually before bed) to tidy things up. I'm always surprised at how much I can get done in just ten minutes, and it's so much easier to keep the place clean that way. When things start getting really bad, the fact that I've always got a clean place is incredibly helpful."
future-unperson
I love this list. I will try them all. Wish me luck.
