How to Remain Happy in a World That Makes You Depressed

This post edited and republished with permission of nicolenesci.com.

How do you remain happy in a world that makes you depressed, stressed, and anxious?

1. Acknowledge and Accept Your Emotions –
   With constant pain, chaos, uncertainty, and negativity bombarding our screens, many of us have become desensitized to grief. So when tragedy occurs in our material world, we sympathize with the victims yet conceal our emotions because it is almost unjustifiable to grieve for something that didn’t affect us directly. But, whatever the tragedy might be – the death of a celebrity, a horrific military attack, political uproar, or the spread of a deadly virus – we are allowed to feel that pain, resonate with the sombreness, worry, cry, scream, lock ourselves in our rooms for a week. How external events affect each one of us is individualized. We are human; we resonate with other human experiences. Never undermine the pain you feel internally because it was triggered by an external doing.

2. Find an Outlet for Your Pain –
   Depression isn’t a one size fits all embodiment. Depression is polarized, individualized, and circumstantial. Therefore, finding an outlet to unleash your pain can be riveting for some but undoable for others. What works for someone who suffers from High Functional Depression will be impotent for someone who struggles with Depressive Psychosis. And vice versa. The main premise behind finding an outlet for your pain is redirecting your depression, struggle, anger, numbness, fear, trauma, and grief into another embodiment. We want to visualize our pain exiting our physical bodies and being redirected onto another placement: into the Earth through grounding, onto a canvas through painting, or scripture on paper through journaling. Or, you can use your pain as the source of your power: to ignite a movement in your body at the gym, to connect with your higher being through meditation, to stimulate that push to take control of your life. Outlets for your pain don’t have to be elaborate. Coping does not mean engaging in lively activities. You can merely find purpose in your physical body: wiggle your toes and fingers, stand outside for a few minutes, take deep, controlled breaths, or affirm one positive statement to yourself.

3. Tell Someone –
   We are existing in a reality where many of us share collective tensions and traumas. Chances are, there is someone else who is embodying and experiencing similar reactions to the dismal state of the world. And though each mental health struggle is completely individualized, there is comfort in knowing that you are not alone. Talking to someone is often the first step to take when you are ready to acknowledge your mental health struggles and seek help. Internal pain can manifest into physical, spiritual, social, financial, psychological, and emotional hindrances. Vocalizing your struggles makes them real – They become known. It is frightening. However, you are no longer struggling in silence. You are taking control of your pain.

4. Disconnect –
   Hyper-connectivity is the premise of our digital age – It is normalized to be “connected” all the time. The adverse effects of hyper-connection and mental wellbeing are a whole discussion on their own. For now, let’s merely examine how to separate ourselves without compromising our human reliability. We stay connected because it is a form of personification. As human beings, we are social creatures that need social interaction to survive. And as our Information Age evolves to incorporate more sources of news and knowledge, we are constantly adapting to try and keep up. In the process, we are exposing our mutable minds to external difficulties that impact our wellbeing. We do this to “fit in” to our fast-paced society. Before we can even comprehend and cope with the external pains we have now personified, new struggles surface on our screens. We have no time to heal. We just consume stress, negativity, fear, and pain inflicted by public sources. It becomes an endless pattern; a spiral beyond our control. We must disconnect to distinguish the sources that trigger depression, anxiety, stress, and reactivity. Disconnect to see how well we can be without constant negative interferences. Disconnect to allow ourselves to comprehend and heal the emotions within.

2 in 3 people report having experienced a mental health problem in their lifetime. If you or someone you know is in crisis, please go to your local hospital, call 911 immediately, or locate a Crisis Centre near you.

About the Author

Nicole Nesci, ACC, is an Intuitive Life Coach and Reiki Practitioner at the Growth & Wellness Therapy Centre.