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Question: Do you guys know of any effective methods for getting out of hormone related mood funks? I find that a few days a month I just feel really sad. Ever

Question: Do you guys know of any effective methods for getting out of hormone related mood funks? I find that a few days a month I just feel really sad. Every little mistake I make feels like the end of the world. I feel like a failure.(I imagine this is similar to what clinic depression feels like.) The other 95% of the month, I feel great. Happy just to bask in the glow of the sunshine. During my down days, I've tried everything from doing activities that make me really happy, letting myself indulge in foods I like, etc. but nothing helps. So far, I just tough it out but it sucks feeling like this, even if only for a few days. Any advice?

dont_pm_me 11y ago
Have you tried exercise? Here's an article from a week ago: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=10199401 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=10199401
stevenkovar 11y ago
Exercise hard. Imagine your 'mood funk' as sulfur buildup in a water heater. Your water's going to smell awful until you burn out all that sulfur. The same applies with mood and exercise. This is an abstract illustration—however there are physiological / chemical benefits to exercising that affect mood directly. Proper sleep. Once you get into a sleep deficit, you're a walking shell of your true self. Adjust your schedule so that you get to bed early and wake up without an alarm. This makes a world of difference for me, and it's necessary for your exercise to deliver its best benefits (feeling energized and de-stressed). As a side note, I think a healthy mental approach is important. Many people become fixated on some end goal, be it money, love, fame, etc. Focus instead on the process and the enjoyment you get from improvement or making progress. When friends ask for input, I tell them to only focus on the next 2%, regardless of what they're working on. I've found that mental framing to help people better prioritize and—more important—to drop the stuff that doesn't actually matter.
- dragon88 11y ago
  Thanks for the tips! I do pushups + cardio - it doesn't quite help when I'm really down but it does give me a burst of energy the other days. I get 7-8 hrs of sleep every night so this isn't an issue for me. Overall, I lead a healthy lifestyle so my body isn't really an issue. One of the tricks that kind of alleviates my occasional depression symptoms is just reminding myself that I don't have to believe whatever thoughts or feelings is passing through at this moment. Just because my brain is screaming right now "Why did you just do that? Idiot!", it doesn't mean it's true. Or that I have to listen to it. I try to drown it out with the facts: a) I know I feel depressed a few days of the month - I shouldn't trust any of my negative thoughts during this time b) Most humans have a negative bias. It's important to experience the full extent of any negative emotions when something bad happens so you remember deeply not to repeat the same mistake again (if you're at fault). But it's also very important to let it go so you can have a clear head going forward to make good decisions. And not turn a "don't do that again" reminder into a fear of going anywhere close to a similar situation again.
  - cheez 11y ago
    I would encourage you to use data to back up your statements. This means measuring heart rate and exertion in an automated fashion. You might see some patterns. I know I did, to the point where I could predict a "meh" day in advance.
  - stevenkovar 11y ago
    I encourage you to lift weights. It's a different type of stress that your body is more inclined to deal with in a positive fashion; this translates to your mood positively. Test getting more sleep to see what happens—doesn't hurt to test! I have a friend who requires 9 hours a day to feel fully rested. I neglected to mention diet previously, but make sure you regulate your calories and macro-nutrients, and take a multi-vitamin (I take Optimum Nutrition's Opti-Men) and a fish oil (I take Minami's MorEPA). With supplements, you get what you pay for; if your multi-vitamin serving is only one pill, it's probably not a very high quality. You don't have to go on a "diet" really, but keep track of what goes into your body and over time you'll get a bearing for what makes you feel best—added bonus is that the act of tracking nutrition typically causes people to eat a bit healthier. Sounds like your diet isn't bad though. Mentally, I approach a "bad day" by taking a step back (sometimes literally) and telling myself the chemicals in my body are a bit off. A vast majority of the time, this is enough to calm down the dissonance in my head that can lead to lethargic or aggressive behaviors. Sometimes it's because I need to eat or hydrate; other times a 15-30 minute walk 'resets' me mentally. Worth noting: a poor night's sleep can affect me personally for 2-3 days afterward. Sometimes I feel perfect the day after, only to feel a massive drop in energy the next. It's amazing how powerful acknowledging cognitive dissonance is for eliminating said dissonance. Finally, there's also the possibility you are carrying a disease or disorder you're unaware of. I personally have an auto-immune disease which caused me to feel very lethargic in spite of being athletic and having a clean diet and sleep schedule. As soon as I got my thyroid in check (hypothyroidism, or 'Hashimoto's Thyroiditis'), the lethargic spurts dissipated.
deleted 11y ago
[deleted]
benevol 11y ago
And learn everything about "mindful meditation" or "MBSR" (mindfulness based stress reduction). Practice daily. Then learn how to manage your emotions, read "The Chimp Paradox".
trowawaymeds 11y ago
In short, I would recommend supplementing with L-Tryptophan and DL-Phenylalanine. Tryptophan before bed, and DLPA first thing in the AM. To understand why I recommend these things, read the book "The Mood Cure" by Julia Ross.

dont_pm_me 11y ago

Have you tried exercise? Here's an article from a week ago: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=10199401 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=10199401

stevenkovar 11y ago

Exercise hard. Imagine your 'mood funk' as sulfur buildup in a water heater. Your water's going to smell awful until you burn out all that sulfur. The same applies with mood and exercise. This is an abstract illustration—however there are physiological / chemical benefits to exercising that affect mood directly. Proper sleep. Once you get into a sleep deficit, you're a walking shell of your true self. Adjust your schedule so that you get to bed early and wake up without an alarm. This makes a world of difference for me, and it's necessary for your exercise to deliver its best benefits (feeling energized and de-stressed). As a side note, I think a healthy mental approach is important. Many people become fixated on some end goal, be it money, love, fame, etc. Focus instead on the process and the enjoyment you get from improvement or making progress. When friends ask for input, I tell them to only focus on the next 2%, regardless of what they're working on. I've found that mental framing to help people better prioritize and—more important—to drop the stuff that doesn't actually matter.

dragon88 11y ago
Thanks for the tips! I do pushups + cardio - it doesn't quite help when I'm really down but it does give me a burst of energy the other days. I get 7-8 hrs of sleep every night so this isn't an issue for me. Overall, I lead a healthy lifestyle so my body isn't really an issue. One of the tricks that kind of alleviates my occasional depression symptoms is just reminding myself that I don't have to believe whatever thoughts or feelings is passing through at this moment. Just because my brain is screaming right now "Why did you just do that? Idiot!", it doesn't mean it's true. Or that I have to listen to it. I try to drown it out with the facts: a) I know I feel depressed a few days of the month - I shouldn't trust any of my negative thoughts during this time b) Most humans have a negative bias. It's important to experience the full extent of any negative emotions when something bad happens so you remember deeply not to repeat the same mistake again (if you're at fault). But it's also very important to let it go so you can have a clear head going forward to make good decisions. And not turn a "don't do that again" reminder into a fear of going anywhere close to a similar situation again.
- cheez 11y ago
  I would encourage you to use data to back up your statements. This means measuring heart rate and exertion in an automated fashion. You might see some patterns. I know I did, to the point where I could predict a "meh" day in advance.
- stevenkovar 11y ago
  I encourage you to lift weights. It's a different type of stress that your body is more inclined to deal with in a positive fashion; this translates to your mood positively. Test getting more sleep to see what happens—doesn't hurt to test! I have a friend who requires 9 hours a day to feel fully rested. I neglected to mention diet previously, but make sure you regulate your calories and macro-nutrients, and take a multi-vitamin (I take Optimum Nutrition's Opti-Men) and a fish oil (I take Minami's MorEPA). With supplements, you get what you pay for; if your multi-vitamin serving is only one pill, it's probably not a very high quality. You don't have to go on a "diet" really, but keep track of what goes into your body and over time you'll get a bearing for what makes you feel best—added bonus is that the act of tracking nutrition typically causes people to eat a bit healthier. Sounds like your diet isn't bad though. Mentally, I approach a "bad day" by taking a step back (sometimes literally) and telling myself the chemicals in my body are a bit off. A vast majority of the time, this is enough to calm down the dissonance in my head that can lead to lethargic or aggressive behaviors. Sometimes it's because I need to eat or hydrate; other times a 15-30 minute walk 'resets' me mentally. Worth noting: a poor night's sleep can affect me personally for 2-3 days afterward. Sometimes I feel perfect the day after, only to feel a massive drop in energy the next. It's amazing how powerful acknowledging cognitive dissonance is for eliminating said dissonance. Finally, there's also the possibility you are carrying a disease or disorder you're unaware of. I personally have an auto-immune disease which caused me to feel very lethargic in spite of being athletic and having a clean diet and sleep schedule. As soon as I got my thyroid in check (hypothyroidism, or 'Hashimoto's Thyroiditis'), the lethargic spurts dissipated.

deleted 11y ago

[deleted]

benevol 11y ago

And learn everything about "mindful meditation" or "MBSR" (mindfulness based stress reduction). Practice daily. Then learn how to manage your emotions, read "The Chimp Paradox".

trowawaymeds 11y ago

In short, I would recommend supplementing with L-Tryptophan and DL-Phenylalanine. Tryptophan before bed, and DLPA first thing in the AM. To understand why I recommend these things, read the book "The Mood Cure" by Julia Ross.