The Best Ways to Move on From Despair

October 12th, 2011 by Lifestyle Therapy - Susan Leigh

When a person feels sad and despairing of life they often describe it as feeling like they are drowning in quicksand. Many people report that they feel stuck, unable to move and the more they try to get out the more submerged and frustrated they become.

Let's look at some ways to help, some ways to move on from despair:

- Hypnotherapy and counselling are often a valuable part of the recovery process. They provide ways of healing and resolving the underlying issues and accompanying feelings of hopelessness that often come with them. Some people may need short-term medication from their family doctor to elevate their mood if they are especially frail. This interim support can help them maintain a more positive approach whilst they receive the appropriate hypnotherapy treatment.

- Being disciplined about looking after oneself is an important step towards recovery. Getting up in the morning, showering, wearing clean clothes, taking care to eat regularly and healthily, looking after oneself as well as possible can all require a lot of effort at first, but these steps are an important discipline that gradually become a more automatic part of one's daily routine.

- Spending time is nature is a positive commitment to wellness. Whether it be time spent on a beach, the countryside, one's own garden, spending time in nature is an important part of becoming more grounded, centred and calm. Maybe borrow a dog and go for a long walk around the park or in the countryside, determine to grow a herb garden or some lovely flowers. All these are ways of feeling more in touch with nature and oneself and can bring a feeling of satisfaction and inner peace.

- Identify the things that are of interest and would be enjoyable. Decide to include some of those things in life. Some people have interests that few in their everyday circle share. It can be tempting to sacrifice those interests and fit in with others. Try to find ways to include some of those interests in the timetable. Whether it be amateur dramatics, running, model airplanes, there are often ways to incorporate different people's interests into life.

- Volunteer. Helping others can bring a great deal of satisfaction into life. Working to help other people with problems is a positive way to alleviate personal introspection. Plus valuable new skills may be learned, contacts made and confidence improved in a supportive, sharing environment.

- Become aware of self-talk. Many people berate themselves and are highly negative in the way that they talk to themselves. Calling ourselves stupid, saying that there's no point in doing something because we'll fail, taking things that other people say personally are all symptomatic of feeling low and despairing of life. Become more mindful of something done well, the many little successes throughout each day. Learn to regularly give oneself credit and praise.

- Set a target each day to do something new or different. Even if it means simply walking an alternative way to the shops, eating something different for lunch or striking up a conversation with someone we don't know very well, it can open up a more receptive way of thinking. This is a positive way of becoming aware of the potential for change, of being more aware of opportunities to feel better, determined to shake off old insular habit patterns and become interested in life once more.

Despair and sadness can take a hold and be tough to let go. Hypnotherapy, maybe medication, gaining positive insights and undertaking exercises are all viable ways of moving forward and becoming more receptive and interested in life again.