@ Things that help me when I'm down and anxious

Watching comedy YouTubes is a great idea for a mood lifter/calmer, @stressedmesseddepressed, as is listening to music you love.

In fact, if you've not already, you might check out this Connect thread on music where members talk about how music helps them, how they use it, etc. https://mayocl.in/2IMLB5e. I've also heard about the effects of merely smiling on one's mood. Great reminder.

I'm also tagging @johnbishop @predictable @duvie @curlysunflowers @clubohara@kwilbur @slavinray @roxie43 @arionmayo, many of whom have talked about the benefits of watching some comedy regularly, for their thoughts.

Have you been watching any comedy during down or anxious moments at all this week, @stressedmesseddepressed?

Hello @stressedmesseddepressed -- thank you for posting this, laughing is good for the soul and is contagious. Here's an experiment that's been around awhile but still makes me laugh.

-- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YxjjYcS9D0M

Also, one of my favorite sites to go to when I need a little uplifting is http://stressfree.org/ where Dr. Amit Sood has some featured videos that will help you understand how the brain works and how you gain some greater peace and happiness. Here's one of my favorite videos from his site:

-- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ky4dbY78km8

John

Destroying art work that is good for nothing helps me. Laughing as I type these words-seriously as it has a cleansing feel. I know I am helping my adult children by not having any feelings of guilt. In one of my hysterical modes.

All things that once helped are now beyond my reach. I do believe I am all worn out and weary.

I sincerely wish I could help each of you. Perhaps you don't think there is any real hope and I'm sorry. You may think my depression was mild, but a mild depression doesn't land you in the Psychiatric Ward of the hospital taking Insulin Shock Treatments. What I'm trying to do is to hold out hope. Yes, I inherited the genes. I've told you my grandfather shot my grandmother and then himself because of depression. My mother who was a nurse had to give up her work because of depression. When I was released from the hospital I knew surviving on pills was not the way for me. Yes, I was sick, throwing up, dizzy, but the pills had gone into the trash can. I cried, slept, pushed friends away, read self help books when I finally was able to concentrate a little and thought I could not possibly stand to live that way. It took years, but what I'm trying to say is I survived, there is hope. I have learned to enjoy life again. It is not the same. I no longer have the highs, but at the same time, I no longer have the lows. I am content and have a deep peace. I am in a better place.
I love you and wish you well. Never, never give up. Keep hanging on. There will be good days and bad days, but eventually there will be more good days.

I would say that many of us are struggling and we are also trying to have a better quality of life. Since we do post from time to time we are surviving even if only existing is the best we can do at the moment.

Thank you @parus - well said. I remind myself every day - one day at a time, one step at a time. Wishing we could declare Friday as a pain free day.

Hilarious video! Puts everything in perspective.
Thank you stressedmessed for making my day!

Hi -- just wanted to follow up on one of the suggestions for lifting your mood @stressedmesseddepressed recommended previously, watching comedy shows. Ever since I returned from Vegas this summer having gone to the Jim Gaffigan comedy show, my husband and I are watching streaming comedy shows some evenings. I have found it really does lift my mood -- feels great to laugh a lot at the jokes, see my husband enjoying himself watching the show, and then smiling and laughing as I think back on some of the jokes later that evening or in the days after.

@annedodrill44 @johnbishop @parus @liz223 - have you gotten the chance to try out comedy to lift your spirits?

Thanks Lisa @lisalucier for tagging me. I sometimes feel like my life is one big comedy so I can relate and it's the little things that lift my mood. I just returned from a funeral and while sitting in the pew before the service I received a text from my daughter. Having and iWatch can be convenient - it shows the text on your watch and you can scroll up and press one word replys. I was trying to respond to her text with OK to answer her text to let me when your done with your appointment today. Unfortunately anything you press on gets sent, no second chances and I pressed "Hello". The next text from her was "What?".

Watching old time comedy shows is definitely a lift for me, especially the old Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis routines or the Abbott and Costello shows. Actually just about any comedian not on the dark side makes me feel good.

Hope eveyone out there has a great Friday...kind of rainy and gloomy here but I know how to fix that. Looking for a comedy DVD right now!