Ten ways out of a bad mood

Bad mood or depression - what's the difference? Bad moods are typically unpleasant but short emotional states, whereas depression drags on for weeks, or in some cases, far longer. This extract from Depression for Dummies by Laura L. Smith and Charles H. Elliott, explains

• Chomping on chocolate
• Do something nice
• Getting a lift from exercise
• Singing yourself into a better mood
• Calling a long-lost friend
• Dancing to a different beat
• Soaking the blues away
• Petting your way to a better mood
• Taking a hike
• Mellowing through mindfulness
  
  

After you're over your depression, you'll still encounter occasional bad moods. Nonetheless, realising that bad moods aren't intolerable, and that you can do something about them may help prevent them from spiralling into a longer-lasting depression. Here are some tips for handling the blues and keeping upbeat.

Chomping on chocolate

Various types of food reputedly affect moods. People probably turn to chocolate as frequently as they do any of the other mood-altering foods. A host of the substances found in chocolate have been cited as being responsible for its mood-lifting effects. However, some researchers believe that chocolate, like most especially palatable foods, alters mood primarily by causing a release of endorphins, the brain's opiates. If you find that chocolate works for you, indulge a little when a bad mood sets in.

Warning

If you're a chocoholic, and you feel pronounced guilt when you indulge in chocolate, this isn't the food for you when you feel low. Guilt will only deepen your funk. As with all things, moderation is the key.

Doing something nice

Doing something nice for someone else is one of the best ways you can extricate yourself from a bad mood. It helps you refocus your attention away from what put you in the bad mood and onto other people, in a positive way. And your improved mood is likely to last a lot longer than it will with other nice, quick fix pleasures like chocolate.