LOOKING back, I see that my previous column had a more serious tone than usual, and it ended on a bleak and pessimistic note as well. That's just how things are with issues like mental health, but that's not to say that apart from getting professional help, we ordinary people can't do anything about it at all in the meantime. On the contrary, we absolutely can! And this time around, I'll be sharing ways to regain a sense of balance and maybe even joy and keep it – or keep it and make it bigger and better, if you're already feeling okay right now.
These remedies have worked for countless others, and I know for sure that they work because I've tried them myself. But do check with your doctor first to see if the advice I'll be sharing in a bit could apply to you as well.
The easiest way to brighten your mood is to begin with your surroundings. A lot of anxious and depressed people tend to keep away from the sun and choose to linger in dimly-lit spaces instead. It was once thought that this was just a Japanese thing; they call this phenomenon hikikomori, meaning “shut-in.”
All across Japan, thousands upon thousands of unemployed and unmotivated young adults are confining themselves day in and day out to their bedrooms (and now private cubicles in 24-hour Internet cafes too!) that would've been pitch-dark if not for their computer screens – and in the Internet Age, this isn't happening only in Japan anymore.
And so this begs the question: is it being in the dark that causes depression, or does being depressed cause one to crave the darkness? What I've found is that it doesn't really matter, and that obsessing over the question would just give you yet another excuse not to do anything at all. So for starters, just begin by getting the simple stuff out of the way: switch off the light, open the windows, and let the sun and some fresh air in. It's not much, I know, but when it comes to your mental well-being every bit of help counts.
If you're feeling a little more courageous now, do step outside and get even more fresh air and sunlight. I won't go into the science of it here, but getting some sun even for just 10-15 minutes a day can work wonders not just on your mental well-being, but it'll make you physically stronger and more attractive too!
(Also, never mind the unrealistically light complexions you see on TV and in the adverts. The cosmetic companies that manufacture whitening products only want to make you insecure about how you look and milk it for all it's worth, and they don't really care about your health at all. Ladies – and some of the gentlemen too – you're already as good-looking as you can be, so there's really no need for you to look as pale as Maleficent or Nosferatu. Sporting a tan is much healthier and more becoming of us Pacific Islanders.)
Now that I've gotten you to step out of the house for a change, it's time for you to get moving. Go for a walk, or run if you have the shoes for it. Preferably in clean and verdant surroundings like Mapawa Nature Park or a swanky gated village uptown, but you can do it right in your neighborhood if that's all you can manage for now. You'll need to get lifting too, and you can start with push-ups and squats – check YouTube for the proper way to do them. You don't need a gym membership to get fit, but getting one can help you greatly if you can afford it.
Physical activity aside, you'll also need to be very discerning when it comes to the media you consume. I call this practice “mental dieting.” Now, make sure the books, TV shows, movies, music, etc. that you consume are wholesome. They don't have to be all bright and happy, but at the very least you should be in a very good mood after you're done consuming them. For instance, you could listen to Michael Jackson instead of Eminem, watch Scent of a Woman instead of The Conjuring, or read J.R.R. Tolkien instead of George R.R. Martin (I'll be talking a bit more about our good friend Mr. Martin in a future column). You get the idea. And if watching the nightly news on TV or reading news bits on social media tend to raise your blood pressure, cut them out completely... But if you absolutely must do that, please make us the only exception, and keep reading SunStar!
I could only share so much given the space I'm allowed per column, so please do yourself a favor and go see someone about how down you're feeling. It can be a psychiatrist, a psychologist, a counselor, a preacher, a close friend or relative – anyone you can trust deeply with this dark and unpleasant phase you're going through. I'm sure they can help you a whole lot more than my little column could, but if I've managed to help you along even just a tiny bit in your journey out of the dark night of your soul – perhaps just enough for you to get up and walk around for a change – I will consider it a job well done.
