Feeling down every day, constantly absorbing faint "energy." What should I do?

Hello!

You seem to be in a bad mood. Many people feel this way sometimes.

Find your own way to deal with these emotions and regain your vitality. Here are some suggestions:

1. Understand emotions: Don't avoid your emotions. A low mood may mean your body and mind need attention.

2. Eat healthy. Junk food is bad for you. Try to eat healthier foods like fresh fruit, vegetables, and whole grains.

3. You don't have to cook a big meal right away. Start with a simple side dish and gradually make it more complex and enjoyable.

4. Socialize: Socialize with others, even if you don't feel like it. Start with simple greetings or short conversations, and gradually increase the depth and breadth of your social interactions.

5. Avoid unhealthy relationships. They can make your problems worse. Try to identify and avoid people and situations that are harmful to you.

6. Find interests: Try new or old hobbies to see what you like.

7. Set small goals: Watch a movie, read a book, or take a short trip. These small goals can improve your mood.

8. Exercise releases endorphins, which make you feel good. Even a walk or some simple stretching can be beneficial.

9. Professional help: If you can't cope with these emotions on your own, see a professional.

10. Be kind to yourself. It's normal to have mood swings. Give yourself time to recover.

11. Journal: Writing in a journal helps you organize your thoughts and record your feelings.

12. Change your environment. Sometimes a new environment can help.

Change takes time. Adapt at your own pace.

I hope you feel better soon.

Hello. From what you've said, I can see you're feeling confused and helpless.

I'm a counselor, and I'd like to share my understanding from a psychological perspective.

Your issue is that every day you feel down, you choose to eat cheap junk food for a quick fix, and you don't have the energy to cook a big meal. You get emotionally attached to a bad guy, and you don't have the energy to start a deep relationship with a good guy (and you don't even want to socialize).

When you watch bad comedy clips, you don't have the energy to watch a whole movie. Why is this happening to me, and what should I do?

You're dealing with some conflicting feelings, and you're feeling pretty down. You're struggling to find a sense of self-worth and you're seeking temporary satisfaction, but you're also feeling a bit of self-reproach and guilt.

You're currently experiencing depression, which is affecting your mood, your ability to act quickly, and your ability to think logically. It's likely that something has triggered internal conflict and feelings of helplessness.

So, how can you adjust your inner feelings?

First, take some time to get to know yourself. What are your character traits?

How was your relationship with your parents when you were growing up? How long have you been dealing with this, and have you experienced anything similar before?

You can be self-aware and reflective, or you can seek assessment and diagnosis from a professional medical institution. You can also follow the doctor's advice to undergo psychological counseling. This will help you explore in a safe and stable counseling relationship what unconscious conflicts are behind these symptoms. This will help you better perceive and understand yourself and pay attention to your inner feelings.

Second, accept yourself. This current sense of powerlessness also requires self-adjustment, which means allowing yourself to lie down, relax, and seek resources to adjust yourself.

We're just feeling down, accepting our limitations, and learning to express our inner thoughts. The only way to be seen, heard, understood, and gain more support and help is by speaking up.

Third, learn to love yourself. What are your own interests and hobbies?

Instead of focusing on external evaluations, focus on what you want to do. For example, eating high-calorie food might not be the healthiest option, but it can meet your needs in the moment. Once you feel satisfied, you can then focus on eating more nutritious food. Similarly, if you're feeling low, it's important to recognize that and provide yourself with emotional value. Regarding understanding scumbags, it might be an evaluation at the conscious level, reducing self-denial and non-recognition. This could include watching TikTok videos, not using your brain to explore meaningful movies or operas, and so on. All of these allow you to experience and feel the feeling of living in the moment.

The world and I love you. You've got to learn to love yourself, face conflicts and contradictions, accept, reduce self-negation and non-recognition, and experience yourself in different states. That way, you can do the things you want to do, break through your own shackles, and become a strong and stable person inside. Go for it!

Hello, question asker. I'm sending you a hug from afar.

Your description makes it clear that you are a little girl whose world is shrouded in a thick layer of clouds through which the sun occasionally shines. This space is therefore very depressing, and this oppressive atmosphere leaves you feeling drained.

The little girl used all her strength to find a way to break through the clouds, but she quickly realized that these methods were not the best for her and became a little lost.

First of all, I want to say that I see tenacious vitality in you. You may be in a low mood every day, but you are still looking for ways to improve your current situation.

You have never given up on the past in search of a place in your heart that you want to reach, even though some methods have not been satisfactory.

Everyone will experience a low mood at some point in their lives. Setbacks, career bottlenecks, and searching for the meaning of life are the most common causes of low mood. We must face these topics head on.

I believe your current state is related to the following factors:

A conflict between a sense of deprivation and high expectations creates mental internal friction.

Eating cheap food, indulging in the emotional value provided by a scumbag, watching bad comedy clips, etc., are ways for the questioner to relieve their emotions. If a person's upbringing is lacking in nourishment and love, they will feel undeserving.

His upbringing likely taught him that he couldn't make demands, that he had to be good, obedient, hardworking, and excellent to be liked. When he encounters people and things he likes, he doubts himself, worrying whether he's good enough and deserves to be loved.

The questioner has high expectations of herself. She cooks sumptuous meals and has an in-depth relationship with a motivated boy, which shows she has aspirations and ideals. When reality and ideals create a gap, she will feel a deep sense of frustration. These two forces pulling will easily lead to mental depletion.

2. Lack of energy is a sign of a lack of vitality.

The questioner mentioned many times that they have no energy. There are two possible explanations. Either the lack of energy is caused by internal conflict between the two forces of lack and demand, or you lack motivation deep down, or you don't know why you are doing this. What is the point of doing this?

I believe you have experienced something that has caused you psychological trauma. Your once unshakeable beliefs have collapsed, and you feel that everything has changed. It is a deep disappointment.

I have a few suggestions for the original poster that I think you should consider.

1. You can only grow if you are seen and accepted. Forget your judgment of yourself and face the truth. Accept what is happening to you, even if it seems like a burden at first. Believe that there is meaning in it. At the same time, accept your emotions and the thoughts that appear in your mind. Just watch them. Emotions and thoughts are fluid, and they will go away when they come back.

2. Follow your heart and make good choices.

You can choose people or things that make you feel good. You have the ability to make proactive choices. Start with the little things in your daily life, choose healthy foods, and experience the feeling that healthy foods bring to your body and the changes they will bring to your body.

I know this may be difficult for you, but you can do it. Take your time and be deliberate. You will feel more in control of yourself with each passing day. You will be able to transfer this ability to other aspects of your life.

3. I challenge the original poster to think about the question with me: What is the difference between spending time with a "scumbag" and a "good boy with ambition"? What patterns would you use to get along with them?

What kind of feelings do they bring to you? I am certain that these questions will lead you to different discoveries.

4. Get help from a counselor.

If you continue to feel depressed and cannot find relief, you should seek professional help. They will help you discover a different side of yourself.

You will be smiling and basking in the sunshine again soon. I wish you the best.

You still ask for help even though you feel down. You are strong.

You think you have no strength because you've accumulated so many emotions.

You eat cheap junk food every day because you don't have the energy to cook.

When faced with something they can't control, people eat to increase their sense of control.

The thrill you speak of may be about control.

Have you noticed that cheap junk food and a table full of sumptuous dishes are two very different choices?

You either choose the worst or do your best.

What does a sumptuous meal look like? How many dishes? Meat, vegetables, and soup?

Is it your standard or someone else's?

There are other options between 0 and 100.

When you're feeling down, make a good bowl of rice.

Smelling the rice and feeling real is something you made happen.

Set smaller goals and celebrate when you achieve them. Then set the next goal.

Achieving small goals gives you a sense of achievement and self-confidence.

You'll be addicted to the emotional value of the scum and unable to develop a deep relationship with the motivated good boy.

There's still a choice to be made.

Scum guys are junk food. Good guys are a meal.

Scum is easy to find. They want something from you and are willing to cater to your needs.

What do you think a good guy is? They need to interact and make progress together, which takes time and effort.

There are endless options between 0 and 100. If you define a good guy as just OK, isn't that harder?

You say you don't have the energy to watch a full movie, but you can watch a bad comedy clip.

Bad drama comedy has punchlines you can scold: "What is this? It's so poorly made!"

It's like cheap junk food. I can say whatever I want about the show and curse as much as I like.

A complete movie is like a nice guy: you have to spend time with it, and the ending may not be what you want.

The three things you mentioned are like this:

Cheap junk food is bad. Bad comedy is bad too.

A table full of delicious food = a good guy = a complete movie

The choice is between poor quality and the best.

The reason may be:

You were taught to be the best, but you rebelled.

You were told to do your best, but you could never live up to their expectations. You feel inferior and think, "This is all I deserve!"

Once, when you were feeling down, those bad foods, people, and plays helped you get through the hard days.

You have grown up, you have your own choices, and you have more possibilities.

If you've been feeling down for a while, you can seek help from a counselor. You may need professional help.

I hope my response will prove somewhat helpful.

From your description, it can be inferred that your mood is relatively low. It is generally observed that when an individual's mood is low, their capacity for self-control is also diminished. Therefore, it is necessary to implement strategies to improve one's mood. When an individual's mood improves, it is expected that they will experience an increase in energy levels and a concomitant enhancement in their capacity for self-control.

The following recommendations are offered for your consideration:

1. One may improve one's mood through the engagement in activities that are both controlling and pleasurable.

The results of recent studies indicate that engaging in specific activities can serve as an effective method for enhancing one's mood and promoting overall well-being. When experiencing feelings of low mood, fatigue, or diminished energy levels, there are two types of activities that have been shown to be particularly beneficial in elevating one's mood:

Pleasurable activities are those that elicit feelings of pleasure or joy. Examples include engaging in conversation with a trusted friend, taking a walk in nature, appreciating the beauty of the scenery, enjoying a cup of coffee, or listening to music.

Activities that provide a sense of control are those that engender a sense of self-fulfillment, satisfaction, or control. Examples of such activities include writing a letter, mopping the floor, washing the dishes, finishing a course of study, meeting a client, or completing a long-standing task.

Furthermore, it is essential to comprehend the two-way relationship between mastery activities, pleasurable activities, and low mood. On the one hand, these activities have the potential to enhance mood. Conversely, when an individual is experiencing a decline in mood, the pleasure derived from these activities may diminish, leading to the perception that they are ineffective.

Nevertheless, it is essential to recognize that even during periods of low mood, the interconnection between controlling and pleasurable activities and emotions can be leveraged to meticulously oversee the bidirectional relationship between them, thereby facilitating the effective enhancement of one's mood.

Similarly, I will create two lists: one comprising activities that facilitate control and one comprising activities that elicit pleasure. By engaging in these activities on a daily basis, I can replenish my energy and maintain a relatively high emotional state.

Similarly, I will create two lists: one comprising activities that facilitate control, and another comprising activities that engender pleasure. On a daily basis, I can draw upon these activities to maintain a relatively elevated mood, given that they are beneficial to both body and mind.

2. Adaptation to new circumstances is a gradual process. With time, individuals can modify their behaviors to identify more beneficial pathways to happiness and contentment that align with their physical and mental well-being.

I must concede that I have also experienced a period of low energy and motivation, albeit in a different form. I recall that at the time, I would often stay up late, and even when I took a shower, I would feel extremely tired and find the task particularly strenuous. I would also feel tired when doing the dishes, often yawning, and avoiding social interactions. Over time, however, I began to make adjustments, starting with my sleep schedule. I changed my original late-to-bed, late-to-rise pattern and adjusted to an early-to-bed, early-to-rise routine. Initially, it was challenging to adhere to this new schedule consistently, so I made it more manageable by lowering the required level of effort. I began by aiming to maintain the new routine for four days a week and then gradually increased the frequency. As I continued, I experienced positive changes in my energy levels and overall well-being. This led me to adjust my goal to maintaining the new routine for five days a week, going to bed early at 11:30 pm. This gradual approach allowed me to develop the habit of going to bed early and waking up early.

I have also transferred this successful experience to other activities, including eating nutritious food, cooking, exercising, studying, and so forth. As my habits have changed, I have observed a gradual shift in the sources of my happiness. Initially, I derived happiness from eating junk food, watching dramas, and playing games. However, as I have made changes to my habits, I have found that I derive happiness from healthier activities, such as exercising, reading, and listening to music.

Indeed, our fundamental needs are to achieve happiness and contentment, and we are at liberty to select the means by which we may gratify these needs. Genuine self-love entails the pursuit of happiness in a manner that is more conducive to physical and mental wellbeing. What are your thoughts on this matter?

The aforementioned information is provided for your reference. Best wishes,

Hello there, question asker!

I'm the respondent, Semeng! From what you said about eating cheap junk food, it means you like to eat food that has little nutritional value but tastes better.

Instead of watching a movie to the end, you watch comedy clips! You only watch the highlights, and you don't have the patience to watch the usual plot twists. You need others to provide emotional value, which means you're responsible for your own happiness!

So what you are pursuing now is more about embracing happiness for its own sake, such as enjoying some delicious food, watching some exciting film clips, and indulging in the emotional value provided by a "scumbag."

Everyone needs to be happy, and there is absolutely nothing wrong with pursuing happiness! But if happiness is all there is, life will take on a whole new appearance. It is like a flower that never sprouts leaves or withers, always in full bloom, or a person who never goes through infancy, adolescence, and then never ages, born directly at the age of 18 and forever 18.

It may seem like a beautiful thing, but it ignores the fact that it is impossible. No flower will wither, and no one will grow old!

When we were young, we probably didn't need to know how food was made or what process flowers went through before they bloomed. Someone brought food to our mouths when we needed to eat, and someone showed us flowers when we wanted to see them. And it was great!

Maybe no one ever told us when we were growing up that the process of cooking is meaningful, and that the process of growing is just as important as blooming. There is no result without a process, and no reward without effort. And while we enjoy the rewards, it is always others who are doing the work for us, and over time we become accustomed to this pattern.

This pattern may seem a bit like getting something for nothing, and it is not entirely our own decision how we got to where we are. But here's the good news: we can decide whether we want to continue with this bad pattern in the future.

So, we have the power to change from just enjoying the results without asking about the process to getting rewards through our own efforts. Take cooking as an example. You can start with a simple dish: fried eggs.

From buying eggs to checking out how to make fried eggs, then starting the fire, pouring in cooking oil, breaking eggs, and finally frying and serving the eggs, and finally enjoying the fried eggs and feeling the sense of happiness and accomplishment brought about by the whole process. In this way, if you compare how it is different from just enjoying the process of making fried eggs before, you will discover that life is actually like this, rather than living in just enjoying the results of the process—and it's a wonderful thing!

Of course, you can continue with the previous mode if you want to. It's perfectly fine to stick with what you know. But you can also set aside some time every day to try something new and exciting, like frying an egg! It only takes about ten minutes, and it's a great way to start your day. Once you've got the hang of it, you can slowly start doing other things that involve you in the process. It's a simple, easy way to make a big impact. Just add ten minutes to your day, and let your body slowly adapt to your new lifestyle. Before you know it, you'll have a new healthy lifestyle that you love, and the old unhealthy lifestyle will be a distant memory.