How to avoid falling into a funk
Do you ever catch signs that you are slowly falling into a funk?
Sometimes I catch signs such as:
- losing interest in things
- being extremely irritable
- feeling anti-social
- not wanting to take care of my body
- wanting to sleep all the time
- feeling defensive and cranky
The question is, once we’ve noticed the signs, how do we avoid falling into a full fledged funk? This is something I’ve been trying to figure out for eight years.
I’ve noticed that if I develop a plan of reaction to each sign of falling into a funk, it helps. It gives me tools to use when I realize I am not feeling like myself. Now, I completely prefer preventitive actions to reactive actions, but for now, this is the best I can do.
When I first notice the signs of falling into a funk, I tell myself to pause and look at the bigger picture. Is the reason for my funk right in front of me? Is there an issue I have been avoiding? If it’s situational, and I can nip my unease in the butt by addressing the issue, I try to. Otherwise, I address each sign one by one until I work my way out of the funk. Click “more” if you’d like to read examples of my plans of reaction.
What are your tips on how to avoid falling into a funk? Do you ever catch signs that you are? What are your signs?
- When I notice I am losing interest in things, I ask myself if I overdid whatever “it” is and lost joy in it. I tell myself it is okay to have less interest for awhile, but slowly try to build it back up.
- When I notice I am being extremely irritable, I remind myself to breathe. I take deep breaths and remind myself that many of the things that irritate me are out of my control and don’t matter much in the long run.
- When I notice I am feeling anti-social, I tell myself it is okay to feel a bit withdrawn from time to time. I schedule some time to myself, whether it’s a relaxing bubble bath or a weekend at home. I ask it what is making me feel anti-social has to do with a feeling about myself, or a certain person (or even a certain characteristic) and try to address it. I cut back on social events for awhile, but still try to see a friend at least once a week. And sometimes this feeling just means I need to make sure I am not spending ALL of my time with the same person – I need to see a diverse group of people.
- When I notice I am not wanting to take care of my body, I cut myself some slack. I remind myself that I do not have to be perfect and one bad day of eating or not exercising is not really that “bad” of a day. I do not follow the “I will start over tomorrow” mindset, but remember that every decision has the opportunity to be a healthy one, and do the best I can.
- When I notice I am wanting to sleep all the time, I ask myself if I am getting enough sleep. Most likely, I am not, and I am overdoing it and need to cut back. If I am getting enough sleep, I ask myself if I am bored or sad about something. If I am bored, I try to find an activity that is stimulating. If I am sad about something, I try to talk it out with someone or write about it.
- When I notice I am feeling defensive and cranky, I remember that although other people’s actions may make me feel this way, it is often not their intent. And even if it is, I lose power when I react this way. Being mindful of this helps me overcome it.
Basically, I look at each sign and tell myself it is okay to feel that way, but try to immediately address it. So often, I fall into a funk because I am avoiding a certain emotion. I don’t want to think about it, so it just festers and gets worse, and gains even more control over me. When I acknowledge how I am feeling, I take that power back, and “solve” the issue more quickly.
Themocracy
A big sign for me is breathing….I notice that when I am really stressed, I hold my breath! I literally have to tell myself to take a breath!
.-= Author’s last blog post… A Great Big Thank You =-.
I definitely feel more anti-social (I already struggle with that a bit to begin with), always want to sleep, and become much more irritable. I’m bad at catching myself before I’m in the funk though – maybe because I haven’t thought about the emotions behind it. It’s tough right now though while job searching because of constant reminders about it whether because of reduced income, sitting at home all day or being asked by friends/family how the search is going. I have to breath deep (especially with the questioning) and remind myself that I am doing the best that I can and that it is all I can do. Thanks for this post!
.-= Author’s last blog post… Forgetting all I’m lacking, completely incomplete =-.
When I’m falling into a funk, I wait it out. It usually means I need to let myself take a time out and feel some difficult things that I can learn from. I don’t try to brush them off, but feel them, knowing that they will pass. The funk usually doesn’t stick around too long and during the down period I’m talking with friends/family and taking care of myself.
.-= Author’s last blog post… The Dog Did It (again) =-.
Wow. Those are my signs exactly. I know that some people have trouble sleeping in stressful times but I’m the opposite and use sleep as an escape. My relationship with my body and food changes in a funk, too.
How do I combat it?? Well, I completely bottle it up, deny my feelings and shut down. So basically imagine the worst possible way to handle it and know that’s what I’m doing.
Clearly it’s something I need to work on. I may print out this post so I can reference back next time I’m in a funk. Thanks Kim!
.-= Author’s last blog post… New Recipe Friday =-.
All those symptoms that you listed also happen to be symptoms of depression. As someone who has been diagnosed with severe depression, I do have an action plan if I experience those symptoms for two days in a row. If I experience those symptoms two days in a row it most likely means that my medications are not working properly anymore. What I have to do then is first make a phone call to my counselor so she can start helping me identify, if possible, what might have led to the depression symptoms, and to get me to deal as best I can until I can see the doctor. The doctor is in the same office so the wait is not really that long, and then the doctor’s job is to either adjust my medications and let us deal with it on an outpatient basis, or have me check into a mental health facility to level out my medications.
Due to my depression, I have to be on the look out for those symptoms on a daily basis. Each day I get through without experiencing them is a good day for me.
.-= Author’s last blog post… Daily Journal – January 9th, 2010 =-.
Wow. This is exactly what I needed to read today.
I think I probably told you this at lunch, but my new therapist said that by keeping such a busy lifestyle, I’ve gotten really good at just “pushing away” things I don’t want to feel or think about. It’s okay to sit in those bad feelings, but at the same time, you don’t want to wallow in them.
It’s all about finding a balance. Isn’t everything??
Great post. Actually, a lot of your posts lately are spot on what I’m going through. Maybe it’s some sort of end of year/start of new year thing.
I do catch myself a lot falling into these funks, as you call them. And I try to make some immediate corrections like changing a routine or adjusting the time I do certain things. It’s working, for the most part, but there’s still some things I put off… like my own blog post talking about my own funks. 🙂
On two positive notes, restarting my exercise routine has been a long time funk that I feel I’m making progress on.
And second, your black text on a grey background is not an issue my eyes. 🙂
.-= Author’s last blog post… The Eyes Have It =-.
This is a great post, Kim. I know those feelings well – the falling into the funk as you call it. The dragon breathing down my neck, as I call it. I’ve never taken the time to think this out so clearly – how to combat it with clear steps to address each sign. Something to think about.
Thanks for sharing your methods.
.-= Author’s last blog post… for today, tomorrow, we’ll be back in trouble again… =-.
I love this! Generally I’ve noticed that if I’m in a funk, it’s because I’m putting off doing something that I really don’t want to do (for whatever reason) and it’s generally that I’m fearful. So that turns my mood sour and puts me in a funk. I always try to talk myself into reasons for doing said things and I inevitably feel better. Love that you addressed this one!
.-= Author’s last blog post… Hips Don’t Lie. =-.
I’m in a total eating funk right now. It’ll be over once I leave my grandma’s house but right now it’s horrrrrible. I feel like I’m just eating everything I can get my hands on (which apparently is always unhealthy snack food)
Your signs are pretty much mine as well. I get into this overly procrastinaty (dictionary anyone?) mood where i just keep putting off EVERYTHING. Normally I get into funks when something comes up that I don’t want to face. School is a major funk trigger for me. If I have a school assignment that I don’t want to do, it often triggers a downward spiral for everything else around me.
.-= Author’s last blog post… Orlando Blogger Meetup =-.
i feel you on the funk! i get anti social, grumpy and pissed off, and my workouts suck. no heart.
And i’m in an eating funk like sammi. Hhaha. keep eating weird crap. oh well.
HAHHA yay for you liking my funky ass pictures! i will post more! =D
dude, i wish you could see what that dude hiking dude looks like! hahah. then you could diss him for ditching me! lol!
.-= Author’s last blog post… my feet hurt..coz i’m kicking so much ass =-.
i’m lucky in that my funks are almost always easily cured: go hang out with friends. i’m an emotional sponge, so if i’m with people having fun / who are happy, i’m almost instantly happy too. it’s nice 🙂
.-= Author’s last blog post… #spinstertweets =-.
Great questions and post! Funk….heck yea! we are all susceptible! I notice myself getting cranky for no good reason or being shorter tempered than i’d like. When this happens i step back and find the problem and remove/change it! so that I am happier 🙂
.-= Author’s last blog post… Highlights of the Week =-.
Usually when I get in a funk I have to change things up a bit- see a friend I haven’t seen in awhile, take a day off from the gym (or go if I haven’t been going) etc
.-= Author’s last blog post… For Boston, For Boston… =-.
Oh yeah! I’m definintely funky oriented. I have all your symptoms except the sleeping one. I get antsy and more in a funk because I get bored. I pace. I’ll lap the house and look out anyone who gets in my way.
As for how to avoid it, the best way for me is to try to get someone else out of a funk. Did you realize the best way to cheer your self up is to cheer someone else up? or too try to motivate others in a healthy direction? That’s pretty cool. By the way – your readers may be interested in the Clean Food Giveaway. Check it out!
.-= Author’s last blog post… Cookbook Review: “Clean Food” by Terry Walters – Vegetarian Friendly =-.
I definitely hear you are cheering others up! And I always feel good when I give someone a sincere compliment! Great tip!
January is the worst month for falling into a funk. After the holidays and all the food and fun, I feel a bit depressed. But I usually just throw myself into work and manage to pull myself out of it. Work always helps!
Thank you for your kind comment, by the way. I really appreciate it!
.-= Author’s last blog post… Bargain Basement =-.
I was definitely bummed when Christmas was over, and even NY. I try to find other things to look forward to, but try to remember to enjoy what I have now, too 🙂 Bleh! I would be happy to skip January though!
You’re welcome!
Oh, yes, I know funks very well. There are certain times that they just HAPPEN… I know that already, but I can’t figure out why. Saturday nights are one of those times. If it happened EVERY Saturday night, I’d consider it a pattern, but it doesn’t, so I just get confused and know that it will eventually go away. Not the greatest of strategies, I suppose!
<3 <3
.-= Author's last blog post… Escaping Winter =-.
I have always had my ups and downs and can tell when a “down” is coming. My hubby and I were talking about it once and he asked me “if you know you are going to be down, why dont you just fix it?”. Since I have the ability to feel a low coming he thought I should be able to just get over it and have that low disappear. Its different than that and someone who doesnt have those cycles could never understand 😉
I dont really have a way to get out of the funk. I let it pass. It always passes eventually!
.-= Author’s last blog post… I Just Registered For A 1/2 Marathon … 3 Weeks From Now =-.
I get super irritable too. For me that usually means I havent been eating enough. Another sign of falling into a funk for me. When I get like that, I need to stay away from people and treat myself to something. Even if its just a hot bath – if Im falling into a funk I just get mean, so dragging other people down with me is just unfair.
.-= Author’s last blog post… Chipotle Potato and Yam Soup =-.
When my mom and grandma were here we went downtown together and I packed snacks in the morning. I told them if I didn’t have snacks I would be irritable. They thought that was weird. Ha! I thought everyone was like that!
It’s hard not to pass on the bad mood. Or pick it up from others!
Wow– I go to catch up on all my blog reading and find everything I’m struggling with being discussed in your blog- lol!! It’s winter, snowy and cold here and that makes it really, really hard for me to stay upbeat and feel like going out and doing things. I am exhausted after work most of the time, but need to focus on finding things to do, new people to meet (most of my friends moved away). My signs are definitely just being generally sad and down for long periods of time. Thankfully I have a job with kids where they grab you out of the funk pretty quickly but evenings and weekends can be hard.
.-= Author’s last blog post… Weekend Kid Funnies =-.
Your funk signs pretty much match my funk signs. I like what you said about feeling anti-social. I feel like the common idea is to “get out there” when you feel that way, but I’ve found that I feel a total aversion to that concept. When I’m feeling that way, I have to have a little compassion for myself and indulge the anti-social-ness for a while. Therapy is pretty crucial for me. I get lost in my head too often and therapy helps me sort out some things. Thanks for this. It really highlights warning signs and coping mechanisms in a concrete way.
.-= Author’s last blog post… Changing the way we think about mental illness =-.
I know for me, I get in a funk re: work. And the big sign for me is when I let my work pile up and don’t care. Usually I need to get firm with myself.
.-= Author’s last blog post… What Does Not Destroy Me… =-.