Let’s welcome Hajra today to bravely tackle a topic we usually avoid. Hajra is very active around the Blogosphere, engaging in conversation on many blogs you probably visit yourself. She also blogs regularly here! Take it away Hajra!

One of my friends just had a bitter break up. And while I was having lunch with her the other day, I noticed the unusual huge portions on her plate. She was clearly upset. So the shrink in me said this “Sweetie, you need help”.

This is the response I get “I have been through it all, crying, fighting, arguments, moving out, and all the after effects of the breakup of a seven year relationship. I am happy in a way but I am unhappy too, and this extra portion is just to get rid of the shred of sadness and anger left behind”

Though, a shrink shouldn’t be saying this but yes, we all have bad days; we all have bad times and those phase where we know we will come out of it but we just need some time and some help here and there to help us get through the gloom.

It could be just any day – the day we get up on the wrong side of the bed, maybe a bad day at work, maybe you miss someone who lives miles away or maybe just a crappy argument with the nosy neighbor. You feel blue, you feel angry and you know it is temporary. It will not last long; so how do you deal with it for now.

What’s my story?

For me, it has been many things. As a kid, when my father travelled for work and we missed him terribly, we found some solace in ice cream. Mom took us out for our favorite flavors and it kind of helped us “drive away the sadness”.

In college, a bad grade or a terrible assignment lapse or just a heart break was gulped down with pots of coffee, movies and bags of junk food.

I actually dealt with the aftershock after my first unemployment by watching movies. Yes, I watched about 120 movies in just three weeks.

Now, it is books and shoe shopping. All that negative energy from the unpleasant event is just diverted into reading books and that works as a charm! And shoe shopping is just the girl inside (and outside of me) that refuses to calm down until taken shoe shopping.

A long jog, a dance, music, movies, books or just plain old shoe shopping; there could be anything that helps in dealing with that little phase of sadness. What is your story? How are you wiping away that gloom?

P.S. In no way I am endorsing escape mechanisms for feelings of depression. If you have been feeling the sadness for a prolonged period of time, then nothing of the above will help, you will need professional help. Go out and seek it. 

photo credit: Karen Lee