Fighting the blues

Fighting The Blues

Dear Annette,

I just returned home from a two week vacation with my husband. We had a really great time. I really enjoyed myself, but now, since my return home I am feeling really down. Can you help me? I don't know why I feel this way.

Dear Feeling Down,

Your feeling "blue" could be caused by a number of reasons or a combination of them:

1. Depressed to have to come back and face all the problems of your daily life.

2. Tired from the trip.

3. Hormonal imbalance

4. Stress of daily life problems

5. Being over-extended in time or recourses.

6. Coming down with an illness/flu.

7. Holding in feelings instead of expressing them.

Generally the stress of a vacation will hinder the immune system and allow a normal healthy body to get ill.
Going to a different area of the country where there are different illnesses/flu and that your immune system hasn't developed antibodies for those strains. This can cause a low grade infection as the body fight off the illness/flu.
The same is true when sharing the same cabin air and germs with 80 + other people in flight. The air is supposed to be frequently cleansed, but this does not eliminate germs from spreading.

6. Actual depression ... not enough endorphins being made in the brain causing a chemical imbalance.

If I had to guess what it was, I would guess it was a combination of any or all for the first five. These would be the most normal reasons.

DO LIST

Get lots of rest and fluids.
Reduce stress as much as possible.
Simplify your life. Don't do more that you can.
Pamper yourself.
To get more endorphins into your system... Play and sing music that makes you happy. Take a brisk walk. Play a tape or watch a show that makes you laugh.
Do a study of things that make you happy.... List these things as you think of them. This should take you about a week to get a complete list.

When you know what smells, sounds, colors, things, activities, etc., make you happy surround yourself with them.

If these things are not helping then it is time to seek your medical doctor's advice. There are several things like Hypothyroidism that can cause depression. If this is not bring answers then it is time to seek the help of a psychiatrist to check the chemical balance in the brain.

I hope your problem is something simple and is easily taken care of.

Best wishes,

Annette Nay, Ph.D.

Annette Nay Homepage


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