Columnist metroboy.pro Alexander Zantovich shares his thoughts on the "50 Shades of Sadness", or rather about male depression and how to cope with it, and what to do when it does appear.
If you don't swear while driving, it means you're not paying close attention to the road.
The mood is exactly the same.
If you are cheerful, easy and carefree, you do not follow what is happening.
No normal person can be happy during this hysterical (or historic) period.
There are plenty of reasons to be sad. As they say, there's something for everyone.
Ranging from seasonal factors (lack of sunshine, three months of winter ahead, wet snow mixed with rain) to universal human issues (wars, dictators, propaganda, global warming, and the dumbing down of the population).
On top of that, kefir has gotten more expensive, and that's just ridiculous…
In general, there are zero reasons for optimism (if you are not Chaly), which means that depression of one intensity or another is here.
Quoting the classics, "the head is a dark subject and is not subject to research", but there is a whole range of diagnoses. I even recently learned a new one - anhedonia. This is when even what used to please you ceases to please. And this, you will agree, is generally some kind of garbage.
I started looking into what I could do before I turned to alcohol or put myself in the caring hands of psychiatrists. Here’s what I found online. Maybe it’ll be useful to someone.
First, physical education. You might laugh (especially if you skipped gym class in school), but it really is good for you. Not only does it get your blood pumping, but it turns out that when your muscles contract, they also release certain hormones—the kind that make you feel happy and joyful.
And, in fact, it does not matter what type of physical activity you prefer. Triathlon, fights without rules, decathlon, hobby horses - everything will do. The main thing is not to overdo it. Otherwise, you can come to the point that you will still be sad, but also tired.
For older people like me, something low-key is better. For example, darts or checkers.
Second, fresh air. You can combine this with the first point, or you can take it on its own. It’s great when, while out for a walk, you get to look at nature instead of the concrete jungle—even if it’s just at the trees or watching the neighbor’s dog strain. Nature is calming.
Good Nutrition. Again, it sounds like a tautology, but healthy food really is good for you. A salad, some cod liver, some sprouted seeds of whatever. You just think your body craves beer and potato pancakes. In reality, there’s nothing better than the Mediterranean diet.
The items listed above are simple and accessible. Next come the more complex ones.
For example, restrict social media And screen time in general. I don’t know about you, but for me, it’s actually physically difficult. It’s so tempting at the end of the day to lie down, switch off my brain, and scroll through those Instagram Reels. You’re lying there, swiping with your thumb, and they’re dancing around, telling stories, falling off bikes—and those cats again…
So it turns out you really, really shouldn't do that. Especially before bed!
Another aerobatics is to stop reading news. Preferably at all. It is also not easy, given how much is happening now. As the Chinese say, God forbid you live in an era of change. I've been living in it for as long as I can remember. But the last 3 years have been very changeable. You never know what reality you will wake up in tomorrow, so you want to know everything.
I tried a couple of times to stop keeping up with the news, and I almost missed Prigozhin's little rebellion!
But the truth is, important news will find you one way or another. So you don't have to go out of your way to look for it—you can spare yourself the stress.
And, finally, for the very advanced – regular meditation. At least ten minutes a day to sit with our eyes closed and think only about our breathing is a balm for our rebellious brains. This occupation is not at all as easy as it seems. Meditation needs to be learned, like any other thing. But if you master it, it becomes really easier. In theory. Once I have mastered it, I will tell you.
All in all, of course, you can't say anything better than the ancients did.
“Lord, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference.”
If it doesn't work out, don't be sad. Kind uncles in white coats are always waiting for us.
Wishing everyone good health and all the best!
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