Flow Chart for an Unhappy Mood
Disclaimer: This is for educational purposes and not intended to be a source of medical or psychological advice. Always consult with your health care provider or a mental health professional if you are experiencing emotional distress.
I.  Check the Basics:

1. Sleep – Are you getting enough?
2. Exercise – Have you been exercising regularly?
3. Nutrition – Are you skipping meals? Are you eating a balanced diet with sufficient protein, good carbohydrates and good fats?
4. How is your health?  What are your medical values, such as iron levels and thyroid hormone? Are you overdue for a check up?
5. Are you experiencing moods that are the side effects of medication? For example, steroids can contribute to depressed mood.
6. Health conditions also cause stress and worries and are associated with increased distress. Do you need to see your physician to explore ways you might receive support for coping with your illness or medical condition?

II.  What is Going on in Your Life that Might be Making You Feel Overloaded, Stressed, Unhappy or Sad?

1. What can you do about it? How can you change the situation or change your perception of it? Is there someone you can ask for help? Can you reflect on the situation and problem solve?
2. How can you soothe yourself so you make yourself less upset or distressed? Can you dance to shift your mood, even if momentarily? Can you talk with someone who cares? Will meditation or prayer help you feel calm and better able to deal with the situation? What physical activity can you do that helps calm you down and shifts your focus in the moment so you are better able to cope  with the issue?
3. What is happening in your environment that could be having an impact on your psyche? Look around you and try to identify potential sources of distress and think of ways you can respond and manage whatever is in your environment that is bothering you.

III. Check in with Your Thinking

1. Are you ruminating? Are you constantly going over things in your mind?
2. Are you experiencing “shoulds” and “musts” that make you feel caught?
3. How is your perception of situations? Is it clear 20/20 or are you seeing things in a way that makes you feel bad? Do you see the cup half-empty or half-full?
4. What deep assumptions about yourself do you have that might be dragging you down?  Are you acting out of the belief that you are incapable, vulnerable or unworthy? How can you disconfirm your negative core beliefs about yourself?
5. Are you unhappy about your body and appearance?
6. For all of these items above, think of ways you can approach your situation from different perspectives. Challenge yourself to find new ways to look at an old situation. Find supportive friends who can help you cope, reassure you or help you problem solve. Chapter One in the Time-Starved Woman’s Guide to Emotional Wellbeing offers you lots of ways you can be proactive about getting to the core of stress and unhappiness.
   

IV. Reach Out to a Professional and Get Help

Consult with your primary health care provider to discuss these issues and request a referral to a mental health professional, if you don’t already know where to seek help.

V. Read Sound Self-Help Books

See our list under recommended reading.