Everyone, at some time or stage of our life, has felt sadness . Sometimes, it is impossible not to feel it, because some environmental events can cause it (grieving process, falling out of love, having to change homes, etc.).

However, sometimes sadness is a cause of our thinking or our behavior, especially when it lasts for a long period of time.

Tips for Overcoming Sadness

Since sadness is an emotion that we all experience, in this article I have prepared a list of tips that will help you to alleviate it when it manifests itself , pay attention to the following lines because they may be useful to you.

1. Cry if necessary

We often think that it is not right to cry, because socially it is not well seen and makes us weak in the eyes of others, however, some studies indicate that crying can be relaxing and can help you release endorphins , which are hormones related to pleasure. Some scientists claim that crying activates the parasympathetic system, and helps you recover from stress and traumatic experiences you may have.

It is not a question of forcing the crying, but of feeling the emotion without avoiding it, as there may be a rebound effect, and thus experience greater pain. In addition, crying is good for the health of the body, because it helps to release toxins, according to the theory of Dr. William Frey.

2. Accept sadness

As I mentioned in the previous point, avoiding emotions can have a rebound effect and cause them to increase. That is why nowadays more and more psychotherapeutic models are applied that revolve around the acceptance of experience . An example of this is acceptance and commitment therapy, which if you want to know more about, you can read more about in the article “Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT): principles and characteristics”

Self-acceptance means treating ourselves with care and recognizing that we are valuable. It is recognizing that we must love ourselves because if we don’t respect ourselves, sadness can appear. If you want to know more about how to accept sadness in the article “Self-acceptance: 5 psychological tips to achieve it” we explain it.

3. Find your purpose

When we don’t find meaning in our lives, we are likely to feel great sadness and live immersed in an existential void. A place where we do not see the future clearly and we do not know ourselves .

Therefore, in order to be happy and fight for one’s personal development, it is necessary to work on self-knowledge and find out what motivates us. It is in that path towards the objectives that our happiness is found.

4. Fight for your goals

Therefore, fighting for goals helps us to overcome sadness and enjoy greater well-being, because when we are in contact with ourselves and our desires, our self-motivation increases .

However, these desires must be realistic, and we must not only have long-term objectives in mind, but short-term goals are just as important to keep us active throughout the process.

5. Do sport

Physical exercise is one of the activities that most favors the well-being of people. Not only is it healthy on a cardiovascular level or to improve physical appearance, but produces happiness chemicals such as endorphins or serotonin , which are associated with a positive mood and greater emotional well-being.

Studies suggest that sport and physical activity help us to be happier, reduce stress and improve our self-esteem. In the article “The 10 psychological benefits of physical exercise” you can find more information about these benefits.

6. Go outside

Studies suggest that going out on the street is good for our mental health. Vitamin D that is stimulated by sunlight promotes the activation of the enzyme hydroxylase 2 (TPH2) which converts tryptophan into serotonin in our brain .

Other studies suggest that going out is key for patients with depression, as it produces significant improvements in their recovery.

7. Do something you like

Whether it is reading, swimming or playing cards, the activities we enjoy cause us to release dopamine and many other neurotransmitters related to pleasure and happiness (endorphins, serotonin, etc.). The activities we like best allow us to stop for a while and give way to sadness.

8. Socialize

If going out and doing what we like is good, even better if we do it in company. Studies suggest that socializing and having friends is essential for our mental health . To meet new people, you can simply go to your local yoga class or to the gym, and see how you make new friends.

9. Practice Mindfulness

Mindfulness is an oriental practice that has been applied in recent years in the clinical and psychotherapeutic field because of its benefits for mental health. It uses meditation as a technique to be in the present moment, to accept our internal and external experience, to improve the capacity for self-awareness and to adopt a non-judgmental mentality .

To learn how to practice Mindfulness you can attend one of the courses we present in our article “The 5 best Mindfulness courses and workshops”

10. Go to a professional

If the sadness is long-lasting and you don’t know how to get over it, you may need psychological help to overcome this adverse situation. There are many professionals who can help you improve your well-being and your quality of life.