Today I was browsing YouTube and noticed that there are a whole lot of depressed people out there! Not your usual weekday blahs, but real suicidal and self harming depressed people who are reaching out for some sort of human interaction to make themselves feel better... This is disturbing on many levels. First, YouTube is laden with assholes who can easily push someone right over the edge, without regard.. Second, this type of lonely depression can't be fixed with online companionship, it will require live human contact... but how do you communicate that with people who are at the end of their rope and how does one guide them to the ways they might fix their loneliness?
The only idea I can even think of is trying to encourage them and offer simple ideas and pray they are able to use that advise.
A few basic ideas for getting people talking...
Start a conversation with someone on the bus.
Compliment a co-worker on an achievement.
Start a conversation with a co-worker.
Ask a neighbor about something that is happening in their lives. (try not to be personal)
Try to wear a smile more as people are much more likely to approach a happy looking person.
Lets face it, people love to talk about themselves so starting a conversation is a real easy thing to do, just keep in mind that politics, religion and giving advice on relationships are not good topics as people are way too touchy about those things. I know this will sound silly but acting is a great way to bust out of a depressed funk. By acting I mean, act like you are a happy person, even if you aren't, cause people recoil from depressing topics or people and are attracted to happy or pleasant people. Again if you are acting today then maybe as time goes on it won't be acting anymore.
A thought for mood improvement...
Try finding one good thing that is happening to/for you each day...
A good nights sleep..
A nice day outside...
A good cup of coffee...
Saw a cute animal on my way to the car...talked to it.
Saw the neighbor kid playing and it made me smile...
Stuck in traffic..but my AC and Radio works...
Little things add up, and if you are looking for those things then the bad ones are being left behind.
Other thing that help me with mood issues...
Who do they look like? I find a face in the crowd and try and find who they most resemble.
On the streets of Denver I have seen several Danny Glovers a George Bush a bunch of Queen Latifas...you get my drift. It takes your mind off of things.
Another one I use is imagining the outcome of pranks pulled on those around you, like I use the people on the bus and imagine someone coming in and pulling different pranks on them and that sometimes makes me giggle like an idiot but I'm having fun.
Make up funny names for people at work or on the bus..like if a guy is wearing thick glasses then he is now goggles...the lady in the green dress is now known as green dress, etc... "Good morning Green Dress" "Pleasant day Goggles" obviously don't say it out loud but have fun at others expense, it isn't harming anyone and it will improve your mood.
Try creating a story by using the signs you pass on the street, if you are like me it will stump you in a few blocks.
One of the most basic triggers for loneliness is an idle mind , too much time to think about how bad you think your life is, so fill that idle time with something amusing!
