Psychologists told how to analyze the internal state in order to change it for the better.This has happened to each of us at least once: it would seem that everything is fine, life is going according to plan, but then the mood suddenly deteriorates. And it’s not at all clear why this is happening.

Several factors are responsible for a good mood at once: our thoughts , psychological state, life situation, environment and people nearby. Changing one or more of these components at once can lead to emotional swings.

Psychologists have analyzed seven common bad mood scenarios and told how to deal with it.

1. A friend complains about life, and you start to feel sad too.

This is where emotional  contagion comes into play , a simple, even primitive, psychological phenomenon. Elaine Hatfield, professor of psychology at the University of Hawaii, explains that during a conversation, people naturally repeat the facial expressions, posture, and pace of speech of the interlocutor.

The movements of the muscles involved in this process (for example, when you furrow your eyebrows) activate neural connections, and they give rise to the same feelings in you that the interlocutor is talking about. This feature of the brain is designed to help us empathize with others, thereby strengthening social bonds.

How to cheer yourself up

Take a break from talking, say go to the restroom. Remind yourself that the bad mood you are experiencing at this moment does not belong to you, but to your friend. And the best thing you can do is listen to a loved one, and not solve his problems.

2. You think about a difficult situation for a long time, but still do not find a solution.

Thinking carefully about important life issues at first glance seems like a very reasonable approach. But sometimes this process turns from a search for a solution to a problem into marking time in one place.

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Sonya Lyubomirsky

Candidate of Psychological Sciences, author of the book “Psychology of Happiness. New Approach”.

It’s hard to resist the endless repetitive thinking about life because you feel like you’re deeply exploring yourself in the process. Actually, it is not. You just turn the wheels on a kind of psychological bicycle, but you can’t get anywhere. This worsens your already poor condition and reduces your motivation.

Two signs point to the fact that you are marking time in one place, and not looking for a way to solve the problem. These are unpleasant emotions, such as anxiety or anger, and the inability to switch to other ideas due to the constant return to the same thought.

How to cheer yourself up

Take a break. Read a book, watch a movie with an exciting story, listen to music, take a walk in the fresh air.

Take 15-20 minutes and write down your thoughts on paper or talk about the problem with a friend, and then make a plan for a solution. This is how you move from thinking to action. “Perhaps you will realize that your life situation is far from being as hopeless as you thought,” emphasizes Sonya Lyubomirsky.

3. You are constantly stressed

Sometimes stress is a secondary emotion, a kind of reaction to other feelings. Imagine that the deadline for an important project at work was suddenly moved or your loved one set you up. In both cases, you will experience stress, but it will only be a secondary emotion. In the first variant, the main feeling will be irritation or despair, in the second – resentment.

Susan David

Doctor of Philosophical Sciences, author of the book “Emotional Flexibility. How to learn to enjoy change and enjoy work and life.

Emotions are an important source of information about your life and what excites you. The correct definition of emotions helps to understand what is really going on inside you and why you experience certain feelings.

How to cheer yourself up

Ask yourself what other emotion your psychological state is like. Identify the initial feeling that stress is hiding and try to understand why you have this feeling.

People often experience strong emotions when someone hurts their dignity. You may be stressed because you feel unappreciated at work or at home. When you find the root of the problem, you will find the solution.

Susan David points out that even if nothing can be done about the situation, correctly identifying the primary feeling can help reduce stress.

4. You feel guilty because you could be happier.

Meta-emotions, that is, feelings that arise due to other emotions, are a fairly common psychological phenomenon. If you were sad because you felt anxious, or embarrassed because you wanted to cry , you were experiencing meta-emotions.