Feeling Low: When to Ride It Out and When to Seek Help

We all have days where the world feels a bit heavier. Maybe you’ve caught yourself wondering, “Is this normal?” or “Should I be worried about how I feel?” Or perhaps you've typed into Google: “How long should I feel low before doing something about it?” You're not alone — these are some of the most common questions people ask when they're feeling low.

In this article, I’ll guide you through some simple ways to check in with yourself and understand when low mood is part of the normal ebb and flow of life, and when it might be a sign to reach out for support.

It’s Okay to Feel Low Sometimes

Life has natural rhythms. Just like we expect dips in energy, motivation, or even appetite, it’s completely normal to experience emotional lows — especially during or after big life changes, illness, or periods of stress.

And here's something important: feeling low isn't always something to "fix."

Sadness, frustration, and even emotional numbness are part of the human experience. These feelings can offer us pause, space to reflect, and even insights about what matters most to us.

Psychologist Susan David calls this emotional agility — the ability to embrace the full spectrum of our emotions, not just the comfortable ones. Suppressing negative emotions has actually been shown to increase psychological distress over time. A study from the University of California, Berkeley found that people who accept their emotions without judgment tend to experience lower levels of anxiety and depression than those who try to avoid or control their feelings.

So if you're feeling low, that doesn't automatically mean you're broken — sometimes you're just responding to life. And sometimes, the most healing thing you can do is to give yourself permission to feel.

But How Do I Know If It’s More Than Just a Low Mood?

Here are a few guiding questions to gently ask yourself:

• How long have I felt like this?
  Occasional low days are common. But if your mood has been consistently low for more than two weeks, it's a good idea to explore further support.

• Is it affecting my daily life?
  Are you struggling to get out of bed, connect with others, or do things you usually enjoy? When low mood starts interfering with your ability to function, it’s a signal to check in with a professional.

• Am I feeling hopeless or overwhelmed most days?
  Everyone feels down sometimes, but persistent feelings of hopelessness, emptiness, or being emotionally numb might indicate something deeper.

• Have I stopped finding joy in things I usually love?
  This is known as anhedonia, and it’s a key sign of depression.

• Have you felt like this before? What helped? What didn’t?

This is a great opportunity to reflect on your emotional patterns and needs. Self-exploration builds emotional intelligence — helping you understand not only your triggers, but also your personal path back to balance. Perhaps this mood is part of a seasonal or hormonal pattern, a response to overcommitment, or a clue that something deeper needs attention.

What Might Help in the Meantime?

If you’re not sure whether what you’re feeling needs treatment, here are a few gentle strategies that often help the emotional fog lift:

• Talk to someone — not necessarily for advice, but just to be heard.
  Studies show that simply naming emotions out loud can reduce their intensity (Lieberman et al., 2007).

• Sleep, food, movement — simple but powerful tools for emotional regulation.
  Regular exercise has been shown to reduce symptoms of depression by up to 30% in some populations (Harvard Health, 2021).

• Journaling — write without judgment. Just get it out.
  Expressive writing has been linked to improved mood and reduced anxiety (Pennebaker, 1997).

• Limit alcohol and doom-scrolling — they feel like distractions but often fuel the spiral.
  Excessive social media use is strongly correlated with increased feelings of sadness and isolation (University of Pennsylvania, 2018). So maybe switch off your phone for a few hours, or leave it in another room - remind yourself how to rest your eyes on other things.

• Choose your company intentionally — think about who you invite into your headspace when you're feeling low.
  Are you looking to feel comforted, vindicated, distracted, or advised? Whether it’s a friend, a podcast, or a quiet moment with a book, match your support to your emotional need. Not everyone offers the right kind of energy for the moment — and that’s okay.

• Seek out small joys — music, nature, your pet’s weird little face — actively seek moments of lightness.
  Positive psychology research shows that intentionally noticing small positive moments improves emotional resilience over time (Fredrickson, 2009).

• Take a Personal Day — Just like when the body gets tired and your immune system lets a little bug through, sometimes your soul gets tired and your mind lets those little niggles through too. If your mood feels situational, then maybe taking a moment away from the pattern you're used to would be enough to refresh your mental immune system.

Taking a mental health day can lower stress, improve clarity, and boost emotional resilience (Mayo Clinic Health System, n.d.)

• Change the intention — If you have been floating without purpose for a while, that might be giving you a lesser sense of your overall life's purpose. Sitting down to focus on and finish a project you've been putting off might give you back that sense of accomplishment and remind you what you've been missing. Equally, as much the opposite can be true. If you've been doing a lot of purposeful things lately, or are under a lot of pressure to always be delivering something, then a day of whimsy can be the mental refreshment you crave.

Studies show that both meaningful achievement and playfulness can improve emotional well-being (Coventry et al., 2019; National Institute for Play, n.d.).

If those little sparks don’t return after a while, or the heaviness feels unshakeable, it’s time to get some support — this is not a sign of weakness - even your therapist needs therapy (Trust me!), but because you deserve to feel better.

Next Week: Are You Born to Feel This Way? The Nature vs Nurture of Depression

Next week, I’ll explore the science behind what makes some people more vulnerable to depression than others. Is it genetics? Childhood experiences? Something else entirely? Spoiler: it’s not clear-cut — and understanding it might help you feel more compassionate towards yourself and others.

💬 Let’s Keep Talking

If this post resonated with you, feel free to share it with someone who might need it today. And if you have your own experience of navigating low mood — what helped, what didn’t — I’d love to hear from you in the comments or messages.