I Feel Hopeless, Now What?

Mental Health America has focused on "supporting young minds" and reaching youth where they are at. So often, we hear about the pressures and stressors that kids have, but we don't have any actionable tools to coach or help them. However, Mental Health America have released a new toolkit for adults and youth to guide them through these feeling through support and empowerment. View the whole guide. To break it down even further,

When everything feels hopeless, you might feel like you’ve reached a dead end. Just feeling hopeless can be overwhelming in itself. Hopelessness robs you of seeing where you have control in your life, especially if you find yourself wallowing in it. It’s okay to give yourself time to wallow, but it’s also a good idea to think about how you are going to move forward.

Before you read on, take a moment to take a deep breath and ask yourself what is the voice in my head saying when I feel hopeless? This can help you figure out a way forward. Moving forward might look like changing your thoughts, changing your situation, having a conversation that you’ve been avoiding, or letting yourself feel something difficult like grief.

Hopelessness can feel different for different people. Below are some common reasons people may feel hopeless and strategies you can try to feel better.

I feel stuck or have nothing to look forward to

If you feel stuck or trapped in your life, the world around you may feel small. This is a good time to find ways to expand your horizons. Here are some actions that you can take to help you do this:

• Try a new hobby, sport, or activity.
• Take a hike or a nature walk.
• Try something different: eat a new snack, listen to different music, try a new outfit, etc.
• Do something you’ve always wanted to do or rediscover things that make you feel good.

Trying something new or doing something different can help you discover new experiences that can get you unstuck.

I feel overwhelmed or pressured

When you feel that you have too much to do or there are too many expectations for you, you may feel overwhelmed and want to shut down. Not only is this okay, but it’s also natural. Here’s what you can do if you’re feeling the pressures of daily life:

• Practice mindfulness, deep breathing, or meditation. An app can be a great place to start if you’re not sure how to.
• Talk to someone about what you are feeling – sometimes getting it out of your head helps relieve the pressure.
• Is there something on your schedule or your plate that makes you feel overwhelmed? See if you can remove or change it.
• Find a healthy coping strategy that helps you release the pressure, like journaling, exercise or physical activity, creating art, etc.

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