How To Get Out Of A Funk And Improve Mental Health

When you’re in a funk, daily tasks and responsibilities can seem much more challenging than usual. You may find that you’re feeling sad or irritable, or that small inconveniences lead to larger reactions than are typical for you. Getting out of a funk often requires you to put extra effort into caring for your mental health. Below, explore a variety of helpful strategies, including seeking professional support.

What it means to be in a funk

Being in a funk can mean that you feel:

• “Off” or “flat”
• Not quite like yourself
• A little down
• Unmotivated
• Overwhelmed
• Irritable
• Withdrawn

There’s a difference between being in a funk and living with mental health conditions like depression and anxiety disorders. What generally sets a funk apart from a mental illness is its duration. A funk is typically brief, often lasting a few days or less, while mental health disorders generally involve symptoms lasting weeks or more.

Common causes of a funk

To avoid a sense of restlessness or lack of purpose, many people maintain a fast-paced lifestyle with demanding, high-stress routines. Sometimes, individuals feel guilty when they aren’t using their brains and bodies for what they perceive to be “productive” endeavors. To avoid that guilt, they may choose to keep moving, keep their brains active, and check items off their to-do lists. However, it can be easy to forget to allow oneself to just be. When people don’t make time to focus on the bigger picture of their mental and emotional health, they can hit a wall. 

Without mental health “housekeeping,” they may start to feel fatigued, lethargic, and unmotivated. They may even lose interest in things that they previously loved to do. It may seem like they can’t shake a lingering sense of sadness or apathy.

Pressure-related funk, stress, and anxiety

Many people are conditioned to be constantly happy and progressing. On days when a person feels less than awesome, it can seem like there is something monumentally wrong, even if they’re just having an “off” day. 

Instead of taking time to take care of themselves, many choose to forge ahead and try to shake the funk. Actions like distracting yourself from difficult feelings and working through sickness may keep you feeling productive in the moment, but they can often be detrimental in the long term. If you do not take a sick day when you need to slow down, it may eventually catch up to you in the form of an altered mindset or even mental health changes.

Depression-related funk and mood management

Sometimes, what we call “funks” are indicative of a more serious clinical issue. Lack of motivation, fatigue, lethargy, and loss of interest in formerly enjoyable activities are common symptoms of major depressive disorder. For individuals struggling with major depression, emerging from a funk may seem especially difficult because depressive episodes can last weeks or months. While practical strategies can make a difference, therapy can be highly beneficial. 

Practical steps to get out of a funk

When you’re in a funk, it can seem challenging to have hope, but it may be helpful to realize that most funks are short-lived. Taking action to improve your mood doesn’t have to mean making drastic changes. Instead, you can start small. Below, explore several simple strategies to get out of a funk:

• Get outside and spend time in nature
• Take a walk or engage in other forms of exercise to promote physical and mental health
• Fuel your body with nutritious foods
• Stretch or practice yoga
• Get together with loved ones
• Schedule something fun to look forward to
• Write in a journal
• Express yourself creatively
• Engage in a fun hobby
• Write down a few things you’re grateful for or good things in your life
• Pray, meditate, or take several deep breaths
• Find a way to help others or volunteer in your community
• Listen to upbeat music or watch a funny movie

Read on to discover more in-depth ways to address a funk.

Get out by getting in

One potential way to move forward is to stop fighting difficult emotions and simply let them happen. This is not to suggest that you allow yourself to fall into a negative thought spiral, but rather to acknowledge the emotions you have at the present moment and let them work themselves out without becoming frustrated further by them. 

Promoting positive feelings by having down days

Sometimes a funk is just the mind’s way of saying, “Time out. Give me a moment.” This situation can be a chance to have a self-care day. Consider closing the blinds, reading a book, binge-watching a series, breathing a bit, or just giving yourself time to be still and rest. Try to embrace the opportunity to take it easy and recharge.

Set small goals

Being in a funk can sometimes seem like being stuck in the mud. The longer the funk lasts, the harder it can appear to emerge from it. You can cope with this sensation of being “stuck” by setting small goals for yourself throughout the day to get some momentum going.

Being concrete and specific about goals can also be helpful, as abstract, broad goals may be hard to achieve. For example, “exercise more” may inspire less action than “after lunch, go for a 15-minute walk outside.”

How to get out of a funk with self-care

One positive aspect of being in a funk is that it can present an opportunity for self-care. Remember, self-care isn’t selfish! This can be a time for you to slow down and prioritize your needs. 

Try to remain aware that self-care doesn’t mean doing whatever you want at the moment. Often, it means taking care of yourself the same way you would care for a child or friend. For example, take some time to make a nutritious meal to nourish your body. Treat yourself to something special, however small, like an at-home spa day, a cup of tea, a warm bath, or a luxurious skincare routine. 

How to get out of a funk and reset mental health: When to seek professional help

Everyone may experience days when they just do not want to participate in life, work, or even family. It is not easy to take a break from responsibilities, and even when a person can, they might feel guilty. 

However, burnout and stress can arise when breaks are needed but not taken. Taking a day for yourself when possible can help you get out of a funk and return to your responsibilities feeling refreshed. 

Online therapy eases depression

Research shows that online therapy can decrease symptoms of depression. For example, a 2019 study demonstrated how people who used BetterHelp experienced a significant decrease in depression symptom severity after engaging in online therapy.

Factors like stigma, lack of therapy availability in certain areas, cost, or lack of transportation can make it difficult for people to find mental health care. Online therapy platforms can help address these factors:

• Online therapy is generally more cost-effective than in-person therapy.
• Some social pressures around therapy and counseling are lessened or removed entirely when the therapy is delivered online.
• Online therapy is available even to people who live in remote locations or lack qualified therapists in their area. 
• Costs associated with in-person therapy, like childcare, time off work, and transportation, are eliminated with online therapy because counseling can be attended from home.