Feeling discouraged is common. The feeling isn't the problem, though; it's the mistakes we make when we experience discouragement that dig the pit of anxiousness, fear, and panic even further down than we could've ever imagined. If you can avoid these five mistakes when feeling discouraged, you will experience life-changing personal growth like never before!

These are the top 5 mistakes people make when feeling discouraged that you need to know about!

Have you ever just woke up one day, and boom... the weight of the world hits you right between the eyes? You suddenly find yourself in the deep abyss of feeling discouraged! You may have a thousand reasons why you feel that way, or you may have no valid reason at all. Either way, you need a way out, yet you will most likely make mistakes that lead you deeper into discouragement.

In my 15 years of experience with panic and fear, discouragement, and depression, I have found that often I make mistakes that are counterintuitive to my goal of joy and peace. I want to share some of those mistakes in hopes that you will find the same freedom in avoiding them that I have!

These are the top 5 mistakes you should avoid when you are feeling discouraged!

Top Mistakes When Feeling Discouraged

#1 avoiding responsibilites

We've all done it, woke up feeling discouraged, and decided today was a good day to avoid every responsibility. "Just scratch the to-do list today." "Forget that work assignment; it's a pity party day!"

We then begin binge-watching every episode of our favorite shows or mindlessly scroll the depths of YouTube until we end up watching some guy named Jim give his neighbor Sam his first haircut in 17 years. LOL. Never once thinking of the discouragement that led us to this place.

Nothing wrong with a lazy-do-nothing day, right? Here's the truth, when we avoid responsibilities in the name of discouragement, we end up with more dismay than we started with. Though we have numbed ourselves for a while, those same problems we avoided today will be staring at us when we wake up the next day or the day after that. Absolutely nothing got better.

There are moments in life where we need rest, but we often convince ourselves we need a break when actually we really need to talk ourselves into facing whatever is causing the discouragement.

It's much easier to avoid all responsibilities when you are feeling discouraged. Still, if you make a conscious decision to continue your routine and not allow self-pity to set in, then at the end of the day, you'll find yourself more encouraged than you expected!

Here are a few more articles on avoiding responsibilities that might interest you!

Avoidance Coping and Why It Creates Additional Stress

How Can We Solve the Problem of Avoidance?

Related Articles by Goodbye Anxious

#2 GETTING INTO ARGUMENTS

When we are experiencing discouragement, it makes other stresses in life seem gigantic! First, the feeling of discouragement, for whatever reason, sets in, and then anxiety starts to entrap us. If we begin to believe the lie that "this is never going to change," then helplessness is soon to follow.

Is it just me, or does it seem like after all of that has settled in, THEN someone, likely someone who knows how to push your buttons, always comes in with the stupidest comment that causes an argument? Though you could generally handle their off-the-cuff words, it seems like your patience is a bit too thin when feeling discouraged.

Though the temptation will be great to engage in disagreeable matters or hurtful comments, it would be wise to put that off while you feel discouraged and stressed.

Disagreements are settled best when you can be clear and level-headed.

I've written a few articles on relationships and communication. I hope these will help you if you struggle in this area.

Here are a few more articles on avoiding arguments!

5 Ways to Stop an Argument in Less Than a Minute

How to Deal With Difficult People and Avoid Conflict

#3 OVERTHINKING EVERYTHING

If you're a person who feels things deeply, then this point is for you! Stop overthinking things when you are stressed, feeling discouraged, or overwhelmed with anxiety! If someone had told me this YEARS ago, I would be a completely different person, years ahead of where I am now, that's for sure! 

Stress and anxiety are proven to cause brain fog. It's safe to say that when we are under a great deal of anxiousness, we lack the mental clarity needed to evaluate ourselves properly.  

Examples of a few things you may find yourself overthinking about:

• A conversation you had with someone that didn't go as planned.  

• Failing on your diet when stressed and beating yourself up about it. 

• Looking in the mirror and picking out all of your flaws and thinking of how you haven't fixed them. 

• Reading too much into a text that was sent to you (No one can genuinely articulate emotions on a text anyway). 

• Thinking of all the money you've spent in the last 30 days and how you could've saved it (or paid a bill or given it to charity). 

There are dozens more instances where I have been guilty of overthinking, and it is a battle I deal with more often than I like to admit.

The reality is looking at issues from every angle when you are discouraged will not eliminate your discouragement but lead to greater levels of it.

Overthinking is a dangerous door to leave open because anxiety, panic, and fear will move in at the speed of light, and before you know it, you are more discouraged, more overwhelmed, and more depressed than when you started!  

Here are a few other mental wellness

articles I've written to help you!

Here are a few articles related to overthinking and your mental health!

How Overthinking Can Affect Mental And Physical Health

Keep It Simple: 14 Ways to Stop Overthinking

#4 OVERINDULGING

Overindulging when you are feeling discouraged can take many forms. All forms are dangerous, and none of them actually fix your discouragement in the end. 

Here are a few types of overindulging temptations you may have during times of great anxiety and stress:

• Binge or emotional eating. Using food as a comfort or a crutch instead of dealing with whatever is going on in your heart and mind will lead to many unhealthy habits and behaviors—creating more problems in the future. I've written an article on emotional eating, I'll link below. 
  

• Spending countless hours on social media and watching television.

• Overworking to try and prove to yourself or others that you are hard-working, worthy of love, or enough. 

• Overspending, sometimes we like to call it "retail therapy," but everyone has a point where they've gone too far. Only you can judge that point. Overspending is usually associated with crushing guilt afterward. 

• Drinking alcohol to soothe the pain, discomfort, or feelings of discouragement. Some use alcohol as a crutch, and before they know what's happened, they cannot handle any mental battles without it.

Overindulging in any of these forms is dangerous and can lead to addiction, but it will not lead you out of discouragement. Being brave enough to face the reasons why you are overindulging or why you have a temptation to do so is the only way out. 

Online Counseling:

BETTER HELP (CLICK HERE)

TALK SPACE (CLICK HERE)

Podcasts:

One of my favorite podcasts about mental health and food (which focuses on teaching you how to deal with your thought-life to adequately take care of yourself physically is called, Burn Fat With Your Brain with Maggie and Ryan Sterling.

Check it out! Here's a link to her website + podcast! 

www.maggiesterling.com/topic/podcast

other Articles to help:

The Danger of Using Alcohol for Pain Relief

Do You "Numb" Yourself with TV, Internet, Work?

8 Steps to Stop Numbing Your Emotions

Retail Therapy: Are Emotions Draining Your Wallet?

#5 MAKING MAJOR CHANGES

One of the first things we ask ourselves when feeling discouraged is, "what changes do I need to make to feel better?" In these moments, we lack the realization that we could make anxiety worse by initiating sudden changes while lacking the mental clarity to do so. 

Some of the changes we might opt for during discouragement are: 

• Creating a complete lifestyle change and attempting to implement habits that are unreasonable and unsustainable.

• Quitting our job without a plan for another one. 

• Leaving relationships and friendships in the name of "my mental health" when we've just hit a bump in the road. Decisions of this magnitude should be well thought out and made with mental clarity.

• Making a significant location move because you feel a location is causing you stress and anxiety. 

I once heard a talk from a woman who spent the majority of her life overseas in an entirely different culture and she said something so profound, "everywhere you go, there you are." It's so true. Getting rid of anxiety, stress, and feeling discouraged is an inner work. Some changes may come as you navigate that inner work, but it won't start there. 

Facing the fact that you are feeling discouraged and taking the time to navigate those feelings takes bravery and courage. It takes strength that you may not feel right now. As you take small steps, not avoiding responsibilities, getting in arguments, overthinking, overindulging, or making significant changes first, but facing the inner work needed, you'll begin to experience freedom from discouragement.

One day at a time. Give yourself permission to feel deeply, time to heal, and the proper resources to do so. You will make it, my friend; keep going, your life is worth living, and you have so much to give!

THIS ARTICLE WAS ALL ABOUT THE 5 MISTAKES YOU SHOULD NEVER MAKE WHEN FEELING DISCOURAGED!

Let me know in the comments below how this helped you and if there are any other mistakes you've made when feeling discouraged, that you think should be included! 

Saying Goodbye to Anxious With You,

Kristina G.