Feeling crap (or when life sucks)

Most people experience times when they feel crap. This can mean different things for different people. Feeling like life sucks might include feeling sad, angry, stressed, or fed up. It might also be a sense of not feeling like yourself or feeling physically sick.

Why you might be feeling crap

Sometimes it is difficult to work out why you are feeling crap.  Identifying the things that are contributing to the feeling might help you to work out how to deal with it. Remember - it's just a feeling and is likely to pass.

Some reasons you may be feeling crap might be:

• You have experienced one or several big or small stressful events or tough times. 
• People around you are experiencing tough times. It is not uncommon for other people's tough times to influence how you're feeling. This may be because they are people you care about and it is hard to see them unhappy, or the way they are coping with their tough times means they are difficult to be around.  

Not being able to identify the reason for how you are feeling is not uncommon.

Factors that might contribute to feeling crap include:

Psychological factors

• Stress or anxiety - stress can come from many different sources, eg. exams, parents, teachers or your own expectations, pressures at school, work or home.
• Grief or loss - the death of a loved one, or the end of a relationship or friendship,
• Depression and other mental illnesses.

Social factors

• Family problems - parents getting a divorce or fighting, step family issues.
• Problems at school, uni, TAFE or work - bullying, dealing with expectations/pressure.
• Relationship or friendship problems - breaking up with someone or fighting. 
• Moving into a new house.
• Starting at a new school or job.
• Being a carer or living with someone with a mental or physical illness.
• Feeling bored or unstimulated, e.g. in the school holidays.

Physical factors

Physical or biological factors might also influence your feelings and reactions, and how you think about things and yourself. Physical factors might include:

• not eating well
• not getting enough exercise
• not getting enough sleep
• drugs or alcohol
• illness - being sick, or fighting off illness, can make you feel run down and unwell
• chronic illness or other medical conditions
• hormonal changes in females during your menstrual cycle can make you feel crap. This may happen a few days before you get your period and you may not make the connection immediately.

What to do if you're feeling crap

When you feel crap, you might feel the urge to lash out at someone or something, even if they had nothing to do with your feeling.

Here are some ideas that might stop you from lashing out and to get to a happier place.

Get informed

Once you work out what might be causing you to feel crap, you can do something about it. On the Reach Out site, you'll find heaps of info on different issues, including depression, family, and relationships. You'll also find suggestions on how to manage stuff and where you can get help.

Talk to someone

Talking to someone you feel comfortable with, such as a friend, parent or counsellor can be a great way of expressing your feelings.

These people are also well placed to help you identify why you are feeling crap and help you work out strategies you might use for dealing with it.

For more information about the people you might be able to talk to check out the Who can help you section.

Get some head space/chill out

Sometimes getting some head space and a change of scenery can be helpful. This might include going for a walk or listening to your favourite music, reading a book, going to the movies - whatever works for you.

Express your feelings 

Writing down your feelings or keeping a journal, can be a great way of understanding your feelings and a particular situation. It can also help you think about alternative solutions to problems.

Other ways you may consider to express your feelings can in a way that won't cause bodily damage to yourself or another person. Try yelling or crying into a pillow, dancing round the room to loud music, or punching a pillow. Check out the Express yourself fact sheet for more tips.

Look after yourself

Feeling terrible may be your body telling you it needs to take time out, and pushing yourself might just make things worse. Take time out to spoil yourself by doing something that you usually enjoy. Even though you might not feel like it, exercising and eating well can help. Getting plenty of sleep can also help.

Exercise helps stimulate hormones, such as endorphin, which help you feel better about yourself and your life. If you haven't done a lot of exercise before, it might be a good idea to start doing something small a couple of times each week, such as a 15 minute walk or 2 or 3 laps of a pool. Visiting your GP for a general check up can be a way of making sure there isn't any physical problem.

Get creative!

Find things to do to distract yourself from feeling crap and that get you thinking creatively. This can be chatting to friends on msn, going for a walk, playing a game. Even though you might not feel like it at first, it might be enough to shift your mood.

Avoid drugs + alcohol

Try not to use alcohol or other drugs (including lots of caffeine or other energy boosting drinks) in the hopes of feeling better. The feeling is usually temporary and the after effects often make you feel worse.

More information

On the Reach Out site you'll find heaps of information about a range of issues. Check out the fact sheets listed on the left side of the page, and explore the issues listed in the Who can help you section.

Check out some of the other stories and resources on ReachOut.com that might help you out:

• Elsha's story
• Self esteem - feeling OK about who you are  (Fact sheet)
• Talking to someone outside of the situation  (Fact sheet)