Here are ways to relieve inner suffering and restore happiness in life with simple mental health tips on how to think positively and avoid suffering.

          If life feels like it's on a downward spiral lately, and things around you aren't going as you wish, it can lead to deep-seated emotional pain, making you feel trapped in darkness with no clear way out. It's important to calm your mind first, let go of the burdens and emotional weight you're carrying, and then follow these 15 methods to alleviate your suffering and reclaim the happiness you desire.

  1. Accept that you are suffering. This is the first step because recognizing your suffering allows you to identify its causes and find appropriate solutions.
  2. Share your feelings with a close friend, someone you trust, or an elder relative. This could provide you with good ideas to ease your suffering, or at the very least, expressing your pent-up feelings can help lighten your heart.
  3. Distract yourself from your suffering with enjoyable activities to distance yourself from what causes you pain, such as engaging in art, gardening, or volunteering.
  4. Change your environment. Rearrange your room or workspace, clear out clutter and chaos in your life. This not only makes productive use of your free time but also helps divert your attention from your suffering.
  5. Socialize and have fun with friends. Whenever someone invites you out, try to go. Surrounding yourself with a lively social circle can help relax your mind from suffering.
  6. Practice meditation to calm your restless mind. Reflect on the root causes of your suffering, and you may find ways to manage it with your own wisdom.
  7. Listen to your favorite music or upbeat songs. The sound of music can stimulate brain chemistry to help heal your emotional pain and uplift your mood.
  8. Embrace, massage, or receive physical touch from someone. Scientists say that healing emotional pain through touch, whether it's a hug, holding hands, or gentle caresses, can release oxytocin, the happiness hormone, and reduce cortisol, the stress hormone.
  9. Don't blame yourself. Self-blame only deepens your suffering and diminishes your self-worth, leading to greater despair in life.
  10. Write a diary to express your inner pain, especially if you can't share it with anyone. A pen and paper can be your true friends that absorb your suffering.
  11. Forgive others, especially if your emotional pain stems from anger, disappointment, or dissatisfaction with someone. Letting go of anger can easily free your heart from suffering.
  12. Exercise to get your body moving, sweat, and release endorphins, the happiness hormones, to soothe your heart, making it easier to cope with suffering.
  13. Find solutions to your problems. When problems are resolved, your emotional suffering will also diminish.
  14. Leave the past behind. Don't hold onto it or keep it in your heart, especially if it doesn't bring you happiness and you can't change it. Let the past fade into distant memories.
  15. Consult a psychiatrist to receive tailored support for your suffering, especially if you feel overwhelmed and unable to alleviate it on your own.

    While some of these methods may provide temporary relief from suffering, breaking free from the grip of emotional pain can help you realize that there are still many good things waiting for you in life. So why should we remain trapped in suffering day after day?
    Thank you for the information from
    Department of Mental Health, Ministry of Public Health
    CRE: KAPOOK