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DISCLAIMER: This is not medical advice. I make no recommendations to the original poster nor to those who may read this beyond friendly conversation. I have no therapeutic relationship with anyone who may read this. This is not intended as a substitute for mental health care in a therapeutic environment if such is needed.
With that out of the way..... To feel is human. You may feel right now that you are "emoting excessively" but there are degrees. If you can see to type and read and aren't dripping snot on the keyboard, you're probably within the tolerances. Don't fret about being cheered up. Instead lie in a dark room on a comfy surface with either cucumber slices or damp tea bags over your eyes and feel the motion of the earth under you. (Duct tape over the mouths of significant others as needed.... or invest next time you see them in those nifty noise cancelling headphones. Kidding about the duct tape....)
If you go through a week (or more) of crying, hiding under the covers and feeling unusually and unexplainably sad, then we might be looking at a chemical imbalance. But one night? That, hon, is called the blues and it's okay. In fact, it's healthy and normal and exactly how we are supposed to work. (Remember, cookies taste sweeter because we put just a little salt in them; happiness feels all the better because we have sadness, too.)
Since I'm a psychologist, I don't prescribe; when it's necessary for a client to have some medication (and sometimes it is) I refer to a psychiatrist and we work together. That said, I have never referred heavily. I believe, to steal a bumper sticker expression, that if you're not pissed off, sad, slightly manic, mildly paranoid, a touch homicidal, and/or all of the above or some combination thereof, you're not paying attention. (The unconventional part of me is that I believe we shrinks should take into account our clients' larger environment and avocations - what political wonk or news junkie isn't outraged these days? And that is not something we should medicate away.) It's been a roller coaster couple of weeks around DU; around the country. and probably, if your life is as chaotic as most of our lives are, around your house.
Paul McCartney had it right - let it be. You know, I used to tell my clients who would get sporadic blues episodes to enjoy them. You've earned your bad/sad/mad/glad mood, so enjoy the sucker! Put in the soppiest, most tragic movie you've got handy and bawl your eyes out if you don't wanna meditate as suggested above. (I like Shakespeare in Love for those moods, but YMMV). Pull out Little Women and read the Beth dies scene, or Anne's House of Dreams or Anne of Green Gables and read the White Lady's death scene or Matthew's death. Enjoy it while it lasts, but don't prolong it and realize that our moods, like water, seek a level.
Brain chemistry seeks a level of homeostasis - a mood that is comme si, comme ca. If you're not evening out after a week or more (and this is assuming no major life changes - no weddings, births, deaths, divorces, estrangements, etc....) then you might want to seek someone to talk to. But one night ... no worries.
Politicat (who is having a ticked off night since she's using her 7 years of advanced education to lay a new floor in her kitchen.... grrrr.....)
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