Monthly woes

And the menstrual cycle strikes again! I guess I shouldn’t blame it; if I didn’t have one, I wouldn’t have 3 wonderful children either.

But for my emotions, it’s a big pain in the…. well, wherever you personally think the worst pain would be! Yesterday evening I had a relatively brief rage attack. I was irritable and I could have torn the head off anyone within range. I’ve been tracking my moods 3 times a day and while this one was not quite in the cellar, it was heading that direction!

Fortunately I was able to calm myself relatively quickly. I used one of my new entrainment CD’s several times in the past weekend. What, you may ask, is an entrainment CD? It’s a concept from a book, The Tao of Music:Sound Psychology by John M. Ortiz. To combat feelings of depression, he does not advise simply listening to happy music. I can attest to the fact that I often feel repelled by such “crap” when I’m depressed. It only makes me feel worse! Instead, he describes the concept of entrainment, which begins where the brain is — depression — then gradually leads it to the desired mood — something more positive, maybe contentment. Here is one of my entrainment playlists:

Kryptonite — 3 Doors Down
Ashes to Ashes — David Bowie
Why — Annie Lennox
Total Eclipse of the Heart — Bonnie Tyler
You Learn — Alanis Morissette
Under Pressure — David Bowie and Queen
The Sign — Ace of Base
Wedding Bell Blues — The 5th Dimension
Slow Motion — Blondie
Life in a Northern Town — Dream Academy
Killer Queen — Queen
Move Along — The All-American Rejects
Tubthumping — Chumbawamba
Come on Eileen — Dexy’s Midnight Runners

It may not be evident from the titles, but, for me at least, these songs evoke emotions that begin in the depression region, transition to a neutral area, then rise to hopefulness and happiness. This really does help! Ortiz gives some suggestions for songs & albums to use, including classical if that’s your preference, but I think eventually you might want a more personalized list.

I’ve also been reminded of the value of completed projects. They bring about a sense of immense satisfaction. I just completed a photo slideshow for a friend and sent her the DVD’s. I feel as though I accomplished something worthwhile by doing this for her. What a boost for self-esteem!