5 SIGNS OF HANGOVER DEPRESSION
Before we get into the 5 signs of Hangover Depression, it's important to first outline what it is:
Hangover Depression is your own personal blend of nostalgia, dissonance, loneliness, anxiety & hangover. Sounds wonderful, right?
Wrong.... like, WTF. Why must all fun-deeds go severely punished?
Your weekend was awesome. It was filled with partying, seeing friends & playing games (socially responsibly - of course). But now it's Sunday, the holiday weekend is coming to a close, and you're feeling down.
Before you get too down on yourself, you're experiencing Hangover Depression because you are, in fact, AWESOME. If you had spent the weekend completely bored out of your mind, do you think you'd feel depressed leaving that behind? No.
Instead, relish in the fact that your Hangover Depression is a reflection of your kick-ass lifestyle. You had a killer time this past weekend. You enjoyed seeing friends, BBQing, staying up too late and polishing off a few too many White Claws & tequila shots.
And let's be honest, your weekend was longer than normal. By Friday at noon, all Zoom calls were complete, and you had already kicked off happy hour.
Hell, if you're really pushing the awesomeness-envelope, then you're probably not even dealing with a Sunday hangover yet. Brunch's train of Bloody Marys and mimosas is still carrying you to the weekend finish line.
The 5 Signs Of Hangover Depression
There are 5 iconic symptoms of Hangover Depression: nostalgia, dissonance, loneliness, anxiety and hangover.
Symptom 1: Nostalgia
Nostalgia is the first symptom of Hangover Depression.
Ah, the good 'ol times. Nostalgia is fueled by our fear that nothing (soon) will be as fun as the weekend you just experienced.
On Sunday, nostalgia kicks in when you start revisiting memories & evaluating your actions from your fun weekend.
"It could've been even funner if I had done....X."
Maybe you chickened-out talking to that hot guy or girl? Did you go to bed at 1am instead of 3am like your friends, and you missed Lauren falling off the counter? Maybe you burnt all the hot dogs because you got sidetracked throwing the football with your cousin?
Ultimately, nostalgic moments define what has meant most to us in our lives. Those moments symbolize our best thoughts of ourselves and who we want to become.
Cherish those nostalgic moments. Don't let them break you down.
Symptom 2: Dissonance
Dissonance is the second symptom of Hangover Depression.
You can thank phycologist Leon Festinger for this one. He discovered it in 1957.
Dissonance refers to cognitive dissonance, which is the glass case of emotional discomfort you experience among conflicting attitudes, beliefs and behaviors.
For the 4th of July weekend, your weekend-ego probably took control around Friday afternoon & didn't wrap up until Sunday evening.
Cognitive dissonance sets in Sunday evening because that's when your egos change. It's the period when your weekend-ego transforms back into your weekday-ego, both of which are contrastingly different.
Your weekend-ego represents your social-self: carefree, relaxed, outgoing, sociable & wild. You were everything you aspire to be.
However, your weekday-ego represents your professional-self: disciplined, healthy, motivated, focused & productive.
The best way to combat the symptom of cognitive dissonance is to support the transition between your two egos. Take some time Sunday night to incorporate your weekday-ego values into your Sunday night routine. Check some work emails, prepare a to-do list and sign up for a Monday morning workout class.
Symptom 3: Loneliness
Ding, ding, ding! Loneliness is the third, and probably most obvious, symptom of Hangover Depression.
After spending all weekend laughing with your friends and family, you've found yourself alone again.
You're back to sheltering in-place on your couch with Netflix. The only human contact you'll have for the rest of your Sunday night is from the Postmates delivery guy.
For the first time in almost 48 hours, the music has quieted and you're alone with your thoughts. EEEEK! What's worse, loneliness has a tendency to agitate your nostalgia and cognitive dissonance.
When loneliness starts to settle in, the best way to combat the feeling is.... wait for it..... interact with people. Sunday night is the perfect time to FaceTime a friend or relative you haven't talked to in awhile or to go for a walk in a public place. Ease the transition into isolation for yourself.
Symptom 4: Anxiety
Anxiety is the fourth symptom of Hangover Depression, and it is an unforgiving, fickle butthead.
Anxiety is the fear of what's to come. It is the encapsulation of future-based feelings of uncertainty, worry and unease into one, easy-to-swallow pill.
While nostalgia, dissonance and loneliness represent emotions tied to the past and present, anxiety focuses on the future.
How will your weekend decisions effect the next week? Will you be clear-minded on Monday? You really want to dominate your goals this week, but will your weekend-ego hinder your productivity, focus and motivation?
To combat anxiety, write down the top 5 things you want to accomplish the next week. Then block-off time each workday morning for at least 3 hours >>> this is called "time-blocking." Then, do your best to cancel the unimportant or "fluffy" meetings during those times and dedicate those hours of the day to your big 5 goals.
When those time-blocked hours come, don't check social media, emails, news or any other distractions. Just focus on your goals for those few hours, each morning. The confidence you'll get from time-blocking will notably ease your Sunday anxiety.
Also, take some Sunday Scaries CBD Gummies, because it'll help boost your mood & relax your mind.
Symptom 5: The Hangover
Your hangover is fifth and physical manifestation of Hangover Depression.
But, you already know what hangover feels like... headaches, body aches, fatigue, fat-face (inflammation) and insomnia.
Here are the best ways to combat your hangover >>> do them throughout Sunday so that your Monday is 1000x better.
- Hydrate: Drink 1 gallon of water + 2 gatorades (for electrolytes) during the day
- Eat nutritiously: Cut the fatty burger and chomp down a vegetable-rich kale salad with chicken or tuna to re-introduce nutrients into your body
- Eat some fruit: Apples, grapes and watermelon are notably high in fructose which can help break down alcohol
- Rest: While it's good to be active (like going for a walk), don't over-exert yourself. Let your body relax & get some healthy sleep.
- Cold Water: This is shock therapy - jump into the ocean or a lake, take a cold shower, or (my personal favorite) plunge your face into a bowl of ice water
- Enjoy CBD: CBD may help reduce pain & inflammation
Final Thoughts
The 5 signs of Hangover Depression are nostalgia, dissonance, loneliness, anxiety and a hangover.
Each symptom focuses on a different aspect of your emotional ecosystem:
- Nostalgia focuses on your past
- Dissonance & loneliness focus on your present
- Anxiety focuses on your future
- Hangover is the physical manifestation
The most important thing to remember is that all of these symptoms are reflections of your awesome lifestyle. Without a fun, social lifestyle, Post-Party Depression isn't possible. So, don't beat yourself up too much!
So the next time you're feeling down, take solace and smile. You're only feeling that way because you like to have fun in life.
