How to Battle Sadness

“Sorrow can be alleviated by a good sleep, a bath and a glass of wine.”

-Attributed to St. Thomas Aquinas-

I thought today was a good day to share a little wisdom from one of my favorite Saints, Thomas Aquinas, especially for those days when you aren’t exactly feeling it.

You will find some who will point out that St. Thomas Aquinas didn’t EXACTLY come up with this quote above — the man wasn’t known for his pithy statements — but one could say that his treatment of the remedies for sorrow in the Summa Theologicae definitely support the sentiment.

That’s right: one of the world’s greatest philosophical minds (in my opinion) also managed to share good old-fashioned practical advice for attacking our sadness and overcoming it.

As an aside, I’m not talking about clinical depression here. There is a valid reason to seek out professional help — so please don’t misunderstand the Catholic attitude towards clinical depression.

There are moments where we just need to get help and there are moments that God works through people trained to help. So no stigma should be attached to that decision.

I’m talking, though, about the normal ebbs and flows of the human heart.

What do you do on hose “blue days” or whatever you want to call it? and why should we even try to battle our sadness in the first place?

Well, I think there are two quick reasons off the top of my head for why we ought to battle our sadness.

The first is because, we can fall more easily into sin, despair and hopelessness when we are feeling sad. We may also find ourselves more likely to look for unhealthy and sinful activities when we are feeling sad.

The second is because, to allow yourself to sit in your sadness, without any effort on your own part, can be a very bad witness to the people around us. It can lead to a self-centered attitude in which we fail to love and serve the people around us.

As St. Teresa of Avila so rightly said, “From sour-faced saints, good Lord, deliver us!”

I’m not saying we have to pretend. Not at all. Only that we must try to do our part to shake ourselves out of our sadness.

The rest, as they say, is entirely up to God.

Besides, sometimes it is in the struggle that the battle is won — and sometimes that struggle is the very thing that makes us Saints in the long run.

So I guess what I’m saying is that WE MUST FIGHT AGAINST SADNESS, TO THE BEST OF OUR ABILITIES and leave the results in God’s hands.

Which is why you need to take action and try your very best to help yourself out of it.

Which brings us to Thomas Aquinas’ 5 remedies to cure what ails you in the sadness department:

1. Take part in a valid pleasure that can help against sorrow. I believe this is where “wine” fit into the quote (God did make wine for a reason 😉) but there are so many more good things that could be added to it.
2. Weeping. Yes, crying has real physiological and emotional benefits — so don’t be afraid to cry it out.
3. The support of good friends. In other words, find your PEOPLE, people, and support each other.
4. Contemplating truth. Stop scrolling, start praying, reading and getting outside to ponder this beautiful life and the deeper truths contained within it.
5. Sleep and baths. Yes, you read that right. The master has spoken. Sometimes it’s the simple things that make all the difference in our lives. So don’t underestimate the power of a good night’s sleep or a hot bath.

By the way, if you would like to read more from St. Thomas, you can find this particular topic covered in his Summa Theologiae, 1st Part of the Second Part, Question 38.

Now you have it, some concrete ways to battle those blue days or maybe help the people around you to do the same!

Have a beautiful weekend, lovely people!💛