There are a lot of words that can describe feeling bad about yourself, others, or the world. You might feel sad, depressed, lost, confused, worried, or downright crappy. Sometimes, you don’t know why you’re feeling that way, you just are.

Yet, for some reason, it can be useful to identify the cause behind your feelings. When you know the reasons behind feeling down or depressed, you can more easily not take it personally. You can connect the dots and tell yourself that it’s not your fault. Also, sometimes, if you aren’t feeling well emotionally, it’s hard to identify what emotion you’re feeling exactly. Feeling crappy in general might be feeling sad, upset, angry, lost, hopeless, or stressed out. Just by identifying the emotion and why you might be feeling a certain way can help with accepting the feeling – and yourself.

Here are a few reasons why you might not be feeling very well emotionally:

• the death of a loved one
• a divorce, separation, or breakup of a relationship
• a serious illness
• a terminal illness
• a serious accident
• chronic physical pain
• intense emotional pain
• loss of hope
• being victimized (domestic violence, rape, assault, etc)
• physical abuse
• verbal abuse
• sexual abuse
• unresolved abuse (of any kind) from the past
• feeling “trapped” in a situation perceived as negative
• feeling that things will never “get better”
• feeling helpless
• serious legal problems, such as criminal prosecution or incarceration
• feeling “taken advantage of”
• inability to deal with a perceived “humiliating” situation
• inability to deal with a perceived “failure”
• alcohol abuse
• drug abuse
• a feeling of not being accepted by family, friends, or society
• a horrible disappointment
• feeling as though the expectations of self or others were not met
• bullying
• low self-esteem
• those around you are having a hard time
• starting a new job or starting at a new school
• living with someone with a mental illness
• feeling bored or uninspired
• not eating well
• not getting enough sleep
• hormonal changes
• moving into a new house
• problems with bullying
• witnessing violence
• relationship problems

Keep in mind that not being able to identify the reason behind your emotions is very common. However, the above list might be able to help you identify the source of your feelings.

Whether you’re able to recognize what you’re feeling and why you’re feeling that way – or not – you can always reach out for help. Talk to a parent or a caregiver you trust. You might also talk to a teacher, school counselor, or the principal. You might also start taking good care of yourself. Sometimes, getting the right amount of sleep, eating well, and exercising on a regular basis can be very helpful in feeling better. Just by taking good care of your body you might notice an immediate fresh outlook on life.

It’s not uncommon to feel bad every once in awhile. Yet, when you do, remember to reach out for help.