It's more anxiety that grips me like that. If something is worrying me, it's so so difficult to stop myself catastrophizing. To the extent that I'm useless if someone tells me something they are worried about. All my energy is focussed on the thing I'm panicking about.
When I was in that severe of a state and my friend needed help- they would agree to try and talk me down from my ledge so that I could in turn, help them.
With sadness though, I'm not sure really. My average state is a kind of melancholly. I dip in and out of the other emotions. I suppose I'm old enough and uggly enough to realise that emotions came and went in life. Even the most intense ones. Look at anyone who is in love say or, even has a very intense crush. They will swear up and down they'll never love anyone else the same way. But- even love can come and go. I suppose I just think these other emotions do too. I do definitely find myself worried though. If a patch is particularly bad- will this be the new 'normal'?
Maybe that's a problem really- with living in the moment- if that truly is all we can experience and envisage from now on. They don't really address what to do if the 'now' is that terrible.
Are there any things that change your mood at all? Music, films, video clips? Exercise? Can you 'jail break' yourself out of this at all?