Improv Comedy worked for me! I had a younger friend and co-worker of 20 years whom I absolutely LOVED! He contracted a horrible form of cancer and fought like a champ for 5 years but lost just shy of his 40th birthday. I biked 9 miles round trip to work daily and found it really helped my mental state. Then one month before he passed, I pinched a disc that had bulged in my neck. At first I couldn't sit at a desk for more than a minute without blinding pain, and biking was out completely. After 6 months I could sit for an hour at a time, but life was miserable, having shown itself to be unfair in the most cruel and most horrific ways, and though I have a loving wife and family, I was depressed, like I didn't know I could be. I had put on 35 pounds, my clothes didn't fit, I was out of breath and out of shape, still in pain and discomfort and I missed biking. On a whim (although in my depressed state of mind, 'whim' seems like the wrong word), I answered an ad in the paper for an improv comedy workshop, hoping it would take my mind off things.
Improv saved my life! It's collaborative like sports, and you don't have to be clever. I learned to react to situations in a whole new way that minimized stress. It's a lot like Zen and Buddism, in the sense of learning to let go of pre-conceived notions and old emotional habits. I began to see obstacles as playful challenges. I'm not a theater person, I don't seek the approval of an audience. I don't care if I perform ever again as long as I can practice improv with a troupe. I'm 52 and I'm still 10 years younger than the oldest member of the troup. Playing scenes with others in their 40s, 30s and 20s makes me feel young mentally, and being as fit as the 30 year olds gives me a smug satisfaction. I don't know, but it worked for me. After six months I hit the treadmill and six months after that I returned to biking and felt as if I had fallen in love! It's been 3 years now and I've had other tragedies and depressing episodes in my life; and while I can feel sadness and despair, I seem to be able to handle them and change gears to experience and enjoy life's joys also.
Improv comedy...it worked for me.