How do i find motivation underneath my depression?
i've had what a psycologist called a "bad strain of luck" in the the trials and tribulations of the past 4 months and it's brought me really down, i've also been kinda sick (broken bones, colds..).
the big problem is that in my depression and illnesses, i've really lost a lack of motivation for many things in life including school, work, friends, hobbies, socializing...
not being motivated to go to work and school have caused more problems for me which in turn cause me to be more depressed...
i just spend all of my time sleeping when there's a lot of things i should be getting done in a productive manner
i cant find any motivation, i know that my lack of it is making more trouble for me but i cant find any push behind me to motivate me to act.
the only thing i can think of to motivate me is to do things SO i wont feel overwhelmed and therefore depressed, but i cant find the passion or drive to put this into effect
HOW DO I FIND MOTIVATION UNDER MY DEPRESSION??
Answer:
1) While you're down and thinking that no one else gets it or how much it has affected you, know this: In just about everybody's life there is or will be a major tragedy for them by about the age of 25. Some sort of death or crisis or breakup.
2) Get back to work and school as soon as possible. Routine will actually help you coast through the worst of it, restore some order to your life, distract you a little and will give you something secure beyond your current difficulty.
3) Sleeping has to stop. Routine. Get up at a fixed time, retire at a fixed time. In between use the boring time to clean, cook and force yourself out with friends. Well fed and productive will make you feel a little better about yourself.
4) No passion? Well since you get the concept, go and rent GATTACA now. Be inspired. Look around you at people with crap lives who overcome stuff. Lance Armstrong. Whoever you think you can admire and aspire to follow in their footsteps.
Let's get you on the way to feeling uplifted first.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vr3x_rrjd...
Good luck. We're waiting for you out the other end. We need another voice to coax the others out of the tunnel you're in.
just try not to think all the time that you're down.. and not happy. my mom has the same thing.. she has animatic depression which makes her have alot of ups and downs.
just try and think the better things in life.. and shouldn't you being depressed a good enough reason to get motivated??
and happy... ?? because you don't want to be that way.
:) therse a brighter side to everything..
don't worrie:)
jesus
I have been in the same boat so to speak and the best I think of is music put your head phones on and remember when you felt better and with friends happiness is healthier for everyone and music makes me move and want to get things done and hang out with my friends
Simplify your goals. I sit down for a few minutes before I start my work for the day and write out what I will cook for diner, and one goal that I want to accomplish today. Start out easy, like call your best friend and talk for a few minutes. Once you get good at doing that for a few days then add something a little harder, like do your laundry. Whatever is applicable for you. Expect this to take some time and cut yourself some slack. congratulate yourself for getting to school or work, be proud of that because it is an accomplishment right now, and reward yourself with something small that you love like a manicure at a beauty college or something.
You can do this, just pat yourself on the back a lot and be nicer to yourself.
I hope you feel happier soon!
Well first of all: Take a deep breath. (Don't fuss, it helps a lot)
Now exhale and do this at least 5 times concentrating on your body and nothing else. Feel the blood in your body warm up as it flows through you filling your cells with air.
Now lets takle the problem:depression cycle
You are depressed...now why is that?
Depression is a condition of the brain so simply if you think you are not depressed then you will not be and vice versa. Obviously this will only be temporary so lets fix the base of the problem with your now clear head. Don't look for excuses to put yourself down, so what you failed at something, are getting sick, feel like your life is miserable; this is normal in everyone usually called the midlife crisis. What you can do is buy yourself something nice and enjoy it, whatever you want just go and charge it on the card...you don't have money you say? Well another problem we all face, try to pinpoint your problem, you are physically sick so therefore you induce a mental condition:depression which inturn your body interprets by more physical pain/sickness and the cycle continues. What you can do is suck it all up...ok I have this life what depends is not why or how but I will do with it. Take it from me I have spent all the years of my life pondering and nothing of it, all of that good time wasted for nothing for you will not come up with an answer to everything. Go hang out with your friends, go to a bar have a couple of drinks(if you are over 21) and tell each other jokes, enjoy the company...but you can't do that you say because you are sick? Of course not why are you sick? Its due to the fact that you are always worried, concerned, well let me tell you something go pray if it makes you feel better otherwise quit complaining and put a smile on. This is what true courage is, standing up to life when all else is amiss. Make love to someone if you want to, take a nice warm bath with blue bubbles, make some hot soup, take a mid-day nap, read a exciting book, listen to the birds outside, play a sport, get a pet, watch tv, watch a movie, listen to Music, anything that keeps you from being worried is good so keep preoccupied until you find the right thing for you, your hobby, maybe its fishing, maybe chess, cooking foods, meet your soul(think about who you are). Accept the world as it is Deny that it is a problem that is unsurmountable and go about fixing what causes it. Your sickness is not terminal, you will live to breathe, smell the air, go to the beach, taste the salty water, feel the warm sun, the sand in your trousers(lol). Its these little things in life that makes anyone of us happy, and usually we do not experience these things but it is not a problem because we are always to busy to notice, work, school, kids, family, friends, hobbies, etc. what your sickness and thought process has brought you to is that you do not enjoy life because you stop yourself, try this: stand on the curb(sidewalk) and tip over the 3 inches of cement but imagine that it is a 100foot drop and experience the thrill of that, or go rope climbing for real if you want. Remember life is all about what you want, never let anyone bring you down and say you can not do something. If you are a guy you need a girlfriend or if you are a girl get yourself a boyfriend. If it gets worse message me an email: bathtank@yahoo.com and I will personally motivate you until you feel better, I could use a friend in this world too.
Good Luck and Remember to enjoy it all,
Max.
One problem is your PSYCHOLOGIST is not a PSYCHIATRIST and therefore cannot prescribe you medication that will shatter your depression.
I'm sure I'll be vilified and "thumbs downded" and accused of working for the drug companies, but the truth is, in matter of depression, where one is sleeping the day away, antidepressants are indicated. Incidentally, these medications DO NOT, as a rule, make you sleepy or lethargic. Have your healthcare practitioner avoid Paxil, though. It's time people know there is an acutal withdrawal from this medication, and it's not pleasant. It's called the "Paxil Flu" in the mental health field.
Fortunately, depression tends to lift after several months, but that's typically after damage has been done to job, relationships, etc.
To motivate yourself, you must a) identify the outcome you want to achieve and b) identify a reward for achieving the outcome. It could be as simple as "I'll have a cup of coffee after I vacuum the floors" or "I'll mow the grass and for the rest of the day, I'm watching the big game." That sort of thing.
After you're able to start getting things done again with simple rewards, replace the tangible rewards with less tangible ones like knowing that "I just did the kitchen floor, even though I feel like crap. I may be depressed, but it's not impacting the quality of my life. I still get things done and can make things happen." It's more effective than it sounds.
Good luck. Remember what I said about the medication-it doesn't have to be for the rest of your life, just until you can face life without being stuck between the sheets.
Life is short. Resolve your depression quickly, as you don't know how long you have on earth.
The motivation will come. But first, you must find activity!
"Act as if" you are not depressed by making yourself get up and achieve tasks everyday. Make them small and do-able, not overwhelming. Just put one foot in front of the other and get up, and get going.
After you do a little task, reward yourself with a little nap. Or whatever you have been doing. Then up again, another small task, then rest. Go through the motions! Before you know it, you will find you are actually more motivated.
If you have a real friend you can depend on for support, have them agree to call and ask if you did your little chore. Sounds silly, but it works! Accountability!
Good luck to you!!
When depressed, there's no such thing as simple motivators or telling yourself not to be depressed anymore. You need to eliminate any physical contributors to it like anemia or hypothyroidism for examples. You've got to decide what's important to life. As a survivor of 2 bouts of postpartem depression, let's face it, things still have to be done. You're gonna have bills to pay somehow and that diploma isn't going to be justed handed to you. I just had to make myself keep going as I rode through waves of being overwhelmed. It was either that or lose my family, friends, job, and become homeless.
initially you will have to make yourself exercise---just a walk around the block is good .only tackle small stuff ! you can do that! Further try to eat really healthy food things that give you energy and are easy to digest banana smoothies sweetened with honey--- more protein--- eggs are good and fish ---take a real interest in what you consume. it does help ----more vegetables and fruit ---prepare it yourself so that you know exactly the ingredients. Reading motivation books also good--- learn how others cope or try to. The best one I read advise in the early pages to put the book down and go and do. It doesn't matter what you do ---by trying things may happen to get you back on your feet--- so good luck and go do something---- the time to start is right now and I put my motivation book down and had trouble finding it and the page I was on !
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the big problem is that in my depression and illnesses, i've really lost a lack of motivation for many things in life including school, work, friends, hobbies, socializing...
not being motivated to go to work and school have caused more problems for me which in turn cause me to be more depressed...
i just spend all of my time sleeping when there's a lot of things i should be getting done in a productive manner
i cant find any motivation, i know that my lack of it is making more trouble for me but i cant find any push behind me to motivate me to act.
the only thing i can think of to motivate me is to do things SO i wont feel overwhelmed and therefore depressed, but i cant find the passion or drive to put this into effect
HOW DO I FIND MOTIVATION UNDER MY DEPRESSION??
Answer:
1) While you're down and thinking that no one else gets it or how much it has affected you, know this: In just about everybody's life there is or will be a major tragedy for them by about the age of 25. Some sort of death or crisis or breakup.
2) Get back to work and school as soon as possible. Routine will actually help you coast through the worst of it, restore some order to your life, distract you a little and will give you something secure beyond your current difficulty.
3) Sleeping has to stop. Routine. Get up at a fixed time, retire at a fixed time. In between use the boring time to clean, cook and force yourself out with friends. Well fed and productive will make you feel a little better about yourself.
4) No passion? Well since you get the concept, go and rent GATTACA now. Be inspired. Look around you at people with crap lives who overcome stuff. Lance Armstrong. Whoever you think you can admire and aspire to follow in their footsteps.
Let's get you on the way to feeling uplifted first.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vr3x_rrjd...
Good luck. We're waiting for you out the other end. We need another voice to coax the others out of the tunnel you're in.
just try not to think all the time that you're down.. and not happy. my mom has the same thing.. she has animatic depression which makes her have alot of ups and downs.
just try and think the better things in life.. and shouldn't you being depressed a good enough reason to get motivated??
and happy... ?? because you don't want to be that way.
:) therse a brighter side to everything..
don't worrie:)
jesus
I have been in the same boat so to speak and the best I think of is music put your head phones on and remember when you felt better and with friends happiness is healthier for everyone and music makes me move and want to get things done and hang out with my friends
Simplify your goals. I sit down for a few minutes before I start my work for the day and write out what I will cook for diner, and one goal that I want to accomplish today. Start out easy, like call your best friend and talk for a few minutes. Once you get good at doing that for a few days then add something a little harder, like do your laundry. Whatever is applicable for you. Expect this to take some time and cut yourself some slack. congratulate yourself for getting to school or work, be proud of that because it is an accomplishment right now, and reward yourself with something small that you love like a manicure at a beauty college or something.
You can do this, just pat yourself on the back a lot and be nicer to yourself.
I hope you feel happier soon!
Well first of all: Take a deep breath. (Don't fuss, it helps a lot)
Now exhale and do this at least 5 times concentrating on your body and nothing else. Feel the blood in your body warm up as it flows through you filling your cells with air.
Now lets takle the problem:depression cycle
You are depressed...now why is that?
Depression is a condition of the brain so simply if you think you are not depressed then you will not be and vice versa. Obviously this will only be temporary so lets fix the base of the problem with your now clear head. Don't look for excuses to put yourself down, so what you failed at something, are getting sick, feel like your life is miserable; this is normal in everyone usually called the midlife crisis. What you can do is buy yourself something nice and enjoy it, whatever you want just go and charge it on the card...you don't have money you say? Well another problem we all face, try to pinpoint your problem, you are physically sick so therefore you induce a mental condition:depression which inturn your body interprets by more physical pain/sickness and the cycle continues. What you can do is suck it all up...ok I have this life what depends is not why or how but I will do with it. Take it from me I have spent all the years of my life pondering and nothing of it, all of that good time wasted for nothing for you will not come up with an answer to everything. Go hang out with your friends, go to a bar have a couple of drinks(if you are over 21) and tell each other jokes, enjoy the company...but you can't do that you say because you are sick? Of course not why are you sick? Its due to the fact that you are always worried, concerned, well let me tell you something go pray if it makes you feel better otherwise quit complaining and put a smile on. This is what true courage is, standing up to life when all else is amiss. Make love to someone if you want to, take a nice warm bath with blue bubbles, make some hot soup, take a mid-day nap, read a exciting book, listen to the birds outside, play a sport, get a pet, watch tv, watch a movie, listen to Music, anything that keeps you from being worried is good so keep preoccupied until you find the right thing for you, your hobby, maybe its fishing, maybe chess, cooking foods, meet your soul(think about who you are). Accept the world as it is Deny that it is a problem that is unsurmountable and go about fixing what causes it. Your sickness is not terminal, you will live to breathe, smell the air, go to the beach, taste the salty water, feel the warm sun, the sand in your trousers(lol). Its these little things in life that makes anyone of us happy, and usually we do not experience these things but it is not a problem because we are always to busy to notice, work, school, kids, family, friends, hobbies, etc. what your sickness and thought process has brought you to is that you do not enjoy life because you stop yourself, try this: stand on the curb(sidewalk) and tip over the 3 inches of cement but imagine that it is a 100foot drop and experience the thrill of that, or go rope climbing for real if you want. Remember life is all about what you want, never let anyone bring you down and say you can not do something. If you are a guy you need a girlfriend or if you are a girl get yourself a boyfriend. If it gets worse message me an email: bathtank@yahoo.com and I will personally motivate you until you feel better, I could use a friend in this world too.
Good Luck and Remember to enjoy it all,
Max.
One problem is your PSYCHOLOGIST is not a PSYCHIATRIST and therefore cannot prescribe you medication that will shatter your depression.
I'm sure I'll be vilified and "thumbs downded" and accused of working for the drug companies, but the truth is, in matter of depression, where one is sleeping the day away, antidepressants are indicated. Incidentally, these medications DO NOT, as a rule, make you sleepy or lethargic. Have your healthcare practitioner avoid Paxil, though. It's time people know there is an acutal withdrawal from this medication, and it's not pleasant. It's called the "Paxil Flu" in the mental health field.
Fortunately, depression tends to lift after several months, but that's typically after damage has been done to job, relationships, etc.
To motivate yourself, you must a) identify the outcome you want to achieve and b) identify a reward for achieving the outcome. It could be as simple as "I'll have a cup of coffee after I vacuum the floors" or "I'll mow the grass and for the rest of the day, I'm watching the big game." That sort of thing.
After you're able to start getting things done again with simple rewards, replace the tangible rewards with less tangible ones like knowing that "I just did the kitchen floor, even though I feel like crap. I may be depressed, but it's not impacting the quality of my life. I still get things done and can make things happen." It's more effective than it sounds.
Good luck. Remember what I said about the medication-it doesn't have to be for the rest of your life, just until you can face life without being stuck between the sheets.
Life is short. Resolve your depression quickly, as you don't know how long you have on earth.
The motivation will come. But first, you must find activity!
"Act as if" you are not depressed by making yourself get up and achieve tasks everyday. Make them small and do-able, not overwhelming. Just put one foot in front of the other and get up, and get going.
After you do a little task, reward yourself with a little nap. Or whatever you have been doing. Then up again, another small task, then rest. Go through the motions! Before you know it, you will find you are actually more motivated.
If you have a real friend you can depend on for support, have them agree to call and ask if you did your little chore. Sounds silly, but it works! Accountability!
Good luck to you!!
When depressed, there's no such thing as simple motivators or telling yourself not to be depressed anymore. You need to eliminate any physical contributors to it like anemia or hypothyroidism for examples. You've got to decide what's important to life. As a survivor of 2 bouts of postpartem depression, let's face it, things still have to be done. You're gonna have bills to pay somehow and that diploma isn't going to be justed handed to you. I just had to make myself keep going as I rode through waves of being overwhelmed. It was either that or lose my family, friends, job, and become homeless.
initially you will have to make yourself exercise---just a walk around the block is good .only tackle small stuff ! you can do that! Further try to eat really healthy food things that give you energy and are easy to digest banana smoothies sweetened with honey--- more protein--- eggs are good and fish ---take a real interest in what you consume. it does help ----more vegetables and fruit ---prepare it yourself so that you know exactly the ingredients. Reading motivation books also good--- learn how others cope or try to. The best one I read advise in the early pages to put the book down and go and do. It doesn't matter what you do ---by trying things may happen to get you back on your feet--- so good luck and go do something---- the time to start is right now and I put my motivation book down and had trouble finding it and the page I was on !
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