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How to get motivated when you're depressed -- any tips?
Hi everyone. So, I've been suffering from a pretty major depression for several months now. I've always been kinda drawn to gloom and sorrow, I suppose, but this is the first time I've ever been depressed to the point that every day functioning feels really difficult. I'm not a quitter and I tend to be really persistent, even if my progress or movement on a thing is just...treading water. Anyway, I'm finding that I'm really, really exhausted lately. Just wanting to sleep a lot, tune out life. It's a battle to get through most days and I've been trying, achieving some of my goals despite it, but I find that when it comes to my weight, I get disparaged really easily. I was on a roll for a while, having dropped down to 164, but now I've regained and I'm up to 178 again. I feel really disheartened by this and am struggling to find motivation every day. I feel like I'm going through the motions, but my heart isn't in anything. You know?
I am sticking to my calorie budget (and trying to improve the quality of the choices), and walking for one hour once or twice a day (though, I end up skipping maybe 2-3 days in a week sometimes when I'm just too tired to do anything). I am not taking antidepressants, though I was prescribed some, because I'm taking phentermine to try and lose weight (though I think I've built up a tolerance and need to amp up my dosage or something because it's not doing anything for me anymore). I know I'm going to have to increase my exercise intensity, but it takes so much effort just to stick to it at all these days.
How do you find ways to motivate yourselves beyond your normal routine?
I believe in choices, not motivation. Life is a series of choices, some of which support our efforts and some don't. I plan my meals in advance, schedule exercise like an appointment and just do it.
It really is so difficult to engage in self-improvement of any kind while you're depressed. I can totally sympathize with your predicament!
Is there a particular reason that you are not taking your anti-depressants? If I were you, I would take the antidepressants and skip the weight loss pills. The antidepressants will help you to find the energy you need to do the things you need to do to lose weight, and then you won't need the phentermine at all.
I can really relate to this... felt this way for a long time... and unfortunately my motivation "outside the normal routine" was NOT a helpful one: I had to really look deep within to find the strength to move out of the apartment I shared with my boyfriend of 5 years (found out he cheated, but that's a whooole other story). Now, having settled in the new place, I just want to sleep ALL THE TIME. Some days, I even have trouble getting through the work day, which for me is unusual because I really like my job.
So firstly, you should keep in mind one important thing: you won't feel this way forever. Eventually, you will either find the motivation within, or something external will occur in your life and make you realize you cannot go on this way. And you may have gained some weight back, but you haven't gained 100 pounds. The setback, in other words, is not one that is irreversible (or very difficult to reverse). What you need now is to forgive yourself for that setback, and just keep trying every day. Or even every hour. One step at a time.
If your meds were prescribed, there's a high chance you need them. Take them. If you cannot bear to take them, please contact your doc/mental health care provider so you can discuss better ways to manage your depression. It's vital to your well being. Meds aren't the answer for everyone, but non-treatment isn't the answer for anyone.
Sometimes, because of the nature of my past and the nature of my job, I become very despondent and unresponsive. I am usually able to see it coming, and understand that it's happening. When that happens, what works best for me is doing the opposite. For example, when I am bummed out about a specific thing (cases at work, feeling like all I do is work) I get up and leave my house or make plans for a weekend. I try to engage in activities that make me happy that are also outside my normal routine. (Like watching tv - i like to do it, but when I am bummed out and am spending most of my time in a confined space, like home or office, I go to a movie, or watch with my friend/child/husband.
It's very hard to break out of the cycle. You don't have to do it alone - let your docs help you.
Treat the depression, and then you won't have a problem with motivation.
I've just started on Pristiq 50mg, after the first couple of weeks, I now have energy to burn. My weight went up too, from 73kg to 87kgs, which was really upsetting, because my old antidepressant, Prozac, wasn't working anymore. Pristiq mostly causes a reduction in appetite, too, with no sexual side effects, so it's win all around.
It's not easy. I struggle with it almost daily. I do agree with the statement to treat the depression first. I have to tackle the depression first to become motivated to do anything else. I'm on a crap load of meds for various things mental health and physically. It's been a long uphill battle but I'm finally at the point where I'm not a shut in anymore. I wouldn't say that I have tons of energy, but I'm at least starting to be motivated to do the things that I need to do to lose weight.
Losing weight is such a hard depressing battle in itself (in my opinion). So if you're just generally depressed on top of it then it's going to make it so much worse. Good Luck!
Struggling with depression is a very trying experience. Depression often renders even the most motivated & persistent people useless. I have battled with severe depression from a very young age and know first hand what it is like to feel like the life has been sucked out of you.
The only thing that helped me was remember that although it was horrible, it was just a feeling. As overwhelming as it feels, it is just a feeling. I am not sure why but when I really started realizing this it was easier to make myself get off my butt. Also I would really advise taking your medication, honestly medication probably saved my life. I didn't want to take it a first but I was just slipping further into my depressive stat. Dealing with the depression will make your battle just that much easier.
I resisted the idea of anti-depressants for a long time, but I realized that I could not beat depression without them. I have to say the Anti-depressants have helped a lot with energy and motivation but they don't fix everything.
I use exercise as part of my depression treatment. When I think of it in terms of a treatment plan I find it easier to find the motivation. I also find it helps doing it first thing in the morning for me. For now I also do workouts at home because I know my motivation can be low and it's a lot easier to throw on a workout outfit and just commit to "trying 10 minutes". I always finish the workout once I decide to try.
I don’t disagree with the idea of treating the depression, but I am trying to learn a different angle in dealing with mine. I have had years of therapy, some medication (I wasn’t good at that), and A LOT of “Just Get Up” mental exercises.
I am 42 and have dealt with depression since at least my teens. Just in the past few years, however, I am finding more success in keeping a compassionate and proactive approach... one that suggests more care is needed rather than hard driving motivation to get up.
I know that I am not “trying” to be depressed…I know there are reasons or triggers for my depression…I know that it will eventually pass… and, now, I know that it will pass faster with some emotional replenishment.
I have created a task list of things I need to do regularly and steps I can take when I feel too heavy to move. My daily tasks include exercise, sunshine, and sleep. My other regular treatment includes time with my friends. This one, I cannot emphasize enough. I was taught that if things aren’t working, I just wasn’t trying hard enough…. I’ve found this is flawed. It is true, I need to keep working, but it is also true that I need some help.
My suggestion is that when you tell yourself all the things you have to do to get better, include your human resources – ask for some company and reassurance from someone you trust. This one practice has helped me in my dark periods more than any “work harder” motivational speeches I can come up with.
This is the least helpful advice a person can give a depressive.
Yup this is a perfect example of how people really do not understand depression at all. It is not just like having a down day. It's not a case of just "pulling yourself together and being happy!" or "just getting on with it".
I really recommend anyone else who thinks this sort of thing look at this: http://www.health.com/health/gallery...3228_1,00.html Although people mean well it is so unhelpful and damaging to keep receiving advice like that when you are trying so hard but unable to get anywhere because you need professional support and often medication in order to move forward.
The best advice I can offer you OP is to be gentle with yourself. I sometimes have days where I just have to accept today is going to be a duvet day and I need to rest today. If I decide and allow myself to do that it helps me far more than if I end up doing that and fighting myself all day to try and do otherwise. Look after the simple things first (which can feel so hard when you're in the depths of it). Focus on the everyday things- showering, dressing, eating meals then add stuff in but try and concentrate on one thing at a time.
Really think hard about going back on the medication. It takes at least 6 weeks to even begin to work but give it time and along with hard work, support and addressing what is beneath the depression and life style factors/stresses it can really help lift things and make things so much easier.
I've had problems sticking to medication in the past too but I've gone back on one that did help me before and I am determined to stick with it. There is such a chemical component to depression- it's why it's not like just getting a bit down because of the imbalance of chemicals in your brain which is why medication can really help.
Are you getting any therapy to help you work through it and uncover what's beneath it?
Last edited by PaintedButterfly; 07-04-2012 at 03:48 PM.
How to get motivated when you're depressed -- any tips?
