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Old Jan 07, 2023, 06:50 AM
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Rosi700 Rosi700 is offline
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Member Since: Nov 2022
Location: At the coast.
Posts: 864
Quote:
Originally Posted by Rose76 View Post
I'm so grateful for the kind support above. It's like my head was being held down under water, and - finally - I broke thru the surface and could inhale. So now I'm not emotionally distressed. I just have a backlog of stuff to catch up on. Today I got 5 things done.

@MuseumGhost - supporters here have extolled the benefits of routine and structure. I want to move in that direction, but it will be hard. All my life, from early childhood, I had a severe sleep disorder. (My mother even tried giving me port wine when I was a kid to see if that would help me fall asleep. It didn't. My grandmother gave me beer when I was a older. It helped a little.) I never have had a usual time to go to bed and to get up. I never fell asle ep at the same time any two nights in a row. Work kept me a little regulated. But often I went to work with little sleep. Just like, as a kid, I often went to school with little sleep. Then I would come home and collapse. That's why I've never developed the habits of planning and routine. I just can't predict what time I'll be able to haul myself out of bed to start my day. For instance, last night I couldn't sleep. I fell asleep, finally, at 6 a.m. this morning. When I worked, it forced some structure on my time usage. But now I'm retired. So I have to find some self-discipline, which I don't have much of.

Today was shot because I slept all morning. I do want to stop living so chaotically. My antidepressant (amitriptyline) does help a bit. It promotes sleep. I'm taking it earlier. But I have to start setting an alarm and getting up at a regular time and doing stuff.

At least, now, I'm not despondent. While I was, nothing mattered. Now I am motivated. I hope I can improve.

A tendency toward depression is not a person's fault. However, managing that mood disorder is a responsibility of the individual. Failure to make a decent effort to manage one's mood disorder does indicate a lack of character, IMHO. I don't want to be guilty of that. And I have been. This past year I dealt with an unusual spate of physical ailments. I had severe diverticulitis, followed by bleeding ulcers causing severe anemia. I was in the ER 5 times. They admitted me 3 times. That is all resolved now, and I'm in good health at present. So it's high time I got my act together. I really need to start planning my days. Good habits can keep the momentum going when disappointments happen and sap one's resolve.

I read with great interest what others post about how they are helped by routine. I'll keep looking for posts like that to inspire me. Thank you all for the specific suggestions, like a planning app, the cleaning thread. etc.

I am so sorry to read about your sleep problems. Have you ever got treatment for them? I know a person who had treatment at some sort of a "sleep clinic".

The cure is to have a relaxed evening (relaxation exercises if necessary), no coffee after 07.00 PM. Go to bed every evening at the same time and get up every morning at the same time even if there has been no sleep in the night. This person have told me that the "sleep structure" helps partly, but she sticks with the program because it helps more than no program at all.

In addition to the sleep program, there is the ordinary cues for good health to follow: Physical exercises (but not in the evening) and regular healthy meals during the day.

I know, you have told us how difficult it is to have a doctors appointment in your area, but if it is available, may be it is worth waiting for an appointment. If not try to use general advice for sleep problems.

I got sleep problems after I started on Antidepressants years ago. My GP gave me sleeping pills. I used them for years until my new GP took them away and replaced them with Mirtazapin (in addition to my usual antidepressants). Mirtazapin is an atypical antidepressant that makes people tired. I take it one hour before bedtime and it functions well for me.
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Never forget to structure your days! Be responsible: Paddle your own canoe in all circumstances!
Hugs from:
MuseumGhost
Thanks for this!
MuseumGhost