[googley]

I have no energy to do anything. All I want to do is lie in bed. I have no clean dishes. I need to wash them before I can make anything to eat. I hate my life. Why is this so hard? Daily living shouldn't be this hard.

[JEHR]

I have felt exactly the same over the last few months. I have fallen asleep at work and in meetings and I'm far too young to be the person that does that!

I have learnt a bit about CBT which is about the fact that how you think is how you feel and how you feel is how you behave, and how you behave effects how you think. My counsellor said the key is to do stuff even if you really don't want to because it will help break that cycle. This has definitely helped me.

[sundog]

Sorry you're feeling this way (((((googley))))) I can definitely relate. With me the problem isn't so much depression as anxiety. It's not that I don't have any energy, it's that I have the wrong kind of energy. I have anxious energy and that prevents me from doing things and just makes me want to stay very close to home. So it amounts to the same thing and, as you say, it makes daily living hard.

I think JEHR gives really good advice. It's very difficult, but I think we have to try and push ourselves to do things even if we don't want to. Otherwise the cycle gets worse and our world gets narrower and narrower. I've really seen that happen with me.

I know how hard it is though and it sure would be nice if we actually felt like doing things!! Hopefully that will come!!

Wishing you all the very best.

[Rohag]

Energy? Eh-nur-jee. I'll have to go look that up in the dictionary . . . tomorrow . . . maybe.

((((((( Googley! )))))))

[Elana05]

Hi Googley,

I know with depression my thinking becomes very black and white, like it's all or nothing. Maybe you could just wash 1 dish and 1 glass.

not sure if that is helpful.

E

[alcira]

Originally Posted by Elana05

Hi Googley,

I know with depression my thinking becomes very black and white, like it's all or nothing. Maybe you could just wash 1 dish and 1 glass.

not sure if that is helpful.

E

That's great advice! Sometimes when you are feeling down, everything seems so overwhelming. My T used to tell me one step at a time. Just do one thing...

[googley]

I washed one load of dishes. Still have more, but got some done. And ate Trix for dinner. Haven't had them for years.

[justfloating]

((((((((googley)))))))))

I know what you mean. It took me literally all day to get out of bed, have a shower and get dressed. It was 7pm before I forced myself to go for a walk just to get a cup of coffee. The low energy doesn't hit me all the time, it sort of comes out of nowhere some days and WHOOMP, I'm useless. My counsellor says I need to do one tiny thing, and then keep congratulating myself for it, even if all I managed was to wash my hair. I find it helps, because focusing on the things I DIDN'T do makes me feel even less inclined to do anything at all. Congratulating myself on the things I DID do keeps my mood from dipping any lower. One thing at a time, right?

[Elana05]

I have to do this too. Just do one small thing at a time.

In the same way, some days I just look for the one little moment that made me happy.
Yesterday I pet a really cute dog. I keep thinking about it because it was the one moment where the worry and pain subsided.

[REINE D AMOUR]

"daily living "is hard i agree with you googley but you are strong and you will be fine dear .

[11PM]

Life isn't easy. Not for you, not for anyone (except kids of rich parents).

You have to realize that you work on everyday life so you can be alive to experience the things that make life worthwhile. Here's your homework:

1. You know you have to do something, like clean dishes
2. Reward yourself after cleaning the dishes with a really great food item.

Set up a system of challenges and rewards. The best years of my life I was doing this for myself. I knew I should exercise, so I treated myself to a movie after a long hike, for instance. Deny yourself treats until after you have done a chore. Face it- you need to learn to be an effective person the same way to teach a dog tricks. Because there is a difference between knowing and doing.