I tried to clean today, but I have only been able to do it for short bursts until I get really tired and overwhelmed. Now I'm back laying in my bed and I never want to leave. I know sleeping and laying down is not the most helpful thing, but it honestly feels like what I need right now. Is anyone else in the same boat? I always feel guilty for resting. I wish I could rest and sleep without feeling guilty...I feel guilty because it feels like I should be doing something productive. How do I let myself relax? How do you relax? What works for you all? I've heard the term used for depression: "just ride it out." How do you guys get through the bad days?

[Pierro]

Lindee,welcome to Psych Central. A big part of depression is the tiredness, it is overwhelming. Are you on any medication ?

[LivingWithLaura]

I feel for you. I am also suffering from depression and have days where doing anything besides laying in bed is all but impossible. Try to remember that with depression, some days are better than others. Maybe today those short bursts of productivity were all you could handle. That's ok. Personally, I try to simply do my best every day, knowing that my best will look different from one day to the next. Sometimes I need to take a day off from trying so hard and just freaking rest. On these days, I try to be as gentle with myself as possible. I tell myself that the rest of my life does not depend on just one day. This day will pass, and when it does, I can pick up and do the things I was too depleted to do today. So try to take the day off from beating yourself up. Know that battling depression is HARD work. Work I'd never wish upon anyone. Sometimes you deserve a break. I find that relaxation recordings and movies can help lessen anxiety when resting.

Good luck

[Rose76]

I do know what you mean. In the past, I got to where I adopted a policy of just "riding it out." Trying to be productive didn't seem to make the depressive episode resolve any faster. I used to say it was like a bad cold, or the flu. It would blow over after I went through a certain amount of suffering, and not before.

I now have a new policy because these depressive episodes had been getting longer and longer. After 2 months of doing good, I got real depressed the day after Christmas. (There was a mishap at my house that triggered it.) I now believe that I've got to force myself, even if I have to drag me by the ear, into doing some productive things, especially picking up after myself.

I did basically rest for 2 days in my pajamas, which I think I really did need. The next 2 days of "resting" were a total waste and I got worse blue. So I got dressed this morning, made my bed, filled up the bird feeders outside my windows, ate something decent and am still pickin' up stuff I let just become a mess over the past 4 days.

This is my new strategy and I highly recommend it. Sometimes, I take a kitchen timer and set it for 20 minutes. I tell myself that I have to do something to clean up the place until the bell dings. Then I have a deal with myself that I can screw off for an hour, until it's time to set the timer again.

Sometimes this strategy doesn't work, and I stay depressed. I feel for you.

Watching TV can be bad in that it keeps me passive. Today I put on talk radio, and that is helping me to keep going. I can listen to it, while I do stuff around the house. I don't have to sit and watch the radio to enjoy it. I hope it gets better for you sooner, rather than later.

Originally Posted by Pierro

Lindee,welcome to Psych Central. A big part of depression is the tiredness, it is overwhelming. Are you on any medication ?

Just started cymbalta back up. It worked for me years ago. Had to go off it, now I've been on it again for 2 weeks. So I am in the waiting stage.