How Much?

How much energy do you use to keep your mental health stable?

Hi BethRags, I don't know how I'd measure that to give an answer. In a sense, the things I do to take care of my mental health, I use energy, but also get energy back - like in yoga, or walking or...knitting, or eating foods that are healthy and give me energy or sometimes socializing, depending.

Honestly, I'd say my whole life revolves around my biological makeup, including my mental health issues / disorders. I don't see it as a bad thing, for myself.

Is there a reason you're asking?

i think it depends on the day. Sometimes i feel in a better mood and sometimes i have to put into a little bit more effort. i am not sure what that depends on exactly but i think that some external circumstances can influence that as Well, such as some Friends or even the weather for me. Sorry if you're feelint that way yourself. Please do not give up. Sending many Safe, warm hugs to BOTH you, @BethRags, your Family, your Friends and ALL of your Loved Ones! Keep fighting and keep rocking NO MATTER WHAT HAPPENS, OK?!

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Originally Posted by WovenGalaxy Hi BethRags, I don't know how I'd measure that to give an answer. In a sense, the things I do to take care of my mental health, I use energy, but also get energy back - like in yoga, or walking or...knitting, or eating foods that are healthy and give me energy or sometimes socializing, depending. Honestly, I'd say my whole life revolves around my biological makeup, including my mental health issues / disorders. I don't see it as a bad thing, for myself. Is there a reason you're asking?

Just curiosity, I guess. I feel like my entire life is spent on maintaining my mental health stability. I got to wondering how others here on the forum feel about how much energy they put into remaining stable. Actually, more than stable - happy (at least some or most of the time).


Your perspective is a healthy one, I think.

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Originally Posted by MickeyCheeky i think it depends on the day. Sometimes i feel in a better mood and sometimes i have to put into a little bit more effort. i am not sure what that depends on exactly but i think that some external circumstances can influence that as Well, such as some Friends or even the weather for me. Sorry if you're feelint that way yourself. Please do not give up. Sending many Safe, warm hugs to BOTH you, @BethRags, your Family, your Friends and ALL of your Loved Ones! Keep fighting and keep rocking NO MATTER WHAT HAPPENS, OK?!

Thanks for your reply, MC. Good point about external circumstances. Big hugs to you, too

Actually none at this point. Everything I learned has become an automatic part of my life even when problems arise.

I know when my peaceful balance is skewed & figure out what to adjust to get it back in balance before it even gets very far. Mindfulness has helped & knowing what balanced peace feels like I am aware when something is mucking with it. Just small adjustments, no energy required

Well... at this point in my life I find I have a pretty limited amount of energy to begin with. And a large portion of what I do have goes toward maintaining my own mental stability I suspect. (I guess I don't really know. But it feels that way.)

Looking back I can see where I've always had the same problems I have now. But when I was younger I was a lot better at working around them, ignoring them, pushing them down or aside, denying them, etc. What I'm finding, as I age, is that it's becoming increasingly difficult to maintain control. I find myself giving in to my impulses and compulsions a lot more frequently than I used to. And sometimes I find myself wishing I would just totally lose what sanity I have, or perhaps develop some form of dementia that would allow me to simply let it all go and just not give a fig about the consequences. There is a sense in which that would be a dream come true...

Maybe 50%? I do watch my diet and try to exercise more, but that is more for my physical health than my mental health. For my mental health I take my meds and do support groups, but I don't feel like that requires much effort.

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Originally Posted by Skeezyks Well... at this point in my life I find I have a pretty limited amount of energy to begin with. And a large portion of what I do have goes toward maintaining my own mental stability I suspect. (I guess I don't really know. But it feels that way.) Looking back I can see where I've always had the same problems I have now. But when I was younger I was a lot better at working around them, ignoring them, pushing them down or aside, denying them, etc. What I'm finding, as I age, is that it's becoming increasingly difficult to maintain control. I find myself giving in to my impulses and compulsions a lot more frequently than I used to. And sometimes I find myself wishing I would just totally lose what sanity I have, or perhaps develop some form of dementia that would allow me to simply let it all go and just not give a fig about the consequences. There is a sense in which that would be a dream come true...

I so well understand, Skeezyks. My mental health issue were even interesting to me when I was younger. Not so now. As I've aged, I find myself exhausted from them. I understand what you mean about developing dementia.

@BethRags and all:

It depends on my mood. If i'm high, i'm either really into it, like now, or i couldn't give a rats @$$. When i'm depressed i don't have the energy to care. I'd say it evens out to about 25% of my total overall energy expenditure.

Interesting question!

I feel like a freak...all of my energy goes toward maintaining my mental health.

You are not a freak.

Maybe you are tired. And sick of having to maintain your mh and feel you're not getting anything back for it?

Lots of hugs to you BethRags. We are here for you!

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Originally Posted by WovenGalaxy Maybe you are tired. And sick of having to maintain your mh and feel you're not getting anything back for it? Lots of hugs to you BethRags.

I am tired, and I do feel like I don't receive much reward for working so hard to be "okay." Thanks, WG

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Originally Posted by BethRags I feel like a freak...all of my energy goes toward maintaining my mental health.

Some MH issues do take more energy to maintain than others.

My issues were & are totally situational & once I left the situation, the MH issues because easier to handle & with good therapy I have learned how to handle the situations now that the previous situation keeps throwing at me.....being 2100 miles away helps distance from it

I can imagine that would feel discouraging and frustrating. There have been period of my life where I've been deeply depressed. The kind that doesn't go away. And its like experiencing everything through a negative filter - from what I felt to what I thought. Currently I teeter between ok and...not. My therapist said not to compare my depressed self to the person I am when I'm well, or, to anybody else. Maybe hearing that will help you too BethRags. In DBT we also learn about radical acceptance. Something I need to brush up on.

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Originally Posted by WovenGalaxy I can imagine that would feel discouraging and frustrating. There have been period of my life where I've been deeply depressed. The kind that doesn't go away. And its like experiencing everything through a negative filter - from what I felt to what I thought. Currently I teeter between ok and...not. My therapist said not to compare my depressed self to the person I am when I'm well, or, to anybody else. Maybe hearing that will help you too BethRags. In DBT we also learn about radical acceptance. Something I need to brush up on.

It took me a while to grasp that radical acceptance in DBT. I was the tough sell in our DBT group but once I got it, it stuck & makes sense & is one of the things I use the most. DBT & our group leader who ended up being my T also was the best & most useful therapy I ever had.

A lot from the time I wake up, take my meds, eat, keeping myself safe and okay, all that stuff it's a lot.

Depends on where I am. The better I feel the more willing and have the energy to work at it. But lately just feel too tired to give it an ounce of effort. Even mentioned to T that perhaps going into the hospital to get over this hump would be helpful. Haven't ever been hospitalized for psych issues. Did do an outpatient session once. T said hospitals are now to stabilize a severe episode. In and out. Probably wouldn't even keep me. Just too tired to do it anymore. Takes too much energy.

All I can say is, a lot. A LOT. Just coming out of a very severe episode, I'm deathly afraid to relapse. Maybe it will get easier at some point, I certainly hope so.

I think it would be meaningful if people here mentioned what their primary mental health issue is. As someone else has mentioned, the amount of energy needed to stay stable probably depends greatly on the issue you're dealing with.

In my case, my primary issue is bipolar disorder. Without meaning to be dismissive of other issues, I think chronic illnesses like that do require more energy to deal with than situational issues, like a one-off depression that's just completely "gone" at some point. Those will require a lot of energy to get over, but at some point you're "cured" and you can sort of relax. In the case of bipolar, it's never really gone and you always have to remain vigilant, you're always at risk of going into an episode, so you always have to take care to try and minimize the risk.

Beth, Sorry your mental health issues have been such a challenge and that you aren't feeling well either physically or mentally (this is I have gathered from your posts lately). I know that for some people, their MH issues effect them so much mentally and physically that it interferes with the quality of their life. I went through a period of time where wondering what was wrong with me was taking up too much time in my head. It is miserable to always be thinking about what is wrong and how I was feeling. Was that compulsive OCD thoughts? Bad habits? Just wondering if I was mentally ill was sort of making me feel insane. I didn't go to a psychiatrist until my late 40s so some of the issues my meds are treating (I remember having sleep issues even as a child and remember having the periodic feeling of depression beginning is high school) I just thought of as my biological makeup and I worked around them because when we are younger, IMO, we more energy to function adequately on and people didn't get diagnosed as much back then. So if I couldn't sleep on a school night, I would just read and listen to music much of the night but didn't worry about it. I was tired the next day but when my mom got me up I still went to school, got good enough grades, etc. And in college, I would get myself up and go to class whether I slept well or not but I would feel almost sick sometimes because of the lack of sleep but I do credit my mom with instilling the habit of getting up and doing what needs to be done every day--no matter how I felt. However, at this point in my life, the lack of sleep effects me even more than it used to so I am grateful to have medications that are helping me have more consistent sleep. But I agree with
WovenGalaxy's thought about we all have a biological makeup, though I know for some navigating their mental health issues is a full time job. Hugs to Downandlonely, Whatever, Miguels Mom, FluffyDinosour and Kidfle.

Hugs to Skeezyks. In my case, I find myself hoping that I don't develop dementia. I have read that the lack of sleep and some of the meds I take to help me sleep increase the chances that we could develop dementia issues. I still love reading and studying things and hope I can always do this. One good thing about reading and learning new things is that they are protective against developing dementia.

Hugs to MickeyCheeky. I can totally relate to the weather effecting my moods. And you and Eskielover are right about how much our relationships effect us too! I have always lived in places with lots of sunshine but when I visited family in NW USA in the winter and it was cold, damp and raining the entire time, I noticed how much better I would feel when we returned to a Southern state. I have always found that sunshine lifts my mood and like getting outside everyday.

I only began to have MH issues (that became prevalent) in my late 30’s. They were triggered by relationship issues, not all me the dysfunctional one, it takes two. I spend all of my time trying to control my MH now, but am still constantly triggered by the same person doing the same thing. So, while I obsess over my reaction, I do not leave or make better the triggering situation.

I never had a psy/t to really figure it out and set any plan in motion to help me, much as I have tried over many years. I feel I was always let down by the MH system. I have really just gone this alone and with supportive here.

Not stable but I struggle hard with my mood in terms of church and work . Both of those arenas there’s an expectation of positivity and good cheer and sometimes I can’t do it.

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Originally Posted by WovenGalaxy I can imagine that would feel discouraging and frustrating. There have been period of my life where I've been deeply depressed. The kind that doesn't go away. And its like experiencing everything through a negative filter - from what I felt to what I thought. Currently I teeter between ok and...not. My therapist said not to compare my depressed self to the person I am when I'm well, or, to anybody else. Maybe hearing that will help you too BethRags. In DBT we also learn about radical acceptance. Something I need to brush up on.

Thanks, WG "Experiencing everything through a negative filter" is an excellent description.

I will read about radical acceptance.