If you have depression how do you motivate yourself?

[Ineedastyleicon]

I work from home full time and just want to sleep I have no motivation. I've had b12 and iron tested, all low but they won't give me anything. I'm waiting for a review of my antidepressants.
I just have no drive to do anything at all.

With difficulty.

I've realised I have to build myself back from the ground up.

I've realised that sometimes the tiniest thing can be a win - getting up, making the bed, having a shower, having breakfast.

So, I give myself credit for doing these things, and sometimes allow myself to just - not. Good days and bad days, and baby steps.

One thing that helps is telling myself I'll just do x, or y, and 'tricking' myself into getting up and doing something, and then keep on going for another task or two. . .

Get your own B vit complex, herbal iron supplements and Vit D spray. Also, for motivation, get L-Tyrosine and Magnesium. That lot will cost a fair amount (about £30) but you should feel much less tired within 48 hours, maybe sooner.

Drink more water and herb tea and stretch. These are easy things to do however low your motivation. Just a big stretch with arms over head, then down to the toes a few times, a glass of water and then tell yourself to do one easy thing towards your work load.

Thank you, I have liquid iron, b12 liquid, and vit d spray. I've just ordered some magnesium and potassium supplements.
Not heard of L - Tyrosine?

@gingerhills could you elaborate a little on what L-tyrosine and magnesium do? And how they're all useful for depression/fatigue.
I've been given a high hose Vit d and have B12 injections quarterly but haven't noticed a difference so would love to know about anything I can do to enhance the effects.

I struggle to exercise, even though I know it would help me massively. I just can't make myself do it, I have a mental block about it. I walk the dog, that's it.
Stretching is a good idea.

Hold old are you @Ineedastyleicon? I just wondered if the menopause could be a factor and if you are missing some of those hormones?

I'm 43.

It might be worth you looking up the symptoms of menopause to see if any resonate with you. If they do, your depleting hormones could be why you are struggling. If appropriate, HRT might make you feel better in yourself.

Ok thanks, I've felt like this for years though.

[quote Inthedarkofthenight]@gingerhills could you elaborate a little on what L-tyrosine and magnesium do? And how they're all useful for depression/fatigue.
I've been given a high hose Vit d and have B12 injections quarterly but haven't noticed a difference so would love to know about anything I can do to enhance the effects.[/quote]
L-Tyrosine helps the body process dopamine which is the brain chemical that drives us to take action. Magnesium helps L-Tyrosine process it. I can't explain much better than that because I am not that knowledgeable about it. I just read up on lots of supplements and what they did then made a list of the ones I seemed to need most.

I don't take L-Tyrosine all the time as it has side effects of give me short sharp headaches and making me feel more irritable but I take it if I just can't be bothered to get dressed or get started on a work project. It does perk you up, make you focused and as a bonus gives you good nails if they are weak.

Bump, any more ideas?

There are two other things I do to motivate myself.

I say: You don't have to want to, you just have to do it.
That gets me showered, dressed, make up on if I have Zoom calls etc or into my trainers if I have a fitness class booked.

And the 5-minute timer, Set a timer for 5 mins and do what you have to do until it goes off,. Just 5 mins of laundry, housework, admin and replying to emails. It often gets you into the swing and you keep going, but if not, have another break to meditate or have a cup of tea and then do another five mins. Even if you have 3 x15 min breaks an hour and only do 3x5 minute sessions, that's still more work than losing a day to sleep and demotivation. By the end of an 8 hour day those 5 min sessions add up to 2 hours work. Then once you can establlsh that you extend them to 10 mins or shorten the breaks to 10 mins.

One more: when depression was seriously bnad, I took a proper day off. It is massively helpful to say: I am ill today. I can;t work, and then not even try, instead of going: Oh God I'm ill again but I ought to... and why haven't I... and how come other people manage to ..., but I can't. Instead have a proper day off - sleep for half a day, walk or sit in the sun for half a day, make a 5-minute tea for DC, have a deep bath and an early night listening to therapeutic podcasts or affirmations if they help. Then next day it's often easier to start work.

And another (I am queen of long term depression and how to shake it off)

If you can't work, you just can't, discover what you can do that day. Maybe not mental work but capable of putting away laundry or going to get your hair cut or taking a few bags to the tip.

When I'm depressed, I find I do nothing because I've created a hierarchy of stuff I ought to do, starting with paid work, then housework and family admin then self care. I just drop the hierarchy and think: right now I can't write that report but I can do the shopping (or Vice versa.)

I'm exactly the same op. Also got low b12 levels. I don't feel depressed as such but I lack motivation to do anything which in turn contributes to a feeling of low mood.

It’s very difficult op. I’m in a dip at the moment and it’s very hard to get out of.

Exercise is my go to therapy. I run most mornings and that seems to set me up in terms of mood and motivation for the rest of the day. This week I’ve let it slip a bit and the difference in how I feel is shocking. Just missing a couple of runs has me feeling like I’m back in the ‘hole’ again, scrambling to get out. So tired too.

I just have to force myself op, as I know how I will feel if I don’t. I’m so b12 deficient and take supplements as well as magnesium which tends to help too.

Thank you that is all really helpful.
I get overwhelmed by life but did have a thought of "fake it till you make it" cheesy I know but thought if I'm pretend I'm OK and just force myself to crack on maybe I can trick my brain!
Need to have some exercise habits, right now I'm thinking I've got time to do a fitness video or something but the thought of it, I just can't bring myself to do it and I don't know why. Maybe if I put gym kit on that will help.

Do before your mind tells you you can't.

It's so hard to motivate yourself, if you try and take the action before you can convince yourself you can't be arsed then its easier to carry on once you are up and about!

I hope the sunshine brings you brighter days OP. I feel vitamins are very important too here

@mbosnz

With difficulty.

I've realised I have to build myself back from the ground up.

I've realised that sometimes the tiniest thing can be a win - getting up, making the bed, having a shower, having breakfast.

So, I give myself credit for doing these things, and sometimes allow myself to just - not. Good days and bad days, and baby steps.

One thing that helps is telling myself I'll just do x, or y, and 'tricking' myself into getting up and doing something, and then keep on going for another task or two. . .

This is really good advice.

I also write down all my little achievements in a diary, it doesn't matter if its as something as small as getting showered, when I look back it shows me what I can do and makes me feel a bit better. It's also nice because with depression i often feel as if I've done absolutely nothing so seeing them written down reminds me otherwise and helps me to build on it.

I really struggle to stay on top of housework and have built up a lot of clutter. I'll take a drawer or a box of clutter or whatever and sit in front of the TV with a bin bag and the recycling bin and just go through it while I'm watching TV. Afterwards it feels really good to know that in spite of feeling so rubbish, I've done something really proactive.

@Ineedastyleicon

Thank you that is all really helpful. I get overwhelmed by life but did have a thought of "fake it till you make it" cheesy I know but thought if I'm pretend I'm OK and just force myself to crack on maybe I can trick my brain! Need to have some exercise habits, right now I'm thinking I've got time to do a fitness video or something but the thought of it, I just can't bring myself to do it and I don't know why. Maybe if I put gym kit on that will help.

Yes and don't do a massive one. Look for 5 minute HIIT or 10 minute yoga stretches. Ease into it. If you make it easy for yourself, you'll do it again.

I went for a bike ride, only for about 15 minutes, really enjoyed it!

Start off small. Just do one thing, no matter how tiny.
If you do nothing, you are going to feel bad about that and worse in the long term. That feeling feeds into your depression and creates a nasty cycle.

@Ineedastyleicon

I went for a bike ride, only for about 15 minutes, really enjoyed it!

That’s great @Ineedastyleicon well done! I’m finding some useful tips in this thread,

I will try and go again later today, easier now the evenings will be lighter!

For me, I think setting a timer for 15 mins and just doing as much housework as I can helps. I think if I just do this then that’s fine and I can sit down again. I’ve built up to doing that 2x a day everyday which has really helped get on top of stuff which makes me feel better.
Well done for getting out exercising!