Please help me get out of bed

[Sunflowers76]

I feel so mentally unwell at the moment I am struggling so much every single morning just to get out of bed. I've slept for about 10 hours last night. I didnt take my antidepressant last night so this morning my head is all swimmy and I feel very weird. I've been up and made a coffee and toast but now I've gone back to bed and I'm just on my phone. My aim is to get up properly for the day at 9am. Is there anything anyone finds helpful when you feel like this? Thank you

Take your meds!

Get up and put your clothes including socks and shoes on the first time. It's the only way.

Now you haven't done that I think you have to decide whether you're too ill to actually get up. I mean you're not because you've been up already. Count down from 5 and feet on the floor. Come on love.

This is one of those situations where you have to force yourself.

Get up, have a shower, give yourself a task to start.

And take your medication.

Can you get up and open your curtains and (if it's not too cold!) your window? A bit of fresh air and sunlight always helps stimulate the brain thats it time to get up

I think it's a good idea to give yourself a time to get up. 9am is great. Something to aim for

Can you give yourself something to look forward to when you get up? Something that makes you feel nice? Some fancy moisturiser, putting the radio/tv on for some upbeat music.

Sorry you're feeling this way. Do you have anyone in real life you can talk to?

When this happens to me the only way I can get out of bed is to think of something compelling enough, either something I really want or need to do.

But if you can't think of anything then the other thing that works is setting a time limit on it "I'm just going to get up for 30 mins and if its still awful I'll go back to bed"... helps if you have something to do "I'm just going to get up and do 30 mins of weeding in the garden/walk to the shops/do the ironing and then I'll go back yo bed if it's still awful"

Is there a reason you didn't take your abti depressant and can you take it now?

I'm good at taking my meds by the way I just forgot last night. Hasn't happened in months.

At 9, get up and go straight into the bathroom have a shower, get dressed.

Do you have a garden? Go outside for a bit and name 5 things that you can see, 4 things you can touch, 3 things that you can hear, 2 that you can touch and 'taste' the air.

No I don't have a garden or any outside space unfortunately.

First of all, yeet your phone across the room so you can’t reach it. Have a bloody good stretch of your whole body. Then get up and move it, swing your arms, kick your legs out. Wiggle. Star jumps. You’re stuck in “freeze” mode, and you need to get your blood flowing.

Secondly, now you’re up, you need to congratulate yourself with a treat. Something yummy, or an episode of a show that will make you laugh. Nothing too overstimulating. Maybe a movie that you love?

When fight, flight or freeze kicks in, you need to do the opposite action. Fighting? You need calm, passive input. Fleeing? Get yourself in a snuggly spot. Frozen? Move your body. Does that make sense?

Also take your meds, lots of fluids and food. Don’t berate yourself for sleeping loads, sleeping is healing. I hope you feel better soonest.

Thank you @FlyingUnicornWings 😊
I got up, put a wash on, did a load of ironing I've been putting off and now I'm off to dentist.

Nailed it. What a Queen. Hope the rest of your day follows suit. I know we are internet strangers but I’m proud of you!

Wow well done! What did the trick in the end?

@FlyingUnicornWings thank you! Honestly means a lot to me. Thank you for your encouragement.

Just forcing myself really. And knowing that I'm the only one that can get myself better and take actions to make things better.