How To Deal With Depression And Lack Of Motivation

Why Do I Have A Lack Of Confidence

It could be one of the following reasons:

Confidence comes from taking action and getting results.

• Walking up to someone and talking to them
• Starting a project and succeeding at it
• Doing well on a test
• Going to the gym and getting the body you want
• Getting a job you love and making good money
• Climbing to the top of a mountain
• Writing and publishing a book

All of these things create confidence and have two key things in common:

Here is how it works:

Step 1 Say you are going to do something

Step 2 Take action and do it

Step 3 Get good results

The more you do that, the more confidence you will have.

And, if you try and it does not work out, you dont let that kill your confidence or motivation. You keep going.

When Depression Causes A Lack Of Motivation

The lack of motivation that can be caused by depression and other mental illnesses can be debilitating. There are some things that are so important they must be done as soon as possible. But for those who battle depression, the lack of motivation can be an enemy that seems insurmountable at times . Here’s what to do when depression causes a lack of motivation.

Not Being Specific Enough

You may think you have specific goals in mind, but are they encouraging your motivation levels? Giving yourself clear directions is essential. Without them, vague ideas will fade over time. You cant just say you want to eat healthier. You need to be specific about what you want to achieve and outline precisely how youre going to do that.

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Depression And Lack Of Motivation

One of the well known symptoms of depression is lack of Motivation where you will find yourself unable to do some of the tasks that you used to do. When someone becomes depressed he will usually experience a loss in energy which in turn makes him less motivated to do anything.

Lack of energy is not always a sign of depression but if it was accompanied with some of the other depression symptoms then you can make sure that it was caused by depression.

How Can I Help Someone With Depression

Depression is a serious but treatable disorder that affects millions of people, from young to old and from all walks of life. It gets in the way of everyday life, causing tremendous pain, hurting not just those suffering from it but also impacting everyone around them.

If someone you love is depressed, you may be experiencing any number of difficult emotions, including helplessness, frustration, anger, fear, guilt, and sadness. These feelings are all normal. Its not easy dealing with a friend or family members depression. And if you neglect your own health, it can become overwhelming.

That said, your companionship and support can be crucial to your loved ones recovery. You can help them to cope with depression symptoms, overcome negative thoughts, and regain their energy, optimism, and enjoyment of life. Start by learning all you can about depression and how to best talk about it with your friend or family member. But as you reach out, dont forget to look after your own emotional healthyoull need it to provide the full support your loved one needs.

Understanding depression in a friend or family member

Depression is a serious condition. Dont underestimate the seriousness of depression. Depression drains a persons energy, optimism, and motivation. Your depressed loved one cant just snap out of it by sheer force of will.

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Make The Goal To Do It Not To Enjoy It

When you’re feeling depressed, it’s natural to lose interest in things that used to make you happy. Comedy is no longer funny, sports are no longer fun, spending time with friends is no longer engaging. Anxiety, depression, and self-loathing take over, leading to feelings of detachment and defeat. So, when doing something “fun” or “active,” do it with the goal to do it, not to enjoy it.

Little Motivation Tricks For Getting Through The Day With Depression

Picture this: youre lying in bed or sitting on the couch, devoid of energy. Theres a pile of dishes waiting for you in the sink, your dog is giving you a guilty I need to eat look and you have several imminent assignment deadlines going off like fire alarms in your head. But, no matter how hard you try no matter how anxious the pile of responsibilities makes you you just cant do it.

If this sounds familiar, then youve experienced one of the most common symptoms of depression. Depression sucks the energy out of you, leaving you exhausted and unable to budge. Its no wonder many with depression find the spoon theory to be apt to their lived experience.

We decided to ask our mental health community what little tricks they have for getting motivated when depression drags them down. Maybe depression is telling you that youve already tried them all, but we hope youll find a few unexpected gems in the answers they gave us.

Here is what they said:

1. I convince myself all I gotta do is one thing today. But in order to do that one thing, I need to get out of bed to do it. Usually I say food or washroom, something I cant go without. That works for me. Like a pep talk before starting the day. Mizheekay H.

7. Make a list and put on some music that motivates me to move. Otherwise, Ill spend days just going from the bed to the couch and back. Suzy J.

What motivation tricks would you add? Let us know in the comments below.

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How Can I Help Someone Thats Feeling Unmotivated

One of the best things you can do for someone lacking motivation is to support them when and how they need you. If theyre struggling against a mental illness, you can suggest seeking professional help. If they need someone to hold them accountable for their daily tasks, you can do that too. Show up for them in the ways that suit them everyones needs are different.

Acknowledge Your Courage For Stepping Out Of Your Comfort Zone

As painful as it is, depression can become comfortable in a “devil you know” kind of way. You know what to expect, for the most part. You know the pain, you’re in the pain, you can predict that tomorrow will be more of the same. The idea of stepping out of this comfort zone can be quite anxiety-provoking. Steven Hayes, a psychologist whose work I admire, said, “If you keep doing what you’ve always done, you’re going to get what you’ve always gotten.”

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Spreading Yourself Too Thin

Burnout is real. When you have too many things on your to-do list, it doesnt encourage you to get them done. Your procrastination can stem from feeling overwhelmed with your daily tasks. It doesnt matter if youre working from home and think you have plenty of time to hustle your energy and level of motivation can be exhausted from your couch, just like the office.

How To Talk To Someone About Depression

Sometimes it is hard to know what to say when speaking to someone about depression. You might fear that if you bring up your worries the person will get angry, feel insulted, or ignore your concerns. You may be unsure what questions to ask or how to be supportive.

If you dont know where to start, the following suggestions may help. But remember that being a compassionate listener is much more important than giving advice. You dont have to try to fix your friend or family member you just have to be a good listener. Often, the simple act of talking face to face can be an enormous help to someone suffering from depression. Encourage the depressed person to talk about their feelings, and be willing to listen without judgment.

Dont expect a single conversation to be the end of it. Depressed people tend to withdraw from others and isolate themselves. You may need to express your concern and willingness to listen over and over again. Be gentle, yet persistent.

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Fake It Til You Make It

It may be counterintuitive, but one of the easiest ways to try and jumpstart your motivation is to decide not to wait for it.

You dont actually need to feel motivated to accomplish something. In fact, you can choose to do it in spite of a lack of motivation.

Doing this isnt just a way to make progress when unmotivated its also a way to exercise some agency against depression.

Breaking Tasks Down To Fix Your Lack Of Drive

If this is you, try breaking your tasks into small pieces to overcome a lack of drive. Heres an example of how you would break up a larger task:

Think about planning a vacation. If you add plan vacation to your to-do list, it can feel overwhelming. It can also feel discouraging because you arent going to be able to cross it off your list after working on it for a small amount of time.

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How To Boost Your Motivation When You’re Dealing With Depression

This article was co-authored by Chloe Carmichael, PhD and by wikiHow staff writer, Danielle Blinka, MA, MPA. Chloe Carmichael, PhD is a Licensed Clinical Psychologist who runs a private practice in New York City. With over a decade of psychological consulting experience, Dr. Chloe specializes in relationship issues, stress management, self esteem, and career coaching. She has also instructed undergraduate courses at Long Island University and has served as adjunct faculty at the City University of New York. Dr. Chloe completed her PhD in Clinical Psychology at Long Island University in Brooklyn, New York and her clinical training at Lenox Hill Hospital and Kings County Hospital. She is accredited by the American Psychological Association and is the author of Nervous Energy: Harness the Power of Your Anxiety and Dr. Chloe’s 10 Commandments of Dating.There are 8 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page. This article has been viewed 14,891 times.

Dealing with depression is difficult and frustrating, but there is hope. Better days will eventually come along. In the meantime, you can motivate yourself to get through your day or work toward a goal. Getting motivated may not be easy, but you can do it. Making tiny changes in your day can help you start to build momentum and keep yourself motivated.

Improving Depression: Motivation Techniques

When you have depression, motivation can be very hard to find. You may know what you need to do, but somehow, knowing isn’t enough to get you going. There are ways to overcome this problem. Start by learning all you can about motivation and depression. With that information in mind, the next step is to learn and practice motivation techniques to get yourself back on track again.

What’s It Like To Be Depressed?

If you are depressed, you already know what depression is like for you. Do you realize that the experience has many of the same features for most people who are depressed? Depression may bring any or all the following changes related to motivation.

Easy Tasks Seem Impossible

When you’re depressed, things that were once so easy for you that you barely thought about them suddenly seem much more difficult, if not impossible. Say, for example, that writing up invoices is a part of your daily work. You’ve always just done that work quickly, not even considering it much of a chore.

When you become depressed, though, this small task might suddenly seem so difficult that you just can’t find it in yourself to face it. Before long, you get so far behind that the task is completely overwhelming. This is a common occurrence for people with depression.

Perceptions Change

Meanings Change

The Way You Experience Your Body Changes

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How To Get Motivated When You Struggle With Anxiety Even When Nobody Around You Gets It

When you struggle with doing any of your daily habits because your mental health is getting in the way it can be difficult to do even the simplest of things.

You know, like getting out of bed, taking a shower, even just mustering up the energy to brush your teeth can be a drag.

Trust me I get it.

Finding the energy, joy, and motivation when you struggle with anxiety can seem like a job on its own and if youre a mom, employee, run your business, or do any other life stuff the weight on your mind and body can get mighty heavy.

But, youll be glad to know, through a little bit of determination, understanding a few key concepts, and a little bit of simplicity you can start to unlock those shackles, lift the weight of depression off your shoulders and start hitting your days with more purpose.

Add Structure To Your Days

Add structure to your days. Most people function better on a schedule and every time you knock off a scheduled task, this yields a feeling of completion and efficiency which can make you feel good. If you work independently or on your own schedule, still try to set a schedule for yourself and stick to it so that there’s a routine in your life that gives your day a purpose. Other things that you can do include create a task list of daily chores or to-do’s and work to accomplish some tasks on it each day.

Be sure to give yourself credit and plenty of positive self-talk for getting some things done at the end of every day. The more you do this, this more it will ring true and feel better for you!

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Understanding Motivation & Depression

Motivation can be narrowly defined as the desire to do something, but also has a larger meaning of making the effort required to pursue a goal. Depression can trash all of that, thanks to symptoms like fatigue, indecisiveness, and anhedonia .

It may be necessary to treat a depressive episode to remission in order to get anywhere close to want to and able to. Even day to day, though, low motivation can spread its tentacles in many formsfrom having trouble finishing a particular project to slumping on the couch all day.

Alicia R. has bad days when getting out of bed and functioning at the most basic level feels impossible.

On those days, the Ottawa resident often misses her train into work. Once there, shell stare at her computer, unable to focus, sometimes writing the same sentence over and over. Shell avoid conversations with co-workers. Back home again, shell retreat to bed instead of doing household chores or relaxing with her partner.

To fight back, she gives extra focus to coping skills and strategies she has worked on with her therapist. She also finds that being gentle with herself makes a difference for the better.

At work, I will prioritize and ask myself, If I can only get one thing done todaywhich is likelythen what do I really want to finish? says Alicia. Accepting where I am at really makes those rough days easier and more productive.

Eat Well And Get Plenty Of Rest

Eat well and get plenty of rest. This is crucial and lends to good health, which is essential for everyone’s quality of life. Nothing can replace taking good care of yourself when you are experiencing depression. You are going to feel tired. Combat fatigue by being sure you get adequate rest at night and take a short nap in the afternoon if needed. Eat good balanced meals and snacks. Some foods that can help give you energy are:

• Fresh fruits and vegetables
• Caffeine in healthy dosesknow your limit or you might get a crash
• Whole wheat and whole grains
• Brown rice
• Healthy sweets like dark chocolate
• Eggs
• Legumes
• Water is key! If you’re not hungry but feeling low on energy, get some fresh air and take a few healthy sips of water

As far as rest goes, it’s best not to sleep too much or too little. Sleeping too little obviously will make you tired, but sleeping the day away can leave you feeling sluggish and even less motivated. Stick to the recommended amount of sleep for your age group and, as mentioned above, keep up with structure and a good diet.

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New Year’s Resolutions In Cancer Survivorship

The advantage of self-reward is that you are always there to give the rewards to yourself. You are always there to be the cheerleader that you need to keep you motivated in moving forward. Praising yourself, giving yourself credit for trying, and keeping track of your progresseven if it seems like small stepsis a way that can keep your motivation moving in the right direction.