Saturday, March 23, 2024

What To Do When Depressed And Unmotivated

The Alternative Approach: Self

6 Signs You’re Depressed, Not Lazy

Instead of pushing the depression away, accept it for what it is and feel your feelings instead of fighting them. The longer you run from negative feelings, the worse you will feel.

Remember that these feelings will pass, and if you learn to accept them as they happen, you can better handle depression and find your motivation.

Instead of trying to push through depression, learn from it. Its there for a reason a part of you is trying to tell you something.

Do you know what its trying to tell you?

Many times, just getting clarity on the source of the depression can reduce it if not release it entirely.

This approach is powerful, but there are two good reasons we dont take it:

  • It can be uncomfortable to face the truth behind our depression and frustration. And we often do what we can to avoid discomfort.
  • The source of our depression and frustration isnt always obvious. Without sufficient self-awareness skills, we may not be fully conscious of the cause of depression.
  • How Can I Support My Mental Health

    Having depression or anxiety isnt a sign of weakness and theres no need to feel embarrassed. Keep active in your community, consider joining a support group and do things that boost your mental wellbeing.

    Self-help groups

    Meeting other people who understand what youre going through can be helpful, especially if youre feeling isolated or lonely. You can find a local support group by asking your GP, or by contacting Mind, Anxiety UK, SANE or Rethink Mental Illness.

    Keep a regular social routine

    There are a range of services in the local community where you can meet new people and learn new skills. This will give you something to look forward to, and prevent you feeling isolated or alone. Your local Age UK can help you find an activity or group that will suit your interests.

    You Spend Too Much Time On Your Phone

    Phones are great distractions. Especially when youre feeling lazy and unmotivated. Its such a good escape, and you even feel like youre doing something productive.

    Phones overstimulate us and provide instant gratification. We become happy for a while.

    But this happiness can turn to bitterness. Especially if you see someone else doing better than you. Because social media has that effect. It shows us the best of people and masks reality.

    And its easy to get sucked into that world where the grass looks greener.

    Not to forget the physical effects of scrolling relentlessly. I get a massive headache and feel like I had 2 hours of sleep. It just makes me feel sick and lethargic. And I cant be the only one who feels this way.

    What you can do:

    Break away from your phone.

    Mute notifications and place it far away from you. Out of sight, out of mind.

    Youll be surprised by how much your creativity and productivity will improve.

    And if you need to escape, try reading. Its healthier.

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    The Key Differences Between Laziness & Depression

    People often confuse depression with laziness, yet these are two distinct constructs. Laziness can be mostly defined as being in a state of inactivity as a result of an individuals unwillingness to perform a task despite having the capacity to do so. Laziness can occur periodically and is believed to be more of a mental state, deliberate act or personal choice. Some experts theorize that laziness is a personality trait or character deficit, while others believe laziness is a behavioral sign of an underlying concern. Regardless, laziness often carries a derogatory connotation.1

    Depression also bears some stigma and is falsely viewed as a problem related to a persons will. Depressed individuals may appear lazy due to underlying symptoms of depression such as lack of motivation and energy. However, depression is a psychiatric disorder accompanied with many other pervasive features like deep sadness, inability to feel pleasure, a desire to isolate, apathy and more.

    Depression is not a personal option or a transient emotional response. Instead, it is a debilitating condition that can intensify and harm your overall wellbeing and daily functioning. Moreover, depression commonly requires professional intervention and not just will power. 2, 3

    How To Talk To Someone About Depression

    What people think depression is @whot.is.mental illness DBeing lazy ...

    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.

    Read Also: How Ro Help Someone With Depression

    Relying On Social Media

    Research on students use of social media has pointed out that there is a reduction in creativity, less practice in writing skills and an increase in multi-tasking for these students. All these factors have contributed to lower grades and poor academic performance. This may be one reason why many become demotivated.

    Everybody is prone to being less motivated by the appearance or success of others, flaunting their status on Facebook. As the image so vividly illustrates, maturity comes when you stop posting every detail of your life on Facebook or Instagram.

    What to do?

    Take a break with social media. Learn how to break the habit of endlessly sticking to social media here:

    Another great way to stay in the motivated fast lane is to prepare for obstacles and setbacks before they even occur. This is one of the best ways of fighting back the demotivation inferno.

    Ways You Can Help A Friend With Depression

    10 Ways You Can Help a Friend with Depression

    Depression can affect anyone. Yet, it is still an illness that many people don’t understand. People talk about mental illness much more than they used to. Even so, there is still a stigma attached to mental health. A stigma that prevents many people from being open about depression. If you have a friend with depression, it can be difficult to know what you can do to help them. Here are ten ways that you can help a friend who is suffering from depression.

    1. Educate Yourself

    The first thing to do if you want to help someone with depression is to learn more about the illness. If you have never suffered from depression, it can be very difficult to empathize with someone who is. There are lots of very good resources online that you can refer to. So, do some research and then you will be much better equipped to offer your friend help and support.

    2. Take It Seriously

    Depression is not something that someone can snap out of. You can’t fix the problem with one good night out, for example. When you are talking to someone with depression, don’t try to make light of the condition. Depression is a serious illness. You won’t be able to help a depressed person by telling them to cheer up or to pull themselves together and get over it.

    3. Become a Good Listener

    4. Encourage Them to Get Help

    5. Offer Practical Help

    6. Keep Them in The Loop

    7. Don’t Try to Be an Expert

    8. Don’t Belittle the Condition

    10. Be Patient

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    Encouraging The Person To Get Help

    While you cant control someone elses recovery from depression, you can start by encouraging the depressed person to seek help. Getting a depressed person into treatment can be difficult. Depression saps energy and motivation, so even the act of making an appointment or finding a doctor can seem daunting to your loved one. Depression also involves negative ways of thinking. The depressed person may believe that the situation is hopeless and treatment pointless.

    Because of these obstacles, getting your loved one to admit to the problemand helping them see that it can be solvedis an essential step in depression recovery.

    If your friend or family member resists getting help:

    Suggest a general check-up with a physician. Your loved one may be less anxious about seeing a family doctor than a mental health professional. A regular doctors visit is actually a great option, since the doctor can rule out medical causes of depression. If the doctor diagnoses depression, they can refer your loved one to a psychiatrist or psychologist. Sometimes, this professional opinion makes all the difference.

    Offer to help the depressed person find a doctor or therapist and go with them on the first visit.Finding the right treatment provider can be difficult, and is often a trial-and-error process. For a depressed person already low on energy, it is a huge help to have assistance making calls and looking into the options.

    Signs That You Might Be Languishing

    What to Do When You Feel Depressed, Lonely or Unmotivated

    Over the course of a year and a half, weve all had to adjust and embrace uncertainties in the best ways that we know how. And, as we approach something that resembles before times, we might be feeling some ambivalence. This ambivalence can lead to not feeling much at all. Languishing can be our emotional way of dealing with stress freezing up and just existing. Going through life on autopilot without really investing too much or getting too involved because, who knows whats going to happen next?!

    The good news is that there are ways to acknowledge and move through this state of being, enabling us to find more of that spark that weve been missing.

    Read Also: How Do You Get Medicine For Depression

    Benefits From Finding Yourself

    It can be quite difficult to comprehend how your journey will look like. However, you can try figuring out how you want it to feel. How do you want to feel regularly?

    You need to identify all the positive emotions that you want to feel and because theyll help in guiding you to achieve your goal. Having such a goal in mind will motivate you during the days when you dont feel like working towards your objective. Keep on keeping on because every day, you are closer to reaching your goals and dreams.

    Read Also: Plants That Help With Anxiety And Depression

    Feeling Tired And Having A Lack Of Energy

    Some people with depression may find it hard to get up in the morning because they feel exhausted and run down. They may feel too fatigued to do everyday tasks, such as going to work and cooking meals. As a result, they may spend a lot of time at home resting or sleeping.

    The fatigue of depression can make a person feel as though they are always tired, even if they are getting enough sleep. However, sleep disturbances are also a symptom of depression, and a person who experiences these can feel even more tired.

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    Counter Depression With Exercise

    According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention , getting regular physical activity can make you less likely to develop depression. Exercising three to five times weekly for 30 to 60 minutes can provide mental health benefits because exercise is a good way to get out of your head and focus on moment-to-moment sensations, such as your breathing and movements.

    You Can Help Identify Your Sense Of Purpose By Asking:

    What To Do When Someone Tells You They Re Depressed
    • When do you feel the most fulfilled?
    • What brings you the most joy in life?
    • What do you admire or celebrate in other peoples lives?
    • What accomplishments mean the most to you?
    • If you had no responsibilities, what would you choose to do with your day?
    • Tell your life story to yourself. What would you like the next chapters to be?

    Also Check: How Is Depression Different From Sadness

    You Have A Critical Inner Voice

    Imagine how worthless youd feel if you had a verbally abusive friend, partner, or parent beside you at all times. Well, this is how it is for many people who are highly self-critical. Pay attention to your internal voice. Whats its flavor? If you find youre saying things to yourself that you would never say to a friend, its time to make a change. Studies have shown that self-compassion can be an effective intervention in treating depression. Therapy can be a wonderful place to learn the language of self-talk.

    The Risk Of Isolation

    It can sometimes be hard to explain your thoughts and feelings to others. You might find it difficult to talk about your depression and instead you might cut yourself off from other people. The more overwhelming your symptoms, the more isolated and lonely you might become.

    Without treatment and support, depression can have an impact on your relationships, work, finances and overall health, so it’s important to get help as early as possible. See our pages on treatment and support for more information.

    “It feels like I’m stuck under a huge grey-black cloud. It’s dark and isolating, smothering me at every opportunity.”

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    You Don’t Get Outside Enough

    When’s the last time you got outside surrounded by green? Recently, “ecotherapy” or “green therapy,” has popped up as a way to ease depression. Getting out into nature has been shown to foster mindfulness and feelings of calm. Try to fit a walk outside into your daily routineeven if it’s for only five minutes! If you live in a big city, make a point to hit up a park or shoreline.

    Reframe What You Think About Depression

    what to do when you feel like doing nothing (unmotivated, burnt out, unproductive)

    Simple steps can help you overcome inertia and move forward, even when you’re down.

    Depression can sap your motivation to perform even the simplest of tasks, let alone tackle bigger challenges. Research shows that depressed people have a harder time finding motivation to go to work, go out with friends, even clean the house.

    One way to be productive despite depression is to see depression as a habit, says Joseph Luciani, PhD, a psychologist in New York City and the author of Self-Coaching: The Powerful Program to Beat Anxiety and Depression. Viewing depression as a tendency rather than an illness puts you behind the wheel, so to speak, and may help you change your life. Here are 10 ways to find inspiration to take on daily life… despite depression.

    Also Check: Can Depression And Anxiety Cause Hallucinations

    Can Depression Make You Lazy

    Depression and laziness have, indeed, a bidirectional relationship. Fatigue, indifference, and lack of drive are typical symptoms of depression. The combination of these will likely make you feel and appear lazy. In turn, you may start avoiding productive pursuits, neglecting important responsibilities and not wanting to do much of anything. Over time this can become a maladaptive behavioral pattern submerging you deeper into your depression and perpetuating your lazy habits.

    Your Personal Life Is Off Its Rails

    Life is a mess. Your love life is non-existent, and you just canât get your sh*t together. Start de-cluttering your life. Begin by cleaning out your room and then get rid of the junk food.

    Get into nature. Walk the dog. Wake up with a rejuvenating swim in the ocean, go for a walk with a friend, drink more water. Sweat it out. A little bit of exercise can actually be refreshing.

    Read more inspiring blogs avoid toxic, negative relationships and focus on companies that inspire you, lift you up, and bring out the best in you. When the environment around us is positive and motivating, we begin to feel inspired and motivated, too.

    Additionally, when we get rid of external and internal baggage, theres more room for positive things to come into our lives so we can begin to feel better again. We feel more clear and motivated to achieve the things we want.

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    Common Signs And Symptoms Of Depression

    Here are some common signs of depression you may experience.

    How you might feel

    • guilty, worthless and down on yourself
    • isolated and unable to relate to other people
    • finding no pleasure in life or things you usually enjoy
    • a sense of unreality
    • avoiding social events and activities you usually enjoy
    • self-harming or suicidal behaviour
    • difficulty speaking, thinking clearly or making decisions
    • losing interest in sex
    • difficulty remembering or concentrating on things
    • using more tobacco, alcohol or other drugs than usual
    • difficulty sleeping, or sleeping too much
    • feeling tired all the time
    • no appetite and losing weight, or eating too much and gaining weight
    • physical aches and pains with no obvious physical cause
    • moving very slowly, or being restless and agitated.

    “It felt like I was really tired, all the time. I had no energy or emotion about anything.”

    Overeating And Weight Gain

    How to stop feeling tired and unmotivated

    Conversely, some people with depression may eat more than usual. For some individuals, food can be a comfort mechanism for negative feelings and a way to deal with boredom or loneliness.

    Depression can make it difficult for people to feel motivated to get outside or exercise. Combined with an increase in food intake, this can cause weight gain.

    Read Also: Cheek Swab Test For Depression

    You Have A Hormone Imbalance

    Imbalances or deficiencies in estrogen, progesterone, and cortisol are all correlated with depression. According to holistic psychiatrist Ellen Vora, M.D., “If your mood dips precipitously in the days before your period, or if you have irregular periods, acne, extremely painful menstrual cramps, or excessively heavy menstrual bleeding, those are red flags that hormone imbalance is an issue for you.”

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