How do i get through my bad days? (stuck in a depressive loop)

[babybear]

Hey everyone. A little background: I have ptsd, depression, and GAD. The ptsd stems from a sexual assault/stalking incident from someone I knew and grew up with. Today my depression seems to be making all of my decisions. I need to get ready to get groceries, change my car's oil, and countless other chores that are overdue. But my mind and body are exhausted, telling me to lay in bed all day and that I should replay the trauma in my head and give myself a headache trying to think of "What if I had done this instead of that?" or "I should have done that instead." And then I feel guilty and shame for feeling like a lazy pile of bones. This is causing my symptoms to worsen, like a Catch-22 situation. How do you guys get out of this loop? How do you get the motivation to get out of bed on your worst days?

 

[Deleted member 541]

You wake up every morning at the same time and you get out of bed.
You have a plan for the day and you do it.
If you don't have a plan, you make one.
Then you do it.

Depression will take over if you let it, but having a purpose and doing something constructive will help... so get you butt out of bed and do something!!!!!

 

[ladee]

I do understand that kind of depression... and sometimes it is worse than others, but it is always there... so if you can't get out of bed... you do have the power in your brain to change the subject , so to speak... if you are ruminating about what you should have done... you know in your deepest self that serves no purpose... so you can instead of, think about what you can do today... you just make you mind think of something else... have something in mind... say, you are thinking of things past, have a plan to think of something else, like if you could start a flower garden... or what ever you are interested in... your brain has been allowed to rule you, so it's not going to give up easy....so when your brain starts with the old stuff... stop it... you stop it... and think of something else, it will be mentally exhausting, but you are already exhausted from doing it your way.... so at least you will be tired from trying something new...none of this learning a new way is easy... so put that part out of your mind...and you can even set up on the side of the bed to do the different thinking...it is proven, that movement helps depression... all that crap is stored in your body... get your body moving and it will help... even if you stand up and set down on the side of the bed ten times... you are letting your brain know you are taking your power back.... I have done some crazy things to shut my brain the hell up.... and some I even ended up laughing about... I am depressed as I write this... so I am not thinking of my own crap right now, I'm thinking of yours... LOL...

Get up, brush your teeth... you can do that... if you have to drag yourself in there... you can still do it...I really understand.

 

[anthony]

How do you guys get out of this loop?

You don't get motivated by laying in bed thinking 10, 20, 50 steps ahead in planning. That is why you're overwhelmed, revert back to depressed.

Baby steps is how you treat depression. Always has been, always will be.

Step 1 - Get out of bed.

Step 2 - What is the next single thing you do?

Step 3 - Only focus on the next single step ahead, no more.

Before you know it, you just got half your list completed, without stressing about what isn't done. You can do the rest another day. Prioritise -- that way priorities are complete, everything else can wait / simply not get done if not urgent. Every person only has so much time in a day, so much capacity, so much ability. Do what you can.

Then start the next day. You have a list of things, prioritised, but only focus on one task at a time.

> Get into shower.
> Wash.
> Dry.
> Get dressed.
> Eat.
> Get list and things needed for days outing.
> Go to your first task.
> Start task...
> ... onwards.

That is the simplest, most effective method to countering depression, each and every single day.

I have Major Depressive Disorder due to PTSD. Never had depression before it. Whilst most of my symptoms are under control, depression kicks my arse so fast if I don't continue repeating this very process, each and every day.

I literally still break down my day, one step at a time, one thing at a time. Then I move on to the next. That includes putting rests, eating, so forth, to ensure I can keep going in a healthy way during the day.

 

[Kodah]

I've kinda run out of things to do.

 

[Rani G2]

Babybear

How do you guys get out of this loop? How do you get the motivation to get out of bed on your worst days

Alarmclock with good music. No meditation stuff, something you like, fast.

Cold/ hot shower. Straight away .... for 5 mins.
Cold-hot....

Keep the music on during the whole shower.

Thats a small start.