How Do You Help Yourself

[The Albatross]

I do like the Niki commercial and tend to "do it anyway". Do whatever it is that is pressing, or needs doing either for home or my job. I deal with the rest afterward. I won't let depression immobilize me anymore. Stoic is maybe no way to go through life, but it is better than depression. It is harder to hit a moving target, and if I can get moving and doing, I can distract myself a good part of the time. Am I still depressed? Well yes. Is is debilitating or paralyzing? Nope.

I can sit on the bench or duck under the covers or I can get back in the game. I keep suiting up and showing up, and have been waiting for something significant to shift so that I can enjoy my days more. It could happen, but it certainly won't happen if I'm not where I can see new opportunities.

 

[piratelady]

Don't people find that sometimes you force yourself and it's worse than not trying at all?

I will say making a goal of exercising and now not being able to has made me feel a lot worse. I just feel like I should be able to "do" something to fix this, but I just can't seem to.

Alb, I like the idea of just pushing through and doing what needs to be done. The problem I'm finding is a complete lack of energy. I just have nothing to give. Even when I come home, making a meal or turning on the TV requires more effort than I have. I am still going to work, but to make it through the day seems to take everything I have. What I can't figure out is how to get past that.

 

[Innordinate]

OK so acknowledge your lack of energy and find out what you did do today.

You DID go to work.

you DID get out of bed.

Did you eat?

Stop hating yourself P. You are doing things. Like, just your ability to go to work frikin' amazes me! That takes energy. So, you're using all your energy for that. Don't worry about it right now. As you get better you'll be able to do more.

 

[SweetPeaandSunBird]

This is really a silly question, but do you take any vitamin supplements? I've added a multi-vitamin, extra vitamin C (for me because I'm a smoker), vitamin E plus (during the winter due to SADD), and fiber pills. My boyfriend nagged and nagged me to take some vitamins, but I was stubborn about it for years. Now that I've been taking them for over a year, I can tell a difference regarding the fatigue.

Anyway, certainly vitamins aren't a cure-all. There is no snappy cure-all for us, just things to help us keep moving and improving to get to the groovin'. (Sorry but I'm a 70s kid:whistling:)

My new psyche put me on Mirtazapine (in addition to the Cymbalta) in January, and that combination (with the vitamins) have helped with my fatigue...a lot. I still have some days (the hectic, chaotic, supper stressuful days) when the meds can't tackle it as well. (READ: nap, plus the need to set three different alarm clocks!)

Regardless, don't give up, don't give in, but do give of yourself back to yourself because you're still here and still working in a conscious way -- which is, in and of itself, a LOT of work that requires a LOT of dedication.

Here's a wish for good rest for you tonight.

 

[cherryblossom]

during the winter due to SADD

Please don't use abbreviations/ acronyms that people may be unfamiliar with. See [DLMURL]https://www.ptsdforum.org/c/threads/use-of-text-speak-and-abbreviations-when-posting.30234/#post-484955[/DLMURL]

Do you mean Seasonal Affective Disorder (S.A.D.) or something else?

 

[piratelady]

I decided yesterday to buy some 5-HTP and try that. I'm not sure what else to do. I hope if it can give me a little boost, I can do the things above and dig myself the rest of the way out.

I did reach out to my therapist for an appointment this week. He had a cancellation, but I didn't see his offer for the appointment in time, so I missed it. I doubt he'll have another opening before my scheduled one next week.

 

[SweetPeaandSunBird]

Please don't use abbreviations/ acronyms that people may be unfamiliar with. See [DLMURL]https://www.ptsdforum.org/c/threads/use-of-text-speak-and-abbreviations-when-posting.30234/#post-484955[/DLMURL]

Do you mean Seasonal Affective Disorder (S.A.D.) or something else?

My apologies, yes, Season Affective Disorder.

 

[Hashi]

I did reach out to my therapist for an appointment this week. He had a cancellation, but I didn't see his offer for the appointment in time, so I missed it. I doubt he'll have another opening before my scheduled one next week.

I'm sorry. It sounds like you're having a horrible time and could have done with seeing him.

piratelady, do you have to make yourself do things when things are so bad? I think often going to work is enough. I find there are times I can't get past that and just have to be there.

I also like pushing through things, I've done it for most of my life and wouldn't have had a life at all without it. There are times that the energy just can't be found, though. Those times don't last forever. I wonder if it's more about knowing when to try, and being able to feel at peace with the times when it's never going to happen.

 

[Deleted member 12723]

I manage to keep things running around here. I do them one thing at a time as soon as possible. It is the bigger things that I do not have any motivation for. I have to tackle the bigger things too.

I have so much going on in my life right now that I am being gentle on myself. Great thread.

 

[piratelady]

I wonder if it's more about knowing when to try, and being able to feel at peace with the times when it's never going to happen.

I think there is merit to what you said above. It's just that, as we say at work, I'm a "do-er." I feel so horrible and I feel like I should be able to do something to make it better. I know the things that will help, I just need to do it. I just want this to stop.

When I go to work it is almost manageable. I am distracted for a lot of the day by the things I need to get done. Then I come home and can't do anything else. So, I stare off into space and start crying. Part of me thinks if I were doing something to help myself the evenings wouldn't be so bad.

I don't know, I guess I'm just feeling desperate or something.

 

[SweetPeaandSunBird]

(((PirateLady)))

Today's been a tough mindset of a day for me, too -- stagnation, rage, depression. I've had to "baby-sit" myself all day.

Hang in there as best you can. On days like these, that's a lot. (((Warmth)))

 

[safenow]

I taped a spoon to my grounding teddy bear. It reminds me of the spoon theory. If you have never read it, I recommend you do. It just might help. [DLMURL]http://www.butyoudontlooksick.com/wpress/articles/written-by-christine/the-spoon-theory/[/DLMURL]

I have multiple sclerosis (MS) on top of everything else that's going on, and some days, I'm just grateful to get out of bed. Then, you add cancer on top of that, and the pain is so damn bad, even when I can get out of bed, I don't want to. Then, last year that stupid stalker, I was ready to throw in the towel.

Then, I found this place. Who knew you all could give me hope to keep going? Who knew, I'd find good information that gave me hope? Who knew I would ever tell anyone who I am and why I am who I am? Who knew I can offer tidbits of help to others? Thank you everyone for the great information on this thread. Thank you piratelady for starting this thread.