Motivation when you have depression.

Here is an article which you might find helpful.
http://depression.about.com/cs/altmedsjw/a/stjohnswort.htm
Hope you feel better.
Let us know how your chosen method of healing works out for you! :happy:

I've had severe depression for several years, it's only been a matter of months since I've had the mental energy to keep myself in some kind of shape. Getting a dog was the major stepping point for me, that forced me to move out of the house and walk. After a while I started to cut away some bad foods . Then I started to eat some healthy things. Then I started to cook a lot more. Then I started to work out.

Step by step progress is key I think, but sparking that will is largely dependant on the person and the current living situation. Dog was the spark for me, alongside therapy and meds.

When I was being seen for my depression, doctors always mentioned that exercise and eating better would make you feel better. Also, sleep. But, I always asked, how are you suppose to motivate yourself to do these things when you would rather not do anything (or in some cases, not even be here)? Without going into my struggle with depression too much, I DID finally realize that I was tired of hearing ideas/criticisms from others, and I had to figure out how to make it on my own. I'm not recommending staying away from meds and doctors... this would not be responsible advice... but that's what I did for myself. Then again, I am diagnosed with Dysthymia, and felt as though my unique fight with this disorder could handle it. I'm not sure what you or others here are dealing with.

So how did I finally get motivated? I was able to see my body slowly turning into a round mess. Stretch marks, stomach pains, not fitting into clothes anymore, etc. It's not pretty- and neither is depression.

Try to remember what you really like to do. What's your passion? If you aren't passionate about one now, are you interested in finding one? I used photography - and was able to capture my feelings through the camera lens. I also love music and listen to it all the time.

I hope you are able to find the motivation you need. There is a nasty stigma that goes along with depression... don't let others undermine your issues, but know that you CAN overcome them, once YOU decide how.

I wish that I could give you and myself the magic solution. I have dealt with depression and anxiety for as long as I can remember. When I started to loose weight in November 2013 it was due to a medical test result that scared me. Loosing a little bit of weight was the key.

I started with trying to just eat better one meal a day. And then after a few days try for a second meal. Or even just start with your snacks. Log everything, it helps you say tuned in. I didn't exercise at all until I had lost 30 pounds. It took me that long to begin feeling better. Even then it was agony to push myself to do a mile on the treadmill. Encourage yourself with small goals. If you are walking for five minutes push yourself to do an extra five minutes and so on.

When you are exercising listen to music or for me its a book on tape, that relaxes you. If you can tune the rest of the world out for 30 minutes or so it helps a lot. Also, Yoga is very relaxing. Even if you cant do all of the moves at first do what you can; the DVD's normally have relaxing music playing and then at the end there is a quiet mediation period.
The whole experience is relaxing in itself.

Good luck and remember you can do it

I've had depression for years and years and I'm on medication. But as much as I hate to admit it, because it seems so obvious now, exercise really does help. I'd read that for years, but I never thought I had enough energy to do more than a 10-15 minute walk. I'd feel maybe a little better, but nothing to write home about.

Then a couple of months ago I read about the 30 Day Shred on these forums, so I figured what the heck. I did it to lose weight...not to treat my depression. The first day sucked. Really, really sucked. I thought I was going to die, and I practically had to crawl up the stairs that night. But the next day I did it again, and it sucked ever so slightly less. The third day after the nearly 45 minutes it took to recover from Jillian's sadism, I discovered something...I was happy. Not just not depressed, but really happy. It lasted all evening. The next day, even though I didn't feel like it, I did it again. And again I was happy afterwards.

So what I discovered is that what helps for me is strenuous exercise...a stroll through the park helps a little bit, but not like one of Jillian's videos or like running (which I've also started doing). I figure it's a combination of physical...the body's own endorphins that are released as a result of stress and pain; and also psychological. I feel really proud of myself for doing something hard.

I suffer from severe clinical depression. It comes in waves...and some of those waves are so strong that they literally knock me down for weeks. It's exhausting, frustrating, maddening, and...well...depressing. I, too, agree 100% with those that stated that poor diet and lack of exercise makes depression so much worse. Much of my depression is so deeply rooted in my lack of self-worth and low self-esteem (but that's a topic for my therapist!). And what makes it difficult is that, for me, it's all a very vicious cycle. My low self-esteem leads to depression, depression leads to inactivity, inactivity leads to over-eating (which I ALWAYS do when I'm bored/depressed), over-eating leads to shame, and that shame leads to lower self-esteem, which leads to worsening depression...and so on and so on. I have found that the only thing that breaks my chain of depression is eating healthier and exercising. It's not easy, by any means. Some days, I truly don't even think I can muster the strength to get out of bed. But I do. And I'm TRYING to force myself into habits...healthier habits. I'm a work in progress, as we ALL are. I'm not perfect. I make mistakes. I slip into old (bad) habits. And I don't always succeed at what I put my mind to. But I'm also human. And I'm learning to go a little easier on myself and NOT buy into the things that I have been taught to believe about myself (that I'm no good, that I'm not worthy of love, that I'm a loser, that I'm never going to amount to anything, etc). We are ALL beautiful people, and we are ALL just trying to be a little bit better. That's why we're here, isn't it? I find that I am much more successful when I set small, realistic goals. I don't have to run a marathon tomorrow or lose all of my weight in a week. I certainly didn't gain my weight (or bad habits) in a week! So if you're suffering from severe depression, as I do, it might serve you well to set small goals, and celebrate EVERY SINGLE VICTORY...even if it's just one pound. The mere fact that you are here, that you are trying to make changes, and that you are reaching out is a HUGE step...and one that you should definitely celebrate...just not with an entire chocolate cake! Good luck to all...and continue to stay positive. You will have set-backs. That's life. It's how you handle those set-backs that make the difference! Cheers!

I can not cry and run at the same time !
I also try to listen rather then talk.
and prayer !

LOL!!! I CAN!! And I do!
Exercise DEFINITELY reduces depression dramatically, and NOT exercising increases it dramatically.
Wrestling with God in prayer, while power walking, absolutely!!!

Love the "wrestling with God in prayer" statement! I'm not spiritual, though, so I wrestle with my boss while walking You can't imagine the mean things I do to him when I'm walking!

I have found that eating poorly and not exercising make my depression much worse.

Agree 100% with the above. When I don't exercise for more than a week I get incredibly depressed. I went through a 2-year bout of depression and the only thing that pulled me out was forcing myself to work out on a regular basis. I still experience it from time to time, but it's MUCH more manageable when exercising daily.

I'm finding it really hard to even find the motivation to start exercising. I'm lethargic and in a serious state of self pity, i hate myself but I really just cant find the will to change myself.

I had this epiphany that I felt less depressed/guilty when I was being productive while lying around trying to make it through the next hour -- ie, if the dishwasher or washing machine was running.

Then I realized if I stuck to my calorie intake, I WOULD be productive while lying around -- always. The weight would creep off slowly. That gave me a little glimmer of hope.

Realize that you don't have to push yourself and go crazy with exercising right away. If all you can do is make it through the day, just make it through the day while sticking to your calorie goal. It's one small responsibility you can handle. his helps.. it's the only way I get by! Add me if you need support!

This. You need to take control. Start chalking up the little victories so that you can see that YOU ARE WORTH FIGHTING FOR. You DO matter.

I know it feels like your whole body is filled with sand and you can't face cleaning your teeth let alone working out, but you have it in you to put your shoes on and go for a walk today. Then do it tomorrow, and then the next day. Once you start getting that sense of control back, your depression will begin to lift.

Depression is an illness and you need to learn your coping mechanisms. It's different for everyone, but a common thread in depression is feeling a lack of control over your life. So start taking control with baby steps. Make "KAIZEN!" your new mantra:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kaizen

And good luck. You're not alone.



Edit: I want to give you a little example of how I dragged myself up out of a 2 year long depressive episode. It was so bad at one point that I would go to bed crying and pray to not wake up. There were lots of reasons for it, and I (just) managed to keep my job, but everything else in my life completely collapsed.

So, one day, I was on the sofa watching telly, on yet another "sick" day, eating crap because I couldn't face cooking and was still in my pyjamas at 2pm. I looked around the living room, which was a complete state. I told myself that I would get up in the next ad break and do housework as long as the ad break was on (like, 3 minutes?). I did it and I felt so good about it that I did it again. And again. And again. But that's all I did that day. I watched telly (still eating crap) and did housework in the ad breaks. By the time I went to bed that day, I'd cleaned the whole house.

It was the beginning for me. Many, many years later, I now recognized I had depression, have learned to recognize the signs and have learned to deal with it. I've since married, quit my boring *kitten* job and started my own business.

And all because, one day, I took baby steps. I did what I could cope with and built from there.