1. < Depression & Anxiety

Doing things to relieve depression... Motivation and ideas

Posted by mscosette @mscosette, Mar 22, 2018

Hi I just started with Mayo Clinic connect yesterday. I noticed a couple people commented on motivation. This is something that I definitely can relate to and would like to discuss with others.
I have struggled with depression since my teens I and now 57 I've been seeing a wonderful psychiatrist for many years, take depression meds, and have been in and out of therapy. My clinical depression is pretty well controlled.
However I am finding myself very lonely and vulnerable.
And I want to fight this. There are things I know I need to do that would help me. But I'm not doing them.
Basically I sleep, work, watch TV and overeat at times.
My goals right now are to exercise, do what I need to do to be around people more. Really anything rather than watching television all evening would be better for me.
What has worked for other people? I thought it would be helpful to have people that I can share these types of issues with.

Interested in more discussions like this? Go to the Depression & Anxiety Support Group.

jo2010 | @jo2010 | May 3, 2018
In reply to @parus "Lonely and vulnerable are uncomfortable. I am lonely because of not wanting to be vulnerable to..." + (show)
@parus

Lonely and vulnerable are uncomfortable. I am lonely because of not wanting to be vulnerable to others. The old push me, pull me thing. I am in too much physical pain to volunteer. I try to get motivated to do things and can not find a valid enough reason to try and accomplish anything-why bother?

Jump to this post

I'm outta here.

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cognac | @cognac | May 4, 2018

mscosette, hi, and welcome. I know this will sound dumb, but depending on where you live and who your insurance is with, have you considered joining "Silver Sneakers"? I was in the same boat as you as far as exercising and I found a small gym that has this program. It's free to you because many insurance companies cover it 100 percent. My place is open 24-hrs a day and consequently has security cameras EVERYWHERE. While going, I really enjoyed it. I had an accident in my backyard so I haven't been in a while and miss it. Hope this helps. @cognac

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Lisa Lucier | @lisalucier | May 4, 2018
In reply to @joanm65 "Hi Lisa: I am almost constantly depressed as a result of PTSD after being caught in..." + (show)
@joanm65

Hi Lisa: I am almost constantly depressed as a result of PTSD after being caught in a fire. This has led to agoraphobia and of course, depression. I am a senior and have trouble getting up from low chairs, which makes it very hard for me to go out and eat, because mostly those chairs are too low for me to get up and out of them, so I do not get out much and I am very, very lonely--thus the depression that I cannot seem to shake.

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Hi, @joanm65 -- my goodness, you've most assuredly been through some severe trauma if you've been caught in a fire.

A couple discussions relating to loneliness you may want to check out and perhaps participate in are:
- https://mayocl.in/2HRsCGw
- https://mayocl.in/2HSg0ij

If -- and only if -- you feel comfortable sharing about it, would you tell us a bit about what happened with the fire?

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Lisa Lucier | @lisalucier | May 5, 2018
In reply to @parus "Lonely and vulnerable are uncomfortable. I am lonely because of not wanting to be vulnerable to..." + (show)
@parus

Lonely and vulnerable are uncomfortable. I am lonely because of not wanting to be vulnerable to others. The old push me, pull me thing. I am in too much physical pain to volunteer. I try to get motivated to do things and can not find a valid enough reason to try and accomplish anything-why bother?

Jump to this post

Hello, @jo2010 -- Your image of the animal with the paper bag over its head is very intriguing. Is it by chance your own art?

You've given a lot of fabulous ideas for dealing with inertia and lack of motivation in the face of depression. Do you have a diagnosis of depression?

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jo2010 | @jo2010 | May 6, 2018
In reply to @parus "Lonely and vulnerable are uncomfortable. I am lonely because of not wanting to be vulnerable to..." + (show)
@parus

Lonely and vulnerable are uncomfortable. I am lonely because of not wanting to be vulnerable to others. The old push me, pull me thing. I am in too much physical pain to volunteer. I try to get motivated to do things and can not find a valid enough reason to try and accomplish anything-why bother?

Jump to this post

The cartoon is not mine. It is from Looney Tunes. Sylvester the cat embarrasses his son, who put the bag over his head and says, "The shame of it all!" Reading @parus' most recent msg at the time, I thought this is how the writer might feel, I used it to try to communicate empathy.
I was diagnosed with MDD in 1999, 6 mos. after I got married. Soon divorced over incompatibility, nearly 20 years ago.

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Lisa Lucier | @lisalucier | May 8, 2018
In reply to @lisalucier "Hi, @bykrchic -- getting out of the house, connecting and exercising all sound like great tactics..." + (show)
@lisalucier

Hi, @bykrchic -- getting out of the house, connecting and exercising all sound like great tactics to help relieve some of the symptoms of depression.

If you feel comfortable sharing, @bykrchic, do you also have a diagnosis of depression? If so, how have these tactics helped you?

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How are things going, @bykrchic?

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Mentor
Teresa, Volunteer Mentor | @hopeful33250 | May 16, 2018

Hello All:

Today I received an email from Everyday Health and they had an interesting presentation on non-antidepressant methods of relieving depression. Take a look and let me know if you have tried any of these and if they have been helpful.

https://www.everydayhealth.com/pictures/promising-non-antidepressant-therapies-depression/?xid=nl_EHNLhealthyliving_2018-05-16

Teresa

REPLY
2 replies
jo2010 | @jo2010 | May 16, 2018
In reply to @parus "Lonely and vulnerable are uncomfortable. I am lonely because of not wanting to be vulnerable to..." + (show)
@parus

Lonely and vulnerable are uncomfortable. I am lonely because of not wanting to be vulnerable to others. The old push me, pull me thing. I am in too much physical pain to volunteer. I try to get motivated to do things and can not find a valid enough reason to try and accomplish anything-why bother?

Jump to this post

@genmax:
When you wrote, "I wouldn’t even consider quoting platitudes to you." that came across as a "dig" or a "snipe" if you will, about my post. I do not feel that to be appropriate, if so. Perhaps it is just the medium? But since you seem to be a caring, concerned, involved post-er here - and on may other pages of Mayo Clinic Connect - I thought I would let you know. Perhaps doing so will help someone else in the future, whom you may impress like that on electronic media.
I un-followed this whole Group because of your post. I have major depression, and I had gotten fired that day. It was just too much. I'm happy to let you "take over".
I do not expect - or want - any reply or further comments. Still processing what I can't un-read.

REPLY
cognac | @cognac | May 16, 2018
In reply to @hopeful33250 "Hello All: Today I received an email from Everyday Health and they had an interesting presentation..." + (show)
@hopeful33250

Hello All:

Today I received an email from Everyday Health and they had an interesting presentation on non-antidepressant methods of relieving depression. Take a look and let me know if you have tried any of these and if they have been helpful.

https://www.everydayhealth.com/pictures/promising-non-antidepressant-therapies-depression/?xid=nl_EHNLhealthyliving_2018-05-16

Teresa

Jump to this post

Theresa, I've tried the headband with the battery powered electrodes from FisherWallace. It didn't work for me, but that doesn't mean it wouldn't work for someone else. Cognac

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Mentor
Teresa, Volunteer Mentor | @hopeful33250 | May 16, 2018
In reply to @hopeful33250 "Hello All: Today I received an email from Everyday Health and they had an interesting presentation..." + (show)
@hopeful33250

Hello All:

Today I received an email from Everyday Health and they had an interesting presentation on non-antidepressant methods of relieving depression. Take a look and let me know if you have tried any of these and if they have been helpful.

https://www.everydayhealth.com/pictures/promising-non-antidepressant-therapies-depression/?xid=nl_EHNLhealthyliving_2018-05-16

Teresa

Jump to this post

@cognac

Thanks for checking in with us and mentioning your experience.

Teresa

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