(11-28-2017, 10:17 AM)Rafterman Wrote:(11-27-2017, 03:33 PM)Glousck Wrote: Don't hit snooze! Seriously it's a difficult habit to get out of but you feel so much better getting out of bed straight away instead of turning snooze off every 10 minutes. I have a morning play list full of some of my favourite chill songs to wake up to so I can gradually start going about my day with. Two of the most effective methods are (1) exercising first thing to get the blood pumping even if it's just a ten minute jog and (2) a cold shower to get the blood pumping. Both are easier said than done though!
Thanks again, Glousck. I have successfully used the exercise method in past times. It worked for me when I was mildly depressed, but I had a lot of trouble with it first thing in the morning when I had major depressive disorder. I barely wanted to live another minute, much less do anything that required effort. I used to get emotionally stronger as the day went into night...probably because I was looking for to the oncoming sleep as a form of escape. I was a lifetime bodybuilder who thrived on the chemical rush of exercise. Now I am forbidden to even think about exercising, as I had a diagnosis of MND last year. They want me to baby every muscle. It sucks, because I know how hard it is to get happy without exercising. But I think that what you recommend would work for a good amount of people. Thanks for contributing to the thread. RM
I feel what you are saying in my heart because I have been in a similar situation to you. When you have major depressive disorder, anhedonia creeps in and you wonder what is the point of anything, least of all committing to anything positive is. It's totally understandable as to why you feel that way at night time too...i suppose for me it feels like a time when I'm allowed to be in bed doing nothing. So there's no reason to feel guilty at that time for being depressed and doing nothing, whereas I might feel differently during the daytime.
Again this is easier said than done (after all, if recovering from depression was easy then none of us would have it!) but routine is such a crucial thing for recovery also. This my to-do list/reminder list every day:
Wake up 8am
Get out of bed straight away
Make bed
Shower
Get changed
Breakfast
Brush teeth
Hair, moisturiser, make up
Put clothes in washing machine
Go for a walk
Speak to someone
Lunch
Tidy up
Hang clothes from the washing out to dry
Study
Speak to someone
Dinner
Wash plates up
Relax
Optional: Read DBT book
Wash face
Brush teeth
Get clothes ready for tomorrow
Settle down for bed by 10pm
As you can see its not an overly strenuous or exciting to-do list, it's more of a reminder of what needs to be done to get through the day. If my mood is decent then the list will only be glanced at a couple times a day, because I might be going to see some friends, to the gym or elsewhere which means I can't tick everything off that day. Plus when I don't feel like I'm achieving much, it's nice to say to myself at the end of the day...hey, well done, good job. That positive reinforcement is so important. I was having a discussion with my CPN (Community Psychiatric Nurse) and she said people with depression often speak to themselves in a negative way in their heads which reinforces their low moods because it's like being in an abusive relationship with yourself that you can't leave. So we have to try to make that relationship more manageable...if we are going to speak negatively to ourselves for doing something wrong, we might as well speak to ourselves in a positive manner to try and balance things out! So I started doing that step-by-step "Hey, you managed to get out of bed and into the shower, that's amazing! Well done you, you've made sure it'd going to be an awesome day now!". Did I believe what I was saying at first? God, no. But as time passes and you get into a routine of positive reinforcement, it starts to become second nature and you find yourself gravitating to that way of thinking naturally, and even believing what you are saying. We have to make an effort to be kind to ourselves because it is impossible to have a decent quality of life whilst you are being abusive to yourself in your head.
I don't know if you ever go on Reddit but on one of their subreddits a while back someone posted a thread saying "What can I say to someone who is depressed to cheer them up?" and everyone replied saying...you can't. There simply isn't a magical combination of words someone can spew from their mouths to make a person 'un-depressed'. At the same time, regardless of how strong we are, it is important to concede that it is 100x more difficult to go through this alone. When we withdraw away from friends, family, group activities, therapists etc then our condition inevitably gets worse. We are all human and it is not possible to feel good all the time. Reaching out to someone is NEVER a sign of weakness, no matter your age, gender, whatever, you should never keep your feelings bottled up. I have male friends who will sometimes cry if we are talking about something upsetting, and none of us ever think less of them for doing so. When it needs to come out, let it out.
So (1) routine, even if it's a basic one and (2) reach out to people. This doesn't mean people around you are responsible for your happiness - that is always in our hands, it is our own responsibility - but being around empathetic and understanding people does anyone a world of good. I feel like poor sleep is always a symptom of a bigger issue...if the rest of your life is chaotic or out of control then it seems inevitable that your sleep will not be 'normal'. Rome wasn't built in a day and although baby steps can be so frustrating, it is often the only way. I am not too familiar with MND but I am sorry you are going through this. When I have 50 posts if you ever need someone to speak to please don't hesitate to PM me. I'm hoping I'll get there in a week or so. It must be incredibly frustrating for you not to have the exercise option available to you after the life you've led with bodybuilding. Are you able to work with a physio at all or do something like Tai Chi or yoga? Do you have any understanding health professionals that you are working with? I apologise if I'm coming across ignorant at all. It's indeed shocking that we are living in 2017 and so many mental and physical health issues remain without appropriate and suitable treatments when millions and millions of people worldwide are suffering every day.