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Old 11-10-2003, 12:39 PM   #3 (permalink)
lurkette
My future is coming on
 
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Man, does that sound like me a year ago, and I have to add a big "yup" to Cynthetiq's diagnosis of depression. That's what it was for me. Here are some things that worked to handle the depression so I could get motivated. One or more of them might work for you:

1. medication. I hated the thought of relying on drugs, but they kept my chemical processes under control long enough for my rational self to take over my emotions again.

2. exercise. Exercising 20 minutes a day has been shown to be as effective as medication in managing depression symptoms in many people. You have to be able to (heh) motivate yourself, though, or find someone who can kick your ass all the way to the gym or the track or the trail every day.

3. cognitive behavior therapy. This kind of therapy is very focused on re-working your negative thought processes - identifying your "cognitive distortions" that cause you to be un-motivated and negative and depressed. It's usually time-limited or goal-limited (e.g., your therapist says "let's work until you are feeling healthy and motivated for a whole week at a time") You can search for "cognitive behavior therapy" and read more about it on the web and look at the list of common cognitive distortions. There's also a book/workbook called "Feeling Good" that has some useful exercises.

As to what motivates me now that I'm feeling better, I'll second Cynthetiq's statement (again) that it's my own desires to do well, whatever that happens to look like. For me, it's a desire to contribute to society, and the desire to live a balanced life. I try not to do things that aren't in line with my values, and do only those things that contribute to my well-being. So some days that means playing with my dog instead of doing the laundry, because that's what I need on that day, but some days it means organizing all the closets because that's what makes me feel good on that day. It means doing my best at work because I want to learn and grow professionally and because what I do matters in the world, but it also means taking occasional goof-off breaks (like this one) for the sake of mental balance. All work and no play, etc.

Anyhow, you might want to take an online depression-screening test just to see if the shoe fits, and if it does, you can see any doctor who can work with you to find a treatment that works for you.
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