In a funk - not excited about anything

[Booklover17]

Hi everyone,

For the past week I have felt deflated, dreading going to work and I have this heaviness in my chest. I am seeing a psychologist and do get anxiety and depression. I guess I just wanted to unload here a little and ask if anyone is feeling the same way or has in the past and what strategies you used?

[quirkywords]

Booklover,

I too liked your name and wanted to read your thread. I have a bookshop so naturally I am a. Booklover too.

You have received some helpful replies and interesting comments.

I find music , movement and audio books, or podcasts helpful when I find it hard to read.

I have been reading about the neuroplasticity of the brain like White Rose has mentioned.

I also read books about memory except I keep forgetting where I put my book on memory- sad but true!!

Do you find yourself doubting your ability to do things? I think just having a go, taking a plunge will give you confidence.

Quirky

[Peppermintbach]

Hi Booklover,

I find you very inspiring with your proactive approach to manage your mental and physical wellbeing 🙂 I keep thinking that I might like to try some yoga classes.

I’m very, very happy to hear yoga is helping you. Keep doing it if it helps. Also, it’s lovely to see the wonderful support from others here like Kanga, Mary and Quirky. Thanks for being part of the forum family and community, Booklover!

Kind and caring thoughts.

Pepper

[Booklover17]

Hi Mary,

Nice to hear from you again. Yoga can be really difficult. I am not good at the poses at all but you can start with easier poses (like I have done) which are poses like lying down with your leg in the air at 90 degrees or sitting up with a sort of twist to the side. I don’t achieve all the poses, I just have a go. I am not that into the gym either but I go sometimes. I have read a little on neuroplasticity - it’s fascinating. It is painful being a perfectionist. It is so hard to change though.

Hope you are doing ok.

[Booklover17]

Hi Quirky,

That’s amazing that you own a bookshop! I have worked in one before and loved it.

Yes, I frequently doubt my ability to do things. I try to do things anyway but it is hard.

[Booklover17]

Hi Pepper,

It’s nice to hear from you again. Thank you. I am not always proactive believe me. Probably like a lot of people on here, I struggle with my anxiety on some days more than others. It just depends. Yoga is good though, I listen to meditative music whilst doing it which is relaxing.

Hope you are doing ok.

[White_Rose]

Hello Booklover

How are you going? You wrote above.

I think mental health is like that - it makes you flat or anxious or whatever but also makes it very hard for you to think clearly and remember that there are things that may help.

You have put your finger on the right spot. Anxiety and Depression are both guaranteed to play with your mind. How to recognise this and take steps to keep going is the question. You actually started with this question and I am wondering if we have been any help. It's easy for anyone to say do this or that and it's equally difficult for the person concerned. Making plans is one thing, actually carrying them out is a whole new adventure.

I have activities that require me to be somewhere at specified times and in general I get there. Some of these activities are related to volunteering while some are just for me. Me activities are going to church on Sunday, meditating as part of a group and on my own, member of a book club and monthly meetings with the meditation group for discussions on whatever we choose. I like this one very much. At home I embroider and knit.

I believe it is important that we all have activities that are meeting our needs and those I have mentioned do that. The problem is one you have mentioned, motivation. I know I enjoy doing these things yet it can be so hard to get up and out. Excuses like it's raining, it's hot, I'm tired, something good on TV. I'm sure you get the drift.

I have been at one of my volunteer places all morning. I am a bit tired but not enough to need sleep. I can write to you and others on BB. All OK so far though it was chilly this morning and I really could have gone back to bed. Tonight is my meditation group which I find very helpful and enjoy. So how do I make myself go there? It sounds like a no-brainer. Just go because you will enjoy yourself and it's good for you.

I keep in the forefront of my mind that meditation starts at 7:00pm and keep referring to it by checking I have time to do other things, what time I need to leave. All very basic I suspect but it helps to create that expectation that I am going out regardless of anything else. I can always record TV programs. Keeping my mind focused on where I am going is a great help and I often remind myself how guilty I will feel staying at home, unless I am ill.

How does this strike you? Useful?

Mary

[Booklover17]

Hi Mary,

Thank you very much for your message. I have been feeling a lot better these past few days. A lot more positive. That’s great that you have set activities you go to every week. I think a routine is good. What you were saying about reminding yourself to go to various activities is really good and positive. I am sure, like me you may get in a funk sometimes and not want to go anywhere but going anyway can be a positive. I am getting better at changing my thought patterns. The way I have done that today is by asking myself - if I think in this way I will just feel bad and it won’t help me.

I hope you are having a good day.

[White_Rose]

Hello Booklover

A positive post, congratulations. As John Denver used to sing, "Some days are diamonds, some days are stone". Great self-talk making positive statements. For this to become as automatic as possible you need to practice this skill. There will probably be days when the negative talk will swamp the other unless you are tuning in to the positive thoughts.

I missed church yesterday because I could not get out of bed and I like going to church. If it was going shopping I would find it easy to stay home. Not keen on shopping. Not keen on company today but needed to return library books and get groceries, so I made the effort. And of course I felt happier with more energy by the time I returned home. Even better, I was able to welcome my study group this afternoon.

And I wondered why I allowed these negative thoughts to stay with me when I knew full well how to get rid of them. Truly we can be self-sabotaging at times. I am also learning to forgive myself. I had the habit of telling myself how stupid I was. Nothing like a self-fulfilling prophecy. All these sneaky little tricks the black dog puts into our minds via depression. We need to be on the alert to spot these tricks before they become ingrained.

We all have our methods of putting ourselves down, but thankfully we can also encourage and reward ourselves.

Mary

[Booklover17]

Hi Mary,

I am glad you got out of the house and felt better. We can definitely be self-sabotaging. I also do this. I try to remind myself not to, but as you probably know, feeling better is a fight and it is so easy to just keep going down the same negative path. I guess I have to remind myself that even though it’s a fight now, the rewards will come later when I feel better.

I hope you are feeling ok today.