Boredom, apathy and lack of motivation

[GreyGoose]

Greetings

Along with all of the other anxiety-related issues, I also experience bouts of depression from time to time which last anywhere from several days to a few weeks or longer. For the last 5 days, I've been having one of these bouts of depression and it has caused me to have a great deal of apathy and lack of motivation. I am also extremely bored and find no pleasure in almost anything I do lately. My mother and grandmother are the same way so I guess it runs in the family (genetic). I swear, I could hit the lottery for a few million dollars right now and still probably care less about it because I feel so emotionally numb.

Anyone else ever feel this way and how are you coping with it?.

- Regards, GreyGoose

[apple]

I am in the same boat as you right now GreyGoose.  No motivation at all because I get motivated when I'm interested in things, and content.  Right now I feel blah.  Which makes the things that need to be done that I really dont like doing very hard.  Like cleaning house and cooking...uhhh its pretty sad when my husband comes home from working all day and he gets soup or has to cook for the family.  I just get soo icky feeling I dont want to do it...and then I get mad at myself for not doing what I need to.      and then I get depressed and feel like he handles everything and I'm just a lazy lout and worthless as a Mom and wife, and then my anxiety builds up and I have another attack.  Crap...I need to take my pills

[GreyGoose]

Hi Apple

I hear you loud and clear. Sometimes even the simplest things can seem like major tasks when you lack motivation or interest - even things that would normally be fun to do. I enjoy cooking and preparing tasty and unusual dishes (sort of a "hobby" of mine I guess) and yet when I go through a bout of depression, I'm lucky if I can boil a pot of water. I feel sorry for my animals too because they probably are not getting as much attention as they should lately. I wish I had a magic "happy pill" I could take to make it all go away...for that matter don't we all

- Regards, GreyGoose

[itsmeesindee]

Been in the same boat guys.  I usually try and push my self to do little things then reward my self by flopping on the couch again lol.  Then a little while later I do it again and so on.   

It only makes me feel worse when I just lie there, but its all I want to do sometimes.

Cin

[NightOwl]

I am the same way right now, to go along with all of my anxiety.  I HONESTLY would not be that happy if I won millions of dollars right now either.  I would think "well what is the point of life anyway?  money doesnt matter" and other such negative, unmotivated thoughts.

[GMan86]

Depression without a doubt drains you of much needed motivation and energy. Life with anxiety 

[Cella]

I too am experiencing some depression w/ my anxiety(which is big time better than in beginning).  I monitor it w/ my therapist & so far, no med's - I am tolerating it/working through it. 

Mine is feeling tired even when I've had enough sleep.  In addition, I lack interest in hobbies, etc.  What I shared w/ my therapist(he'll give me the 3rd degree to make sure it isn't severe or inhibiiting my progress) is this, "depression makes me tired, lack of will, enthusiasm, & OOMPH".  It isn't something I can just snap out of .  However, what I can do - as I've noticed - is I DON'T WALLOW in it.  Meaning, if I have to cry, I do so & get it done w/(simultaneously figuring out WHY I am sad).  If I am tired, I will fight my darndest to not nap - if it is a bit too strong to fight, than I will lie dwn. As weak as I can be 0213 times, I force myself to accomplish something everyday: chores, laundry, dinner & for my spirit: a funny movie(eventually, you're gonna laugh), a good conversation w/ a friend, a cool & motivating song(I can't sing, but when noone is home, I think I am better than Whitney & Mariah) :lachen001: 

I know what I am feeling, I may not like it, I just try to not allow myself to become Depressions prishoner.

CELLA

[GMan86]

Good way to look at is Cella 

[Cella]

thks GMAN86

[adamb]

hey goose, i feel exactly the same way from time to time... i think its just our brains being fatigued from all the anxiety that we lose alot of emotions and motivation...
sometimes i feel like a close friend or relative could die and i wouldent feel a thing.
to me this is the worst symptom out of all of them because it literally makes me a different person.

[GMan86]

You bring up a great point adamb. I also think of situations as the one you just described. I guess I'm not going to know until it happens(God forbid), but there is a certain numbness to you when on medication.

[gloomy]

Thats another reason I came off meds I felt dampened down so much even my nice emotions like my brain had been hijacked.

[NightOwl]

Thats another reason I came off meds I felt dampened down so much even my nice emotions like my brain had been hijacked.

Another thing that bothers me about meds.  So I keep just hoping somehow I pull out of this like I have before. I try to avoid them unless I am plain desperate.  Still only taking klonopin right now, but the main stressor has come back again.  *sigh*

[gloomy]

You are doing really well coping without a constant medication, I know the lows are really low without any emotional crutch but at least happiness can be felt properly.  When I took effexor and seroxat I just seemed to go along on a constant baseline with no low and no high its almost like a half life, but when I get really anxious and stressed now I nearly go running back to them, its as if I cant handle any raw emotion especially rejection.  I overthink and overanalyse other peoples reactions and really criticize myself.  This is a seperate issue and a product of learned behaviour that I have had to address.  But I will never say never to the meds.

[apple]

Please cosider take a Vitamin B complex.  I have been taking them for 2 weeks and have noticed amazing results with my mood.  I dont even know what to write here I'm so excited.  I'm on soo many meds that even out my mood.  Even the happy nice ones, and now I'm experienceing the good ones again.  They really do help and help your energy levels too.  It may take up to a month for you to notice the results but what a great natural med free way to help yourself. 

[jerryilliniwek]

GAD person having some depression

These three symptoms describe a period that I went through a few weeks ago. Every few months I have a period of a few days where I can't get myself going.  This time, it lasted a couple of weeks.  I spent the whole weekend lying on the couch, and I skipped out on a few days of work.  I've typically written this off to just routine lack of motivation, but since this lasted so long and was associated with my oldest son leaving to college, it caught my attention.  I also had a few times at work where something triggered a sudden and deep sad feeling in me.  I'm doing well and addressing this with therapy.  (Usually, I only go to my therapist once or twice a year, but I'm on a weekly until I get a handle on this.)  My doctor (Psch) has also described added medication if I get in that state for more than a day.

I'm on medication for GADfor about three years and it works very well, but not perfectly as you all know.  I've a lot of success with rational cognitive therapy techniques.  This is the first time I've really recognized having depression seemingly separate from anxiety.   I take Lexapro and Clonazepam (Klonopin). 

Does anyone else have these kind of combined symptoms?  I'd be interested in hearing about it.

JerryIlliniwek