![[dr. bob]](/dr-bob-sm.gif)
Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 6 of 6. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by emily on August 18, 2000, at 15:51:10
Hi. I have been dealing with depression (dysthymia?) for as long as I can remember. During the worst times, I feel compelled to NOT do the things that would seem to make the most sense--like exercising, eating well... Going to therapy and taking meds (just started) feels okay--even good. But making other commitments feels impossible. Has anyone had any luck with treating themselves with kindness when faced with low motivation? I feel stuck in an angry-at-self cycle...
Posted by tina on August 18, 2000, at 16:09:57
In reply to try?, posted by emily on August 18, 2000, at 15:51:10
Hi Em:
What you're feeling is normal hun. That's one of depression's major symptoms. Give yourself some time on the meds and with therapy, it'll improve with patience. In the mean time, try to think of the things you like about yourself and things you like to do and concentrate on those instead of the angry at self stuff. This will pass, just give yourself a break. Be good to yourself and the rest will sort itself out.
Best wishes and hugs
Tina
Hi. I have been dealing with depression (dysthymia?) for as long as I can remember. During the worst times, I feel compelled to NOT do the things that would seem to make the most sense--like exercising, eating well... Going to therapy and taking meds (just started) feels okay--even good. But making other commitments feels impossible. Has anyone had any luck with treating themselves with kindness when faced with low motivation? I feel stuck in an angry-at-self cycle...
Posted by stjames on August 18, 2000, at 17:21:53
In reply to Re: try?--Emily, posted by tina on August 18, 2000, at 16:09:57
You need to give the meds 1-2 months to see a difference; Differences due to thearpy may take
longer. It is usually a slow fall into depression
so the climb up takes time, too.james
Posted by emily on August 19, 2000, at 11:07:58
In reply to Re: try?--Emily, posted by tina on August 18, 2000, at 16:09:57
Thanks, Tina. I think I'm afraid to feel better, resistant to healing. If this shifts, then everything will shift... Maybe I will give the meds a chance and see. It feels good to connect. Thanks.
> Hi Em:
> What you're feeling is normal hun. That's one of depression's major symptoms. Give yourself some time on the meds and with therapy, it'll improve with patience. In the mean time, try to think of the things you like about yourself and things you like to do and concentrate on those instead of the angry at self stuff. This will pass, just give yourself a break. Be good to yourself and the rest will sort itself out.
> Best wishes and hugs
> Tina
>
>
> Hi. I have been dealing with depression (dysthymia?) for as long as I can remember. During the worst times, I feel compelled to NOT do the things that would seem to make the most sense--like exercising, eating well... Going to therapy and taking meds (just started) feels okay--even good. But making other commitments feels impossible. Has anyone had any luck with treating themselves with kindness when faced with low motivation? I feel stuck in an angry-at-self cycle...
Posted by tina on August 19, 2000, at 18:56:51
In reply to Re: try?--Emily, posted by emily on August 19, 2000, at 11:07:58
Self-sabotage is a major theme in my life Em. I always seem to do the things that are or will e the wrong thing in the end. It IS the depression that causes these priority shifts so don't worry too much. Settle back and accept the fact that you have a chemical problem that needs time to be fixed and try not to put the blame on yourself. I wish you the very best
Feel free to email me if you want to talk
jcsb1@altavista.com
Keep in touch
Tina> Thanks, Tina. I think I'm afraid to feel better, resistant to healing. If this shifts, then everything will shift... Maybe I will give the meds a chance and see. It feels good to connect. Thanks.
>
> > Hi Em:
> > What you're feeling is normal hun. That's one of depression's major symptoms. Give yourself some time on the meds and with therapy, it'll improve with patience. In the mean time, try to think of the things you like about yourself and things you like to do and concentrate on those instead of the angry at self stuff. This will pass, just give yourself a break. Be good to yourself and the rest will sort itself out.
> > Best wishes and hugs
> > Tina
> >
> >
> > Hi. I have been dealing with depression (dysthymia?) for as long as I can remember. During the worst times, I feel compelled to NOT do the things that would seem to make the most sense--like exercising, eating well... Going to therapy and taking meds (just started) feels okay--even good. But making other commitments feels impossible. Has anyone had any luck with treating themselves with kindness when faced with low motivation? I feel stuck in an angry-at-self cycle...
Posted by cmm on October 4, 2000, at 23:46:27
In reply to Re: try?--Emily, posted by tina on August 19, 2000, at 18:56:51
I know it's been a while since people wrote here, but I just found the web-site and wanted to say (Emily) that you sound exactly like what I think. I've been in therapy but am not now (where I live now, it's very difficult to find anyone and enormously expensive - I tried one woman for a few months, but eventually accepted that I had no respect for her and that wouldn't change). And I just started medication a few weeks ago - but that's exactly the end of what I've tried to do recently to change my life. I eat horribly (but no bulemia - something which has been a problem, and which I'm a tiny bit proud of avoiding) - no exercise, and the worst, absolutely no attempt to reach out into the world. I look forward to the weekend, when I can climb into my apartment and hide from everything, and I hate (but am a little bit grateful) to my job for making me leave my cocoon. Now that I've started medication, it's like I've entered this purgatory of waiting for a magical change to pull me out of my habits.
Anyway, I just wanted to say that I entirely understand what you wrote - and although I have no ideas about what to do to get out of the pits we did ourself into, you made me fele better by being so exactly right on in your description.
> Self-sabotage is a major theme in my life Em. I always seem to do the things that are or will e the wrong thing in the end. It IS the depression that causes these priority shifts so don't worry too much. Settle back and accept the fact that you have a chemical problem that needs time to be fixed and try not to put the blame on yourself. I wish you the very best
> Feel free to email me if you want to talk
> jcsb1@altavista.com
> Keep in touch
> Tina
>
> > Thanks, Tina. I think I'm afraid to feel better, resistant to healing. If this shifts, then everything will shift... Maybe I will give the meds a chance and see. It feels good to connect. Thanks.
> >
> > > Hi Em:
> > > What you're feeling is normal hun. That's one of depression's major symptoms. Give yourself some time on the meds and with therapy, it'll improve with patience. In the mean time, try to think of the things you like about yourself and things you like to do and concentrate on those instead of the angry at self stuff. This will pass, just give yourself a break. Be good to yourself and the rest will sort itself out.
> > > Best wishes and hugs
> > > Tina
> > >
> > >
> > > Hi. I have been dealing with depression (dysthymia?) for as long as I can remember. During the worst times, I feel compelled to NOT do the things that would seem to make the most sense--like exercising, eating well... Going to therapy and taking meds (just started) feels okay--even good. But making other commitments feels impossible. Has anyone had any luck with treating themselves with kindness when faced with low motivation? I feel stuck in an angry-at-self cycle...
This is the end of the thread.
Psycho-Babble Social | Extras | FAQ
Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.org
Script revised: February 4, 2008
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/cgi-bin/pb/mget.pl
Copyright 2006-17 Robert Hsiung.
Owned and operated by Dr. Bob LLC and not the University of Chicago.