I struggle at times with negative symptoms of schizophrenia. My mood is not depressed often, but I have a difficult time keeping things in order, especially organizing my house. It seems to me I have to have things perfectly clean or the opposite happens - just total chaos. Or I’ll read studies on bathing recommendations and focus on the ones that say you don’t need to bathe every day. I find people to help me clean house sometimes, so it’s not overwhelming. I try making lists. I’ve tried the tactic of working on one thing/one goal for the day. I am Dx’d with undifferentiated Schizophrenia but at times it seems to me like ADHD because I struggle to complete tasks. Maybe it’s a combination. I do have fears, but I do not hallucinate. Can anyone relate to this?
I can relate… as for tasks it always helps to make a list of things to do. For one, it helps you remember and two it reduces the stress of trying to remember, prevents forgetting, and helps you to prioritize what needs to be done first. I keep my list on my phone so I can add to it anytime I think of something. Then when I get something done I can delete it and feel good cause I made some progress.
Open them, and look around. Pick one thing you’re going to work on. Dishes, picking clothes up and putting them in a laundry basket, throwing away trash, clearing off a table - anything like that, but just pick one thing.
Commit to working on that one thing for 15 minutes. Don’t work on anything else, don’t let yourself get sidetracked.
At the end of 15 minutes, repeat the steps. Decide if you still want to work on that task, if you want to work on something else, or if you’re just plain done cleaning. Any of those answers is fine.
Every once in a while, we do a chore exchange here. For example, I’ll post that I need to take out the trash, and you’ll post that you need to take a shower. Then we’ll agree that I’ll do my chore if you’ll do yours, and we’ll meet back and report what we did.
These things really help motivate me when I’m feeling no motivation.
I am on the best medication for me, I no longer have psychosis, depression, mania, anxiety or insomnia. But I still have no interest in doing anything, even if you gave me endless money or could take me anywhere in the world. I don’t know what has happened to me.
I live in the USA, thanks for the welcome, I post occasionally. I do take medication Ambien, Wellbutrin and Abilify. Mostly I’m ok, just thought I’d post about things I do still struggle with and it seems some do relate.
I have this problem big time. Like @Rhubot said, I have to make lists and tackle one thing at a time. My lists have to be simple, well explained tasks, otherwise I get overwhelmed. I break each task down into smaller steps to make sure I do what I’m supposed to do.
Example:
Call Dr. “So-And-So” at 555-555-5555
* make appointment
* ask about that referral to Dr. “What’s-His-Bucket”
The example above tells me exactly who I need to call, what the number is, and why. Then I have a checklist to accomplish during that call / task.
I just do the stuff i have no choice in doing. If it’s a task that’s not necessary i wont do it. For example like u said u don’t need to shower everyday so i do it every 3-5 days.
@sleema It’s interesting that you call difficulty organising a ‘negative’ symptom. I am wondering whether you have difficulty organising as in it being an executive functioning problem(cognitive issue) , or whether you are ok at organising but lack the motivation to do so. It could of course be that both factors are relevant.
I have problems with organising/planning and get overwhelmed with multi step/sequential tasks. For me this results in backing away from tasks. A product of this is fairly low motivation.
I used to be very good at organizing things in my life, but have always sucked miserably at coordinating tasks of any size. This makes me a terrific 2nd in command, but a terrible leader.
Now the biggest problem for me is motivation of tasks…even things I want to do.
Seems like I’ve just given up on life.
I don’t think it’s a cognitive issue for me. I know what needs to be done, it’s a motivational issue. You make a strong point though. I had to think about that one.
I have difficulty with some things, like showering, cleaning my apartment, changing my clothes, doing dishes, making my bed and shopping. I solved some of these problems by: showering once a week, moving into an assisted living facility where they do my housekeeping for me, and doing all of my shopping either online or over the phone.