I just got a reply call from my doctor who was supposed to call me before her vacation in a time of urgency.
I have no will to do anything nor the pleasure to do anything. I find nothing interesting.
And she says “The less you do, the less you want to do!”
And that’s that.
I don’t agree to that. I don’t do anything because I don’t feel it. I don’t feel anything. And it’s not by forcing myself to do something (as I did sometimes) that the will and pleasure comes.
What do you think?? It really makes me angry these kinds of statements!
What do you think is stopping you finding something you enjoy doing? I know with me it’s all a thought process. The walls start to shrink and just what little is around me is my world. I can’t see the woods though the trees. Meaning my minds closed to what opportunities are out there for me. The more I start doing things. The world slowly starts to open up again.
Inertia is not the only possible explanation for being unable to “get off the dime.” Maybe other causes are involved.
It could be your living situation or it could be a health issue for example. I would certainly feel I was being brushed off with pop-psychology if I were in your shoes.
Some years ago I did some tests too assess what I liked. In a enormous list I put down just two down, for the sake of not putting any. I think I was broken, like when you break a twig, when I first got hospitalized for the first time 12 years ago. Tied up to a bed and drugged until I couldn’t walk straight and said what they wanted to hear out of fear.
I don’t think the APs help me that much, mainly in getting my will back to do anything. I don’t like being isolated and unable to enjoy anything (anhedonia perhaps) but the stupid saying that it is a basically a lack of will power sounds moronic to me. As you you, @Twang said, feel like I’m being sold something I don’t want to buy.
She said. We will do something about the medication. I will not allow an increase of medication for I am already down, but not in a depressed kind of way. Stupid guessing games with medications.
Have to kind of agree. Things get better…If you try to moderate exercise every day, it can go a long way to bringing up your energy & avolition. Add on activities as you want…You may just need to sleep for a while and not even stress. It’s probably some anger over the diagnosis or delayed opportunities. That is all perfectly normal. If you want to choose something symbolic to put it all behind you like a trip or camping, hiking thing in wilderness eventually…Maybe you can move on easier.
@Stillperkin I get depleted with even a mild 5\10 minute workout session. Then the days following I get no will to do anything. I get no motivation from nothing. I tried my art expression, blogging, exercise, cooking. It all vanishes away. That’s why I say the “The less you do, the less you want to do.” sounds a little fishy to me. There is something in there that isn’t quite right.
I’m not sure whether the phrase “The less you do, the less you want to do!” comes down to attributing a lack of willpower to you. In my experience, it is true that routines keep me going, and do seem to wake that flame of desire to do other stuff as well. Now, you might think, to get a routine going you first have to feel motivated to start it, such that it is a vicious circle you cannot get out of, (or cannot get into).
This is somewhat true, but in my case there are some tricks to get going. It can be very hard to rely on yourself to get the routines going, but if others rely on you, it gets a bit easier, in my experience. Whenever I commit to group activities, it is easier to stay committed than when I commit to solo-activities. I guess because I don’t want to disappoint, or because I don’t want to come across as unreliable - maybe it’s something else. In any case, if I commit to study in the library because I work better there, I might very well opt out or delay actually going there until there’s no point in going anymore. However, if I had agreed to meet a fellow student at 10 in the library, I will make sure I am there. It becomes a lot easier. Similarly, on a bad day I may not feel the motivation to cook, but if I have invited friends over for dinner I am much less likely to opt for a takeaway. So I would suggest to try committing to group activities. I think it will be a lot harder to opt out.
Many people do many things not because they want to, but because others expect them to do so. I think that with severe mental illness, there is not much expected from you and this can make it harder to just do things. And, as I do believe, this will in turn have affects on motivation.
@flybottle being committed to a group activity, or with just somebody else is a nice idea. I have no social ties with anyone. They all been severed. But even in the past when I invited people to do something of my own initiative the activity never happened. This was when I still had some resemblance of people in my life, now that I have none it’s out of the question.
I know I can do something if I just can feel that urge. I blame this on my bringing up and APs mainly. The first I can’t do much about it, but the second… let’s see until next week’s appointment… or Disappointment with the doctor.
Actually i agree with your doctor, but it is difficult to accept what is real.
The more you do, the better you will feel about doing, it has something to do with confidence, i for example, had a 10 days vacation last week, by the end of day 10 i was a complete failure in my eyes. nothing to make me want to get out of bed, how am i going to go to work again, what am i doing here. after two days of working i realize it is better now and i can resume duty and resume functionality. Yes, the less you do, the less you will want to do.
I understand how you feel. Negative symptoms are a big problem for my family right now. Everything you do feels like watching paint dry and it doesn’t seem to get better. I’m rooting for you. I hope you will find a way, as I’m sure we all will.
