"Get-up-and-go"
 

The phrase "get-up-and-go", having energy, drive, motivation, initiative etc.

One of the very things that is so difficult to have with some MH conditions such as depression.
But you find yourself wanting or needing that to help distract yourself and keep yourself busy for a number of reasons.

I lack it big time right now, I miss having at least that one day where I feel productive in something. Even cleaning the house top to bottom like I always did at least once a week.

For anyone who does manage to have the "get-up-and-go" to keep yourselves busy while suffering from a MH condition, what helps you to keep busy, to have the motivation to keep busy?

Perhaps you could make plans with friends or family occasionally, as being social can be really helpful and also once you've made the plans you will have a motivation to get up and go out as the plans have already been made.
You could also enrol in a class of some sort (dance, art, language, anything you're interested in), so that again you have a motivation get yourself out and about at that particular time and also having a routine of attending the class could be helpful.

In terms of general motivation, you could use a sticker chart to record tasks you want to complete and have some sort of reward system for getting lots of stickers in a day/week.

I struggle to leave the house due to how I am, so making plans to go out stress me out and make me very anxious especially if it's places I don't know or don't know very well. There isn't many social places that I am comfortable with as such.

Personally, for me a sticker chart wouldn't work, I make them for children and it would just make me feel even worse that I have to treat myself like a child in order to do anything.

I think I might just have to accept that when I'm in my depressive phases I won't do a lot and wait for the hypomanic phases to do as much as possible and try keep myself motivated as much as possible.

When I have really bad days, I feel like watching TV shows, gaming, or reading a book keeps me 'busy' and gives me a break from my thoughts. It works pretty well for me, and I can do it all in bed so on the days where bed is the only option, it helps me not just lay there and feel bad.

Today my mum asked if I'd like to meet her after work which requires me to have a bath, do my makeup, get dressed, and walk down there, but I really don't want to face the world, so I'm going to play a pc game and build a city

Do you have any professional support for your depression and anxiety relating to leaving the house?

Routine and alarms and sometimes forcing myself when I don't want to. Like most often I would opt to skip showering and dressing most days and walk around like that, but I know that's not normal or healthy so I will often force myself into the shower.

Also I start the day with breakfast and a relaxing activity, which stops me getting stressed as soon as I wake up. So this morning for example I read my running mag. Also exercise has helped boost my general motivation to do anything or go anywhere, sometimes you have to just start the motions going by moving. When you're still all the time it's easy to fall in the rut of staying indoors, watching tv all day and crawling back into bed (or submit to unhealthy ideas like overdosing and self harm)

I know I struggle so much more if I don't have alarms and to do lists and shceduled exercise times Without all that I smoke, drink, self harm, ruminate, and often end up worse. X

Thanks for the replies.

Pi.R^2 - Currently my only support for my depression and anxiety on leaving the house is my partner, he does help and he has learnt how best to handle me in a sense. We try go out and walk the dogs together as much as possible (not that often) and when I'm really brave, as such, we will go to the supermarket and shops. I absolutely point blank refuse town centres and places like that.
My GP has sent me to a place where I had an initial telephone assessment the other day that helps with stress, anxiety and depression mostly, to help this sort of thing. And will be getting another phone call in two weeks to follow up and discuss options.

Arienette - Thanks for the advice, I guess even just getting up to try do the simplest of things when not feeling like it will help get me moving and hopefully try keep me moving.

Luckily right now, I have a bit more motivation as I seem to be in a bit of a manic phase and accomplished a couple of things this week. But all your help and advice will come in handy when I go back to my motivationless mood.

I used to plan activities and rewards for when I had done them. I started off with one small thing a day and then built from there. Don't forget the rewards they really helped!! Even if it was something I would probably do anyway (like sitting with a cup of tea and biscuit) the idea of being able to say I was able to going to sit and have a reward gave me a bit of a boost.

I tried to do a mix of things in the house and out and about to tempt me out of the house once in a while.

I found it easier as well to built a bit of a routine to my days. E.g I would sit and eat lunch in front of the lunchtime news and watched a favourite tv show mid afternoon. It made it more natural to fit in a small activity in between the two or before lunch. Rather than having the big expanse of time to fill it was just a bit of time before X or Y.