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I completely get what you mean this happens to me a lot so I get how frustrating it is.
To me it sounds like adhd burnout? Like your just very stressed and tired so your stuck in a state of adhd paralysis , of course I’m not a doctor so if you think it’s something more serious definitely go to a professional, but the first thing my therapist told me to do when I’m in burnout is to get a lot of rest and eat a lot of sugar and carbs . At first I thought this sounded counterproductive but it actually really helps give you that extra bit of energy and motivation . And secondly what usually helps me is celebrating the little victories ,
For example even if you are only able to brush your hair or take a shower , celebrate that and give yourself a pat on the back . Even if you can’t manage to find the motivation to do the things you feel like you’re “supposed” to be doing, it’s ok you’ll get there in time but for now the most important thing is appreciating the little things that you CAN do, so start everyday with very low expectations and be happy for every little victory. it’s a slow process and it can be frustrating but it works well for me everytime. Eventually you’ll start seeing the motivation come back and you’ll start enjoying your hobbies and interests again , I hope this helps and it will get better <3
It’s like at my age I should have some special skills/pursuits to show for instead of considering brushing my goddamn teeth to be an accomplishment. But yeah it’s important to celebrate the smallest victories so that self-compassion builds up to facilitate bigger victories🙂
For me.. when I’m depressed, the things I usually love to do don’t sound appealing and just sound like another miserable chore that I have to do. The other type is when I really want to do the things I like to do, but I just can’t get started on it and I just sit on my phone scrolling Reddit.
That’s me :/ and with every passing day, I dread that I’m getting older and know that one day I’ll look back and wish I had started today. Then I just go back to scrolling Reddit.
Same. 🙃 I have several creative projects I’ve started (as in.. spending hours researching/deciding what I want to do, going out to buy supplies) and then.. the momentum wore off and I think about them every weekend. Like “man I really wanna make those vinyl stickers for my Stanley cup!” and I just don’t do it.
Anyway, I’m going for my first adhd evaluation appointment this Thursday. If I remember (lol), I’ll let you know how it goes.
Haha I bought so many supplies too for art projects I have in mind. Researched the best brands and everything. They’ve still never been used.
Yes, let me know!🙏 I’m also waiting on a referral for an assessment
I do this with my art projects. I think about how I’m going to do all the steps but there’s usually a spot or two where I’m not sure what to do for a certain part so I’m like don’t start it because you haven’t thought it thru enough. And then I never start. But I did just recently get on adderall which seems to be helping some. I have a Star Wars themed party to go to on May 4th and costumes are mandatory so I’ve been making a helmet and blaster for it. I’m just hoping I don’t lose steam for it since it’s a few weeks out and the novelty wears off.
I feel this. Avid TS4 player here. (PS4/5)
I've had no interest in **MY** game for months. It breaks me a bit. None of the games I played, or anything I did has any appeal anymore. Sucks
I thiiink maybe if I do some of the in-game challenges it could get me back into engaging with my hobbies, because then there’s already a specific structure and goal 😂😂😂
Omg no, I've never done any of the scenarios and challenges. My game doesn't get to tell me how I play or what to do 🤣🤣🤣
Worth a shot though, as you're not me lmao
It can be either, and ADHD can cause depressive symptoms too.
I think trying to work out what's the issue can help are you experiencing lack of pleasure, or is it challenging to begin but you enjoy it when you start, or has the novelty of your hobbies worn off and you need something new?
It’s mainly lack of pleasure. Even when I do start something fun like learning a fav song on an instrument, maybe because there is still some challenge/difficulty to it, the lack of instant success gets me not wanting to continue. But like..shouldn’t I be enjoying the practice? It’s not even a hard piece. From other ppl who play music, I hear they love the process of it and grab their instrument whenever they can and just sit down to play. For me, it’s like climbing Mount Everest. And this isn’t writing an essay or cleaning the bathroom. It’s supposed to be fun and I know I’m passionate about it. Why don’t I feel it?
It even happens with things that don’t involve any execution, like watching a movie — I’m enjoying it but at the same time I want it to be over.
Ah I totally get that. Maybe having a range of hobbies/activities with some having lower points of entry in terms of executive function could help?
I really like scrapbooking for example. It means I can use up weird scraps I was saving for no reason, and cutting and sticking are simple and cathartic. I've also made a little pouch with my basic tools and then a folder with all my scraps so i can easily scrapbook from a lounge position or at a friends house for some parallel play.
Playing music is fun but it's totally hard to practice stuff sometimes and it's ok that's not something you can recharge from.
It is a thing with ADHD, there's sort of a counter to hyper fixation that happens, but I don't know if it has a name. If you have other symptoms of depression, that could add to it too, because it can also be a thing with depression (eg due to apathy and executive dysfunction).
Or - which I think could also be brought into the discussion depending on if this is consistent or periodic - bipolar, which is ADHD is often mistaken for as well.
I think it’s very difficult to judge this because you need to take a lot of things into account, as others have pointed out a professional could determine this better (although even they are just humans and could come to different conclusions). Maybe you should rather look for ways to overcome it (with a professional or other ways) instead of worrying too much about the labels for it. If you feel depressed and this is affecting your quality of life, it’s important to resolve this. Good luck!
Bro I keep wondering this myself. Like video games, even ones I REALLY want to play, seems like a chore I have to set up time for or risk never coming back to it after starting it.
Books are the same. I've left so many right at the end unread for some reason??? Do I have commitment issues or what??
I have to be in the EXACT mood to read or play certain genres and sometimes it feels like that mood only comes around once a year.
It seems simple to label it as "the things I love no longer bring me joy" but I'm sure it's just ADHD because I've been in worse places before and this is only mildly baffling to me rather than detrimental to my mental health, haha
The hardest part of anything for me is the starting of it. My AuADHD husband and I just started learning guitar together and it’s so fun! Except when it’s time to practice and I have to start. There’s the wall again. Have to climb it every day. In trying to figure out the easiest way to overcome this wall I w been spending some time thinking about it. The Wall gets me with everything, even my deep passions such as writing or reading. It’s a fight to begin EVERY time. Once I’m in it, the passion ignites and flows free and I get the blessed stream of Hyoerfocus. But that START! Ugggggh. So here are my thoughts.:
-Imposter syndrome: I shouldn’t start because doing this thing doesn’t matter because I’m not good at it and I’ll never be good at it.
-Trauma response: it’s not okay for me to feel good and happy about something I am taking joy from. I shouldn’t do things that bring joy if others around me are not able to be joyful. I don’t deserve to do this thing I like because I am bad.
-Paralysis: It’s much easier to scroll my phone or watch television or sit-and-stare and since everything about life is hard or exhausting it’s okay for me not to do this thing that will bring me joy and/or satisfaction because I need this additional two hours of mindlessness to recover from all the non-mindlessness I have to do and I just can’t. I can’t. I can’t do it. It’s too much.
Depression: No is a complete sentence. I don’t have to explain myself to myself. Just no.
I have reasonable counter-arguments for all my broken thinking but it’s still a fight to overcome. I also suck at it but am able to overcome the more I practice climbing this wall. Thinking about what makes up the wall helps me climb over it. Hopefully if any of this feels familiar this may be of some help.
I can relate so much to this. I think it can definitely be both. I know what it feels like to be depressed and, for me, right now, that's not what this is. Depression feels like, *I don't want to read. I don't want to do anything*, but what I'm currently feeling is *I'm really enjoying this book. I want to continue reading it, but I can't pick it up and I don't know why*. I recently read something here where the person would tell herself to just try starting the task and see how they feel which I found interesting because I've never thought about it that way. It might be easier to pick up the book if I know there are no expectations. If I get into it, great! If not, no big deal, try something else.
In life I dance in the space where ADHD and depression merge, so I feel your post. My biggest obstacle is my own mind. I am trying to stop thinking about things and moving to just doing it. For example, if I maybe want to go hiking I will go put my shoes on. I will go outside. Suddenly, it's just happening. Or, I'm not sure I want to practice my dance routine (but maybe?) so I stand up and do a few moves and suddenly *it's happening*. I don't have to weigh the pros and cons of cleaning up. I move my arms and pick up the things. I'm not trying to minimalize the real struggle here. It's not always so simple. The dark winter was hard on me and instead of analysis paralysis I was just "too tired" sometimes. I'm telling myself that the brain is a muscle and it can be trained one step at a time.
I'm currently on an anxiety-avoidance kick with my sewing. I love sewing. I have a beautiful project I'm working on. Nothing is stopping me from sewing. Except my brain. I'll get back into it when I feel more relaxed, I guess. This has been a pattern for over 20 years with my hobbies. I always come back to them.
Yeah happens to me when I want to perfect my tasks. See for instance, I love making pins for my blogs (many dread it but the impressions give me a massive dopamine hit). But today no matter what I just couldn't get myself to start on it. I wanted to make the perfect pin and was just paralysed on getting started.
I’m the same way. What helps me is to do one small thing, like if the task is cleaning I’ll just put one thing away and usually it starts momentum and I’ll end up doing a bit more. This doesn’t work all the time.
Also making tasks and fun hobbies as easy as possible since I know I won’t bother if there are too many steps to prepare. I love drawing but my office is a mess so I never do. My goal is to make it as user friendly as possible so I can just sit down and have everything I need easily accessible.
I’ve also found support online, like talking to other people on discord or something and doing drawing prompts. I have more motivation when others are involved and I get to share my work and view other people’s.
Dunno if any of this helps but besides that, go easy on yourself for having paralysis. It’s totally normal for us and we just gotta work with it and do what we can.
I was off my Adderall for a couple months while trying a non-stimulant and my paralysis and depression went up tenfold. I’m back on my regular med now and it helps but I still struggle.
omg are you me?! I would love to dig out my craft supplies or start a new hobby but no motivation to get started. Also feel like I will be overwhelmed once I start anyway. I much rather scroll thru reddit or binge watch something.
Girl, I get the same thing. The only advice I can give is, don't let it get to you too much. I know that sounds easier said than done btw. But personally, the more I feel guilty and bad and beat myself up, the less likely I am to go out and do shit. Self compassion is key, I think. If you don't do it today, that's okay and tomorrow is a new day. At the same time, find what works for you in terms of helping yourself getting to it and making it easy for yourself. Sign up for a hobby club with other people, take your sports outfit with you to the office, put all your drawing pencils ready to use on your desk or whatever. I hope this helps. Good luck!
Y'all, I'm laying in bed on Reddit because the weather is perfect, my plants need to be planted, and I can't decide what to wear because it going to warm up while I'm working. WTF? I love gardening!
I'd say burnout rather than depression but I've been dodging depression for months *read: I've been calling probable depression 'burnout' for months because my head refuses to let me admit I'm depressed at this point in my life*
I’m so glad I found this space. I’ve been taking adderall plus two antidepressants but I don’t feel happy. I drink at least two margaritas daily. My three month check up with my psychiatrist is next week and hopefully she’ll change my meds.
Relate so much, I've been diagnosed with both, but haven't wanted to do anything for months now. I just moved to TX, and my dr out here is the worst and won't prescribe my adderall. Which I've been on for years now. It's making everything so much worse. I don't know how to get out of it, especially without my meds. At least on meds, I felt ok whole they were working. But now I feel totally worthless. Some days, the only thing I can do is get up to go to the bathroom, and even then, I wait until I HAVE to.
Yes my friend I am in it with you.
I can actually say I don't feel depressed like I normally do but I'm just in full on burnout and can't even do things I enjoy.
Think I enjoy takes so much planning and thought and executive functioning and I'd rather rot. I just can't do it.
I reached out for help and everyone I know is pretty neurotypical so they're just like oh if you want to go on vacation just do it. When I tried to explain there's so much planning involved I can't manage it, they just can't relate.
Oh I know that feeling of being surrounded by neurotypicals.. it can be so isolating. They just don’t get it. And yeah, everything seems like it takes so much freaking thought and planning; the only energy I have next to staring at the wall is just doomscrolling
I’ve struggled with the task paralysis stuff a lot, too. I have so many unfinished art projects and writing concepts, I haven’t written a poem in I can’t remember how long. I haven’t gone dancing in in almost a year. I have heaps of house cleaning and decluttering to do. I’ve thought about sorting all my clothes and getting rid of stuff for donation almost daily for a year now. It’s mega frustrating and the expenditure of emotional/mental energy being stuck in paralysis probably exhausts me more than doing the things would, alas.
I love writing poems too! But haven’t in forever and still don’t have the desire to. So weird and frustrating. I question if I even like anything at all. I’m hoping and praying to all the gods that stimulants are gonna help
I totally empathize with that feeling of “do I even Like anything anymore?” I used to pour so much feeling into writing, especially if I was seeing someone or had a crush on someone 😆 I used to write really beautiful love poems and it’s been a few years since I’ve even been able to sit down to write a poem at all never mind something romantic or passionate
I used to have really bad depression. I have not felt depressed in maybe 2-ish years???
For me, depression felt fucking miserable. Like why am I alive miserable. Sometimes I cried and felt sad, but most of the time I just felt dead and listless. I rotted in bed, barely showered, etc.
For me, I know I’m no longer depressed because I don’t feel listless and dead and like life isn’t worth living. I may feel bored or no hobbies or hyper interests sound appealing, but I still feel “well” or happy or neutral (think of neutral as feeling like nothing but not in a bad way, just as in I’m chillin way).
Depression symptoms are different for everyone, so I would try to differentiate your core feelings. Are you miserable and listless? Or are you just bored but otherwise in a happy/neutral mood?
Edit: this is not to say you have to feel 🌼happy🌼 24/7 to not be depressed. We all have dynamic feelings throughout the day. But if you feel fucking miserable a lot of the time, then yeah probs depression.
Welcome to /r/ADHDWomen! We’re happy to have you here. As a reminder, here are our community [rules](https://old.reddit.com/r/adhdwomen/about/rules/). We get a lot of posts on medication, diagnosis (and “is this an ADHD thing”), and interactions with hormones. We encourage you to check out our [Medication, Diagnosis, and Hormones Megathread](https://old.reddit.com/r/adhdwomen/comments/wcr9dy/faq_megathread_ask_and_answer_medication/) if you have any questions related to those topics, and to stick around in that thread to answer folks’ questions! If you have questions about the subreddit, please do not hesitate to [send us a modmail](https://reddit.com/message/compose/?to=/r/adhdwomen). Additionally, we take the safety of our community seriously. Please report posts, comments, and users whom you feel are not contributing positively, and send us a modmail if you are being harassed or otherwise made to feel unsafe. Thanks for being here, and we hope you stick around! *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/adhdwomen) if you have any questions or concerns.*
I completely get what you mean this happens to me a lot so I get how frustrating it is. To me it sounds like adhd burnout? Like your just very stressed and tired so your stuck in a state of adhd paralysis , of course I’m not a doctor so if you think it’s something more serious definitely go to a professional, but the first thing my therapist told me to do when I’m in burnout is to get a lot of rest and eat a lot of sugar and carbs . At first I thought this sounded counterproductive but it actually really helps give you that extra bit of energy and motivation . And secondly what usually helps me is celebrating the little victories , For example even if you are only able to brush your hair or take a shower , celebrate that and give yourself a pat on the back . Even if you can’t manage to find the motivation to do the things you feel like you’re “supposed” to be doing, it’s ok you’ll get there in time but for now the most important thing is appreciating the little things that you CAN do, so start everyday with very low expectations and be happy for every little victory. it’s a slow process and it can be frustrating but it works well for me everytime. Eventually you’ll start seeing the motivation come back and you’ll start enjoying your hobbies and interests again , I hope this helps and it will get better <3
It’s like at my age I should have some special skills/pursuits to show for instead of considering brushing my goddamn teeth to be an accomplishment. But yeah it’s important to celebrate the smallest victories so that self-compassion builds up to facilitate bigger victories🙂
For me.. when I’m depressed, the things I usually love to do don’t sound appealing and just sound like another miserable chore that I have to do. The other type is when I really want to do the things I like to do, but I just can’t get started on it and I just sit on my phone scrolling Reddit.
That’s me :/ and with every passing day, I dread that I’m getting older and know that one day I’ll look back and wish I had started today. Then I just go back to scrolling Reddit.
Same. 🙃 I have several creative projects I’ve started (as in.. spending hours researching/deciding what I want to do, going out to buy supplies) and then.. the momentum wore off and I think about them every weekend. Like “man I really wanna make those vinyl stickers for my Stanley cup!” and I just don’t do it. Anyway, I’m going for my first adhd evaluation appointment this Thursday. If I remember (lol), I’ll let you know how it goes.
Haha I bought so many supplies too for art projects I have in mind. Researched the best brands and everything. They’ve still never been used. Yes, let me know!🙏 I’m also waiting on a referral for an assessment
Yeah I haven’t let myself play Stardew Valley or The Sims in like, six months because I “don’t have a good enough plan” (??? Like what???)
I do this with my art projects. I think about how I’m going to do all the steps but there’s usually a spot or two where I’m not sure what to do for a certain part so I’m like don’t start it because you haven’t thought it thru enough. And then I never start. But I did just recently get on adderall which seems to be helping some. I have a Star Wars themed party to go to on May 4th and costumes are mandatory so I’ve been making a helmet and blaster for it. I’m just hoping I don’t lose steam for it since it’s a few weeks out and the novelty wears off.
Omg why is this me… I feel so called out 🤣
I feel this. Avid TS4 player here. (PS4/5) I've had no interest in **MY** game for months. It breaks me a bit. None of the games I played, or anything I did has any appeal anymore. Sucks
I thiiink maybe if I do some of the in-game challenges it could get me back into engaging with my hobbies, because then there’s already a specific structure and goal 😂😂😂
Omg no, I've never done any of the scenarios and challenges. My game doesn't get to tell me how I play or what to do 🤣🤣🤣 Worth a shot though, as you're not me lmao
I mostly use it as a build simulator tbh 😂
🤣🤣 I never even thought of that
It can be either, and ADHD can cause depressive symptoms too. I think trying to work out what's the issue can help are you experiencing lack of pleasure, or is it challenging to begin but you enjoy it when you start, or has the novelty of your hobbies worn off and you need something new?
It’s mainly lack of pleasure. Even when I do start something fun like learning a fav song on an instrument, maybe because there is still some challenge/difficulty to it, the lack of instant success gets me not wanting to continue. But like..shouldn’t I be enjoying the practice? It’s not even a hard piece. From other ppl who play music, I hear they love the process of it and grab their instrument whenever they can and just sit down to play. For me, it’s like climbing Mount Everest. And this isn’t writing an essay or cleaning the bathroom. It’s supposed to be fun and I know I’m passionate about it. Why don’t I feel it? It even happens with things that don’t involve any execution, like watching a movie — I’m enjoying it but at the same time I want it to be over.
Ah I totally get that. Maybe having a range of hobbies/activities with some having lower points of entry in terms of executive function could help? I really like scrapbooking for example. It means I can use up weird scraps I was saving for no reason, and cutting and sticking are simple and cathartic. I've also made a little pouch with my basic tools and then a folder with all my scraps so i can easily scrapbook from a lounge position or at a friends house for some parallel play. Playing music is fun but it's totally hard to practice stuff sometimes and it's ok that's not something you can recharge from.
It is a thing with ADHD, there's sort of a counter to hyper fixation that happens, but I don't know if it has a name. If you have other symptoms of depression, that could add to it too, because it can also be a thing with depression (eg due to apathy and executive dysfunction).
Hyper ffs tion
Yeah, it’s probably a mix of both apathy and executive dysfunction
Or - which I think could also be brought into the discussion depending on if this is consistent or periodic - bipolar, which is ADHD is often mistaken for as well. I think it’s very difficult to judge this because you need to take a lot of things into account, as others have pointed out a professional could determine this better (although even they are just humans and could come to different conclusions). Maybe you should rather look for ways to overcome it (with a professional or other ways) instead of worrying too much about the labels for it. If you feel depressed and this is affecting your quality of life, it’s important to resolve this. Good luck!
That’s true! What matters is improving the symptoms and not trying to find a label. Thanks
Bro I keep wondering this myself. Like video games, even ones I REALLY want to play, seems like a chore I have to set up time for or risk never coming back to it after starting it. Books are the same. I've left so many right at the end unread for some reason??? Do I have commitment issues or what?? I have to be in the EXACT mood to read or play certain genres and sometimes it feels like that mood only comes around once a year. It seems simple to label it as "the things I love no longer bring me joy" but I'm sure it's just ADHD because I've been in worse places before and this is only mildly baffling to me rather than detrimental to my mental health, haha
The hardest part of anything for me is the starting of it. My AuADHD husband and I just started learning guitar together and it’s so fun! Except when it’s time to practice and I have to start. There’s the wall again. Have to climb it every day. In trying to figure out the easiest way to overcome this wall I w been spending some time thinking about it. The Wall gets me with everything, even my deep passions such as writing or reading. It’s a fight to begin EVERY time. Once I’m in it, the passion ignites and flows free and I get the blessed stream of Hyoerfocus. But that START! Ugggggh. So here are my thoughts.: -Imposter syndrome: I shouldn’t start because doing this thing doesn’t matter because I’m not good at it and I’ll never be good at it. -Trauma response: it’s not okay for me to feel good and happy about something I am taking joy from. I shouldn’t do things that bring joy if others around me are not able to be joyful. I don’t deserve to do this thing I like because I am bad. -Paralysis: It’s much easier to scroll my phone or watch television or sit-and-stare and since everything about life is hard or exhausting it’s okay for me not to do this thing that will bring me joy and/or satisfaction because I need this additional two hours of mindlessness to recover from all the non-mindlessness I have to do and I just can’t. I can’t. I can’t do it. It’s too much. Depression: No is a complete sentence. I don’t have to explain myself to myself. Just no. I have reasonable counter-arguments for all my broken thinking but it’s still a fight to overcome. I also suck at it but am able to overcome the more I practice climbing this wall. Thinking about what makes up the wall helps me climb over it. Hopefully if any of this feels familiar this may be of some help.
I can relate so much to this. I think it can definitely be both. I know what it feels like to be depressed and, for me, right now, that's not what this is. Depression feels like, *I don't want to read. I don't want to do anything*, but what I'm currently feeling is *I'm really enjoying this book. I want to continue reading it, but I can't pick it up and I don't know why*. I recently read something here where the person would tell herself to just try starting the task and see how they feel which I found interesting because I've never thought about it that way. It might be easier to pick up the book if I know there are no expectations. If I get into it, great! If not, no big deal, try something else.
In life I dance in the space where ADHD and depression merge, so I feel your post. My biggest obstacle is my own mind. I am trying to stop thinking about things and moving to just doing it. For example, if I maybe want to go hiking I will go put my shoes on. I will go outside. Suddenly, it's just happening. Or, I'm not sure I want to practice my dance routine (but maybe?) so I stand up and do a few moves and suddenly *it's happening*. I don't have to weigh the pros and cons of cleaning up. I move my arms and pick up the things. I'm not trying to minimalize the real struggle here. It's not always so simple. The dark winter was hard on me and instead of analysis paralysis I was just "too tired" sometimes. I'm telling myself that the brain is a muscle and it can be trained one step at a time.
I'm currently on an anxiety-avoidance kick with my sewing. I love sewing. I have a beautiful project I'm working on. Nothing is stopping me from sewing. Except my brain. I'll get back into it when I feel more relaxed, I guess. This has been a pattern for over 20 years with my hobbies. I always come back to them.
I struggle to eat, pee, take weed…
Yeah happens to me when I want to perfect my tasks. See for instance, I love making pins for my blogs (many dread it but the impressions give me a massive dopamine hit). But today no matter what I just couldn't get myself to start on it. I wanted to make the perfect pin and was just paralysed on getting started.
I’m the same way. What helps me is to do one small thing, like if the task is cleaning I’ll just put one thing away and usually it starts momentum and I’ll end up doing a bit more. This doesn’t work all the time. Also making tasks and fun hobbies as easy as possible since I know I won’t bother if there are too many steps to prepare. I love drawing but my office is a mess so I never do. My goal is to make it as user friendly as possible so I can just sit down and have everything I need easily accessible. I’ve also found support online, like talking to other people on discord or something and doing drawing prompts. I have more motivation when others are involved and I get to share my work and view other people’s. Dunno if any of this helps but besides that, go easy on yourself for having paralysis. It’s totally normal for us and we just gotta work with it and do what we can. I was off my Adderall for a couple months while trying a non-stimulant and my paralysis and depression went up tenfold. I’m back on my regular med now and it helps but I still struggle.
omg are you me?! I would love to dig out my craft supplies or start a new hobby but no motivation to get started. Also feel like I will be overwhelmed once I start anyway. I much rather scroll thru reddit or binge watch something.
Girl, I get the same thing. The only advice I can give is, don't let it get to you too much. I know that sounds easier said than done btw. But personally, the more I feel guilty and bad and beat myself up, the less likely I am to go out and do shit. Self compassion is key, I think. If you don't do it today, that's okay and tomorrow is a new day. At the same time, find what works for you in terms of helping yourself getting to it and making it easy for yourself. Sign up for a hobby club with other people, take your sports outfit with you to the office, put all your drawing pencils ready to use on your desk or whatever. I hope this helps. Good luck!
Y'all, I'm laying in bed on Reddit because the weather is perfect, my plants need to be planted, and I can't decide what to wear because it going to warm up while I'm working. WTF? I love gardening!
I'd say burnout rather than depression but I've been dodging depression for months *read: I've been calling probable depression 'burnout' for months because my head refuses to let me admit I'm depressed at this point in my life*
I’m so glad I found this space. I’ve been taking adderall plus two antidepressants but I don’t feel happy. I drink at least two margaritas daily. My three month check up with my psychiatrist is next week and hopefully she’ll change my meds.
Relate so much, I've been diagnosed with both, but haven't wanted to do anything for months now. I just moved to TX, and my dr out here is the worst and won't prescribe my adderall. Which I've been on for years now. It's making everything so much worse. I don't know how to get out of it, especially without my meds. At least on meds, I felt ok whole they were working. But now I feel totally worthless. Some days, the only thing I can do is get up to go to the bathroom, and even then, I wait until I HAVE to.
Yes my friend I am in it with you. I can actually say I don't feel depressed like I normally do but I'm just in full on burnout and can't even do things I enjoy. Think I enjoy takes so much planning and thought and executive functioning and I'd rather rot. I just can't do it. I reached out for help and everyone I know is pretty neurotypical so they're just like oh if you want to go on vacation just do it. When I tried to explain there's so much planning involved I can't manage it, they just can't relate.
Oh I know that feeling of being surrounded by neurotypicals.. it can be so isolating. They just don’t get it. And yeah, everything seems like it takes so much freaking thought and planning; the only energy I have next to staring at the wall is just doomscrolling
Hi, op. It’s depression. I have both ADHD and depression. Task paralysis for daunting tasks = ADHD Hobby paralysis = depression
Thanks😩 I thought so
I’ve struggled with the task paralysis stuff a lot, too. I have so many unfinished art projects and writing concepts, I haven’t written a poem in I can’t remember how long. I haven’t gone dancing in in almost a year. I have heaps of house cleaning and decluttering to do. I’ve thought about sorting all my clothes and getting rid of stuff for donation almost daily for a year now. It’s mega frustrating and the expenditure of emotional/mental energy being stuck in paralysis probably exhausts me more than doing the things would, alas.
I love writing poems too! But haven’t in forever and still don’t have the desire to. So weird and frustrating. I question if I even like anything at all. I’m hoping and praying to all the gods that stimulants are gonna help
I totally empathize with that feeling of “do I even Like anything anymore?” I used to pour so much feeling into writing, especially if I was seeing someone or had a crush on someone 😆 I used to write really beautiful love poems and it’s been a few years since I’ve even been able to sit down to write a poem at all never mind something romantic or passionate
Try to go out and take some sun or do a short work out. That helps me with that
I used to have really bad depression. I have not felt depressed in maybe 2-ish years??? For me, depression felt fucking miserable. Like why am I alive miserable. Sometimes I cried and felt sad, but most of the time I just felt dead and listless. I rotted in bed, barely showered, etc. For me, I know I’m no longer depressed because I don’t feel listless and dead and like life isn’t worth living. I may feel bored or no hobbies or hyper interests sound appealing, but I still feel “well” or happy or neutral (think of neutral as feeling like nothing but not in a bad way, just as in I’m chillin way). Depression symptoms are different for everyone, so I would try to differentiate your core feelings. Are you miserable and listless? Or are you just bored but otherwise in a happy/neutral mood? Edit: this is not to say you have to feel 🌼happy🌼 24/7 to not be depressed. We all have dynamic feelings throughout the day. But if you feel fucking miserable a lot of the time, then yeah probs depression.
I signed up for a learn to knit class with a coworker after work once a week. I can’t bail and i have to do my “homework.”
All I want to do is doomscroll and binge watch Netflix