Encouraging oneself to get motivated may seem to be an overwhelming task when one is depressed. Is motivation impossible? Definitely not. You just have to find a process that works.
There is a saying: "The journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step." But many depressed people can’t get out of bed, much less take a thousand-mile journey. For many sufferers, medication is the first step.
There are those who scoff at the idea of medication as an answer. But for those in a major clinical depression, life is a dark place full of pain, hopelessness and insecurity.
Sometimes the blame can be placed on brain chemistry. Neurotransmitters don’t work right, and brain chemicals such as serotonin, norepinephrine, and dopamine — your feel-good chemicals — often don’t go where they’re supposed to go. Medications deal with chemical imbalances. Find the right one, and you may feel more like your old self again. Because you feel better, getting motivated becomes a little easier.
A good therapist goes hand in hand with medication. One without the other is kind of a half-solution. By talking to a trained professional, you'll feel better because you’re talking to someone who knows how to listen.
Good friends listen, sure, but don’t forego a therapist for a friend. Well-meaning friends may tell you to just get over it or to pull yourself up by your bootstraps. This results in a vicious cycle. You may feel worthless and stupid because you’re finding it hard to brush your teeth, much less pull yourself up by your bootstraps. This leads to a deepening depression, which leads to more "helpful" remarks, which leads to even more depression. Unfortunately, the thick, ugly scars of depression aren't outwardly visible, and when your wounds aren't visible, sympathy from your friends is hard to come by.
There's a method used in Alcoholics Anonymous that works for some, and that’s acting as if something were already true. For example, every morning when you wake up, pop up with as much vigor as you can muster. Don’t give yourself time to dwell. Get dressed immediately. It can be for the gym or dog-walking or some other form of exercise. Or, get dressed to go to the mall, the bookstore, or the theater.
Just get dressed. Do your hair. Groom yourself attractively, and do it quickly. Don’t give yourself time to talk yourself out of it. In other words, act as if you feel great already and you know for a fact that you’re leaving the house and will have a good time. At the very least, getting dressed and looking decent can go a long way toward giving you a mental boost. It may even give you enough motivation actually to go to the gym and exercise, which is great for alleviating depression.
If you’re not at the gym phase yet, however, walk the dog, or go into the yard and pull weeds for 20 minutes a day (assuming it's spring or summer). This gives you the added benefit of sunshine. According to research, 20 minutes of sun a day will lift your mood. If it's winter and you live in a cold climate, invest in a light box, which simulates full-spectrum sunlight.
Even if you can't find the motivation to do anything, don’t berate yourself for it. You're up and ready for the day, aren't you? Do only what you can do, and let go of major expectations. If you brushed your teeth, that's positive. Don’t be hard on yourself, or getting motivated to do anything becomes another chore to be avoided.
Depression whispers bad things in your ear about your capabilities. We hear, "You can’t do anything right. Look at the mess you’ve made of your life. Why aren't you further along in your career? Why don’t you have a career at your age?" By consciously replacing the words on these soundtracks with positive words, we'll be able to change our way of thinking. The brain is able to create new neural pathways. Change your way of thinking over a period of time, and a new neural pathway is created.
Use positive thoughts about yourself to create new neural pathways. Over time, the old, bad, unused pathways wither, die and fall off, much like the branches on an old tree. With some determination to stay on the positive path, you create a new soundtrack, which is filled with hope, giving you more motivation to keep stepping forward.
The same premise applies to self-talk in the mirror. Whenever you see yourself in the mirror, say something positive about yourself. Some people carry flashcards to remind themselves of their good traits when they're feeling particularly down. This is a behavioral psychology method to get you to replace bad thoughts with good ones. Before long you are reminded of all the wonderful things that you have to offer, and you are motivated enough to take another step in the healing process toward rejoining the world.
Socialization is important. Make a standing appointment to have a friend or family member pick you up to go out. This way you’re held accountable to someone else. If there are no friends or family members available, don't use that as an excuse. Going to the bookstore and people-watching in the coffee shop is preferable to sitting home alone. Who knows? You may make a new friend. That is certainly motivating.
Give yourself credit for progress made, even if it seems tiny. Set small goals. Do what you can handle and nothing more. Are there seven loads of laundry to fold? Tell yourself you'll fold laundry for five minutes, then do it. You’ll be surprised by how accomplishing one thing you said you were going to do can boost your spirits and motivate you.
By the same token, don't set yourself up to fail by telling yourself you’re going to do something you know you can't do. Because, when you do fail, your motivation to move forward stops. Try doing only one thing at a time, a little bit at a time. Five minutes here, 10 minutes there — each success makes it easier to stay motivated for the next step in your journey to feeling good about yourself.
Many people struggle with depression; you’re not alone. Take that first step. Find what works for you, and the motivation to continue forward will come. It's not easy, but it's not impossible.