Published on 12, July, 2020
I am feeling very depressed and demotivated at the moment. I am studying from home, I'm doing an art and design course at a college, and I'm finding being stuck in my room all the time and not being able to go into college extremely demotivating and uninspiring. I'm quite behind on my coursework at the moment.
I'm not sure how to raise my motivation levels. I take antidepressants and supplements, I eat healthy food, I go for walks. I think part of the reason why I'm so demotivated is because I'm always stuck on my own in my room and have very little social interaction. I have very few friends, who all have full-time jobs and/or partners and I'm incredibly lonely - I maybe see people once in 2 weeks.
Any tips to raise motivation levels or stimulate myself while stuck in isolation? Thanks in advance!
My son is studying at the moment and has been getting behind in his course and is going to have to resit some of his assessments in the summer. I think that isolation has played a part of this. I think that you are doing so well managing to do all that you are. I would find not seeing another person for two weeks, very isolating.
Do you have any family that can support you at the moment?
Heh thanks. And no. I have an Aunt that I have a good relationship with, but she lives in another country. We speak on the phone once in 2 weeks. I am extremely lonely - I have about 4 good friends, all of whom are busy with their full-time jobs/partners/pets so I don't get to see them often.
I'm glad you have an aunt you can talk to. Though it can be hard to open up and talk about loneliness. And other people can just not realise how lonely life can get. I think that Covid has made college life a really lonely experience and with mental health issues (which I have also) it can be a double whammy. There are quite a few folk on here who are artistic, so hopefully they could become a source of support for you.
That's good you have got some support from your course. I am prepared for my son failing the first year and just hoping that he might be able to repeat it - though it would be emotionally devastating for him, if he did fail.
When is the best time of day for you to do work? Are you sleeping okay - my son is continually tired so this has no helped him. When I am depressed, I find it very difficult to concentrate. Is this an issue for you?
Yeah I hope so too. To be honest, the possibility of visiting her, and getting away from here for a while, is the only thing keeping me going at the moment.
I'm on sertraline at the moment. It seems to be the one that works best for me without all the horrible side effects (I literally tried all of the antidepressants). I do take vitamin B complex, vitamin D and other supplements/nootropics, and I eat healthy food (I have to because I have IBS). That's the problem - I am doing everything I can to try to alleviate depression but it seems to be a stubborn beast.
To be honest, I'm not sure if I am enjoying this course anymore. This is partly due to the fact that we have to do everything from home/online, and I'm quite a physical person. I find it hard to make art on command, if I don't feel like it. I do really need to pass this course though, so I can get onto the next one. I think I would feel a lot more inspired if I could go to campus and interact with other creative individuals, and be in a space other than my room, but this hasn't been an option this year due to Covid.
As for my friends, I do have other friends who live in other cities/countries and I speak to them on the phone/on video call occasionally, but they're all busy with their jobs, relationships, social lives etc. I don't really think I have close friends at the moment. I made most of my friends before my diagnosis and eventual burnout, when I successfully pretended to be neurotypical, had a job, looked good, had a social life etc but all these things are gone now as they were unsustainable for me. Lots of people have distanced themselves from me since I stopped working and went on benefits, stopped drinking, dressing up etc.