How do you fix behaviors and actions?

[supreemkai]

I’m 20. I’ve been feeling really depressed for the last three months, but recently I’ve started feeling better and better after I tried lithium and epa. I don’t feel great yet, but my behaviors are still that if I was really depressed. How do I get myself out of this? I just want to sit in bed and do nothing all day, but I don’t feel terrible, just neutral.

[Sober2007]

From what I've found even though I don't always follow this advice, the answer is in the doing. Sometimes we just have to do things even when we don't really feel like it or feel apathetic towards it. Someone once told me, "You can't think your way to right action, you have to act your way to right thinking." I'm not sure I believe that 100% all the time, but I get the general idea. When I get up and get going, it's never as bad as I think it will be. I'm better off if I don't allow myself to wallow in my misery. The truth is, sometimes my inactivity is directly tied to my depression and other times I'm just being slothful. Neither of those things does me any good, so I'm better off the sooner I get moving again.

[froggymom88]

I am so happy that you are feeling better. That is huge! You have been living the depression inaction for a long time, so you will have to train yourself to respond differently. I always found it helpful to start with small activities. ( Get up and shower) Then I might reward myself with something if I accomplished it. Then I would give myself another small activity to accomplish etc... You can do it !