Mood or Motivation Swings

Does anyone else suffer these? It's hit me terrible this weekend. First I was positive planning for future, booking holidays etc. Then all of a sudden I feel completely hopeless and everything is just too hard. I feel a complete burden to my family today and I struggled to even look after my kids because of my mobility issues. It has to get easier surely?

[Sepsur]

it does - give yourself a chance

[Lux95]

Hi - yes, that is definitely a common side effect of sedation and intensive care illnesses.

It does improve. But after two years, I am finding that I am now paying a delayed price for attempting to return to work and assuming everything was normal for the first year.

Loss of a conversational filter seems to be common. Many of us have found we tend to say things without thinking. I used to be very measured in my conversation and able to multitask, and process options easily, but not anymore. I've had to take a low-stress approach to life.

Swings of depression still hit at times if I am not careful, and I still have a hard time being motivated, or feeling a sense of enthusiasm and joy, but I am adjusting.

I am sure it is very different for everyone. Some of what we experience may be an amplification of our normal personalities and mood tendencies. Some changes may be temporary, and some may last longer, with some improvement.

It seems to me that some of our neural pathways may have been altered by sedations, or just don't recover after waking. As we know, nerves take a long time to heal, and the same can be true of behavioral and emotional changes as well.

My advice is to be patient. Take returning to a "normal" life slowly if possible. Give yourself time to heal, build strength, and adjust as needed. Do not feel bad, or frustrated about feeling bad! You are most definitely not alone.

[madonbrew in reply to Lux95]

I feel very similar but wasn't sedated or ventilated. The conversation filter is definitely something in struggling with...more in that, it's just taking my brain too much energy to figure what I'm wanting to say.

I don't know about you, but I keep feeling slightly overwhelming angry. Like I keep losing my rag so much more easily than I would have before.

Yoshisegg , the hope to hopelessness in 5 minutes also feels familiar. Maybe we are trying to do too much too soon....be kind to yourself and do what you can manage, and what you can't one day, will maybe be the thing you can do another day!

[Lux95 in reply to madonbrew]

Same here with both conversation and anger. I've had short term memory issues, and sometimes just blank on what I wanted to say, or take 10 minutes to remember a word I've known and used for years.

With anger, the first year I was always on edge and would lash out at people, especially my wife more easily. After the second year, and paying the price for doing too much the first, I've learned I have to avoid stress as much as possible and maintain a low-key daily routine.

[BigH63]

Hi.

I agree with Sepsur give yourself time. And Lux95, I’m the same. 1yr down the road and I’m still having anxiety and depression and no filter and lose of purpose planning is a nightmare getting up and finding things to do. Yes it’s hard just doing the mundane things in life. We are looking for a Campervans to start travelling but I’m find every excuse not to buy one, my partner is a saint putting up with my mood swings and lack of interest in life, I’m never happy now and I don’t want to engage with family or friends socially. But after saying all that I’m desperately hoping it will go back to some normality.

There will be light at the end it’s just a slow journey n

Good luck

[downthemoor]

Agree with everyone here...as soon as get a plan in my head I feel rubbish again and know I'm not well enough then get really down. Wake up every day ..after dreadfully poor sleep...and think ' now what?' 15 months in and people just don't get it. We have a campervan but that's going to be sold as far too much for me now...I need a really big decent bed to get ANY sleep ! Just had a visit from my son with new baby and 12 hours finished me off! Critical Care Network might help if you feel like joining us! Just to vent helps!

[downthemoor]

cc-sn.org/ - this is the link

[Hidden in reply to downthemoor]

Thank you downthemoor. I joined that for first time last week, was really helpful and can't wait to take part in more sessions with them.

[Sepsur in reply to Hidden]

I’m really glad you found them helpful 😊

[FamilyHistorian]

all the comments given so far are sound and don’t forget we are all different.

In my case I’m 4 years on. I’ve no emotional filters and my brain doesn’t control my mouth (fortunately I’m not in work). In all honesty am I bothered - no it’s not my problem it’s other people’s. I have memory issues. I have no memory of the 3 months before being put in a coma, I’ve had CBTand come to terms with that. I can remember all the detail of my hallucinations and the way I deal with that is that I was fortunate enough to live in another reality. Some times I can’t work out the difference between real memories and those from my other reality. Additionally sometimes others don’t believe one of your real memories. My humour is evil.

Anxiety took longer to resolve. I wouldn’t go into places that were crowded, I now do a “risk assessment” and will go into some shops. Hospital app’ts definitely need a mask.

Depression is totally different, I found that the slightest thing could send me to a very dark place. The last time that happened was July ‘23, which is good. Unnecessary comments don’t help but I am much better at managing them.

The future is important, we are caravaners so planning for trips is good the down side is I’m of an age that will mean that soon I will have to think about not towing - that is round the corner.

The only advice I can give is make the best of what you’ve got after all I near died twice and survived that!