this post was submitted on 03 May 2025
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What are some small low energy things you do to make you feel connected to the world and a bit of joy? I need some little sparks this week to claw back from this burnout.
wall of text for my own benefit while I figure out my feelings. Mental health warning
I have had a really flat day. The constant work and stress lately is really taking its toll. I am losing whole days to just sleeping (when I do stop). I am struggling with basics like putting clothes away and eating regularly and well. When I drink I over drink because I am too tired and I am desperate for connection and joy. But all that fuels a vicious cycle where today I slept on the floor in the sun instead of going outside, or cooking food for the week.
I feel like, with my mental health and even external stuff like the election that it's all just one big stressful climb and all that's happening is I am not falling further. I feel so far away from a functional adult right now.
I am ranting this because I am resisting making dinner because that will just mess up the kitchen again. I feel down and nauseous and need to wash my hair desperately.
I will persist. I have lived with depression forever and I know I will get through. The really black thoughts from this morning have eased at least. I just want to feel like I am not white knuckling my way through life.
Box of plain shapes and a block of cheddar sliced almost transparently thin.
Look at the moon
Say hi to strangers
Cuddle cat if cat wishes to cuddle
Write in my journal
sing a stupid, stupid song about nonsense that I make up on the spot
Go for a long walk
But the most important thing of all, is to take some time to rest.
Try to be kind to yourself :)
I think different things work for different people. One of the things I do is write lists. Things I need to do that day. Mark them off. Add more. It's never ending but it stops them from going around in my head all day like a washing machine.
Sometimes I watch mindless tv.
I take one day at a time. Some days are good. Some days aren't.
Hugs π«
I love getting ideas out of my head and onto lists.
Hammock in the back yard. A cheap one in a stand is fine.
This
One small change I made maybe six months ago was switching my car radio to ABC Classic FM. Every time I'm in the car I get gentle classical music. No ads, no scary news, the presenters aren't annoying. I sometimes put it on at home now too for small moments of calm.
Nice idea.
Obviously YMMV on all of these:
spoiler
Talk to neighbourhood cats if you can manage outside No silence, YouTube or whatever music all waking hours Cook something utterly ridiculously complicated and unnecessary Make stock! Buy flowers Lego ToME Light candles preferably beeswax (other happy smell as applicable) Watch your childhood cartoonsEveryone has already written some great stuff here so I've little to add other than that I try to focus on getting into some nature, enjoy some sensory stimulation like fragrances especially natural ones, try to force some fruit into myself (I'm terrible with fruit eating at certain times of the year and it affects my moods more than I'd like). I also get into tea drinking in a big way as it gives me a lot of calm, simple pleasure. We are often our own hardest taskmasters and it helps me to remember something a psych said to me years ago when I was running myself ragged trying my guts out to please everyone and do everything perfectly: "Sometimes good enough is good enough." Hugs mate.
Firstly, a nice long hot shower could be what you need if you're up to it.
I think anything involving getting in touch with your senses could be good. I'm struggling with a bout of anhedonia right now. Something I've done for the past year and a half is write something good that happened each day on a sticky note.
Attempting to enjoy whatever sun there is.
Being outside and spending time in nature.
Putting on a movie / TV show, especially feel-good ones
Watching comedy on YouTube
Remind yourself that your thoughts are just thoughts.
Don't worry about the clothes :)
I hope you feel better soon
This will sound very cliched but something I found that helped me was to go outside and lie on the grass, or just sit in nature (even if itβs only your backyard or a small patch of grass). It was suggested to me after I got some really bad news and it did seem to help, at least a little. I hope youβre feeling better and more on top of things soon, and am sending hugs.
Hugs.
Make things easy for yourself.
If you have goals you can work at them bit by bit. That is good too.
Treating myself to a pack of chips or something like that.
Recently got from crunchy frozen chips, havenβt had them in months and it was so good after cooking them, very comforting.
spoiler
I'm so sorry. I'm going through something similar and don't really know what to suggest other than some kind of project to work on. If you have the energy or ability on top of essentials that is. Which is... a bit optimistic.
When it's this bad I don't bother that much about things like putting clothes away. If they're casual or home clothes you can just pull clean ones out of the basket.
The eating situation is different for me but perhaps things like a bbq chook with coleslaw and bread rolls could hold you for a few days with minimum mess and effort. Tuna and rice is another good one - if it needs to be tastier than plain there was a video where someone dumped a flavoured tin into rice then crumbled in nori and mixed in sauces like chilli and mayonaise. Ensure or muesli bars is another idea to help. Peanut butter on whole wheat (I think that's wholemeal in Australia) is a complete protein. Fried eggs on toast are a classic and those chunky soups can be a meal. You could even have a plate of random cheese, crackers and raw veg. Ginger ale and crackers are good for nausea.
Dry shampoo is expensive but you can use sprinkled cornflour or baby powder instead if you're leaving the house or just clip it up. Another thing that helps is to sit on the floor of the shower while it runs and watch/listen to a video on your phone while you wash your hair and brush your teeth. I would recommend the kids 3-in-1 but honestly that conditioner residue makes hair greasy again fast.
The thoughts, I really don't know what to do about them except keep your mind busy with something. And have one small thing you can look forward to each day if you can.
I'm not even going to suggest medication because it's none of my business and they don't work for everyone. You may well have tried it all.
It's not just you - things are really hard. You're probably burned out. Go easy on yourself and kind of just slowly do your best in sloth mode.
Thanks Melba. They are helpful reminders. I am on meds and have a good doctor. Need to find better iron tablets because the ones I was taking were making me sick. I have written "sloth mode" in my journal as my may motto
Or low power mode. You know like battery saver mode
I'd recommend an iron infusion but... looks awkwardly at the last however many weeks
Have you tried maltofer?
for joy i have the cats and my fam π±