I need to keep things new or hopeful, so trying new systems, new supports like therapy, or arrangements with friends to do a little work and exercise. DBT has a lot of small things that help https://dialecticalbehaviortherapy.com/.
Systems I’ve tried:
- On/Off days: I can push and try to be normal, and expect it will make stuff harder the day after and probably crash
- Straight outta the house: work from a coffee store instead of home esp if I feel laggy
- Improve the moment (dbt) I’m going to stay in bed, what are two things I can do to feel less shitty while I do, usually this is take meds, drink water, pee.
- do something different, I was depressed as hell and not leaving bed more than a few times a week and kinda decided to try standup, going and watching gave me a lot of inspiration and realized these people aren’t that great. I’ve moved onto Improv, but a lot of the people I met there keep popping up
- Choose a depression station, maybe a chair that isn’t bed or a relaxing couch. This video has some good ideas on maintaining mental boundaries if physically isn’t possible. https://youtu.be/snAhsXyO3Ck?si=bgJ6xhT2VfxbvM7x I like how it suggests to think of the hygiene of your different stations.
I still have down times, and still using a tonne of supports. But happy to talk about it as it’s shit and not fun for anyone.
insomnia itself and especially caused by trauma can be much more harmful, the author did choose a weird and stereotypical example but if you can’t even get a night’s relief from your stressful impossible to escape situation. after years of a situation why wouldn’t you just assume the long term is bleak and prioritize short term counter productive relief.
assuming dying is something you’d be avoiding at all costs at that point really shows a lack of empathy