How do I get motivation and get out of a slump?

Hi Betsy, thank you so much for reaching out for help here at BetterHelp.  You are so brave to really openly express yourself here.  Through your words I can really feel your struggles.  I am so sorry you are feeling so down now, and that you feel in a deep slump now.   I give you a lot of credit for reaching out for help, especially when you are feeling so low.  In therapy you will have a safe, supportive place to fully express what is on your mind, the daily struggles you are experiencing and how they are affecting you now.  Together we can look for some solutions to help you improve how you are functioning now.  And having sessions in the comfort of your own home can help you feel comfortable and have the space to open up in session.

I might want to address your lack of sleep pretty quickly with you.  When we aren't getting enough sleep, our mood, concentration, motivation and overall energy can really be impacted.  Here at BetterHelp we have some excellent resources we can share with our clients, and I would send you a worksheet on sleep hygiene. Perhaps there are some steps we can discuss that you can implement during the day that will help improve your quantity and quality of sleep.

Through our sessions, I would be using some motivational therapy questions to further evaluate how you are feeling.  You mentioned some symptoms such as feeling sad, having some trouble doing your basic hygiene and eating poorly, that make me wonder if you are depressed.  Some symptoms of depression include struggles to get out of bed, feeling sad, loss of appetite or overeating, fatigue, loss of interest in activities and interpersonal conflicts.  Together we can talk about how significant these symptoms are and how much they are affecting your life.  Our individual therapy sessions can certainly have a positive affect on these symptoms, but depending on the severity, it might be time to for you to consider talking to a medical doctor about medication.  I don't know if you have ever tried any antidepressants, but the combinations of medications and talk therapy seems to have the best short term improvements in mood and energy.  If you do start taking any medications, once you are stabilized on them, you will have more energy to really work to implement some good positive coping skills into your daily routine.  And your therapist will be there to facilitate this growth, helping to keep you motivated to learn and practice new skills.  

Also, Betsy, therapy can help you take a look at the life experiences that might have had an impact on your self-esteem, how you view yourself.  You mentioned comparing yourself to other people, and I suppose we all do this to some extent, but if it makes you feel bad about yourself, then it becomes a problem.   Again, here at Better Help we have some great resources, worksheet, online seminars or group therapy sessions, that I could recommend to help you build back your self-esteem, your self-confidence and better accept who you are today. This confidence will really help build your motivation to keep moving forward with your life goals.

I hope some of this information will help you start your therapy journey in a positive place, ready to move forward and feel better soon. Hope to hear from you Betsy. 

Your partner in mental wellness,

Caryn