Cant get out of bed

[Demon Cleaner]

When my depression and anxiety get real bad I find myself laying in bed all day long sometimes sleeping sometimes not. Does anyone else here have experience with these major spells of anhedonia and reclusion? What if anything helps you?

[Damavandi]

Hi:

I think you should read my Thread "The Cure ?" at the depression Forum of this website.
It could help you very much.

Best wishes,
Ali

[Demon Cleaner]

Thank you, I was aware that there is a connection Between Vitamin D and depression. I did not know ,however, the distinction between D2 and D3. I receive weekly allergy immunization injections so I'll have my allergist run the blood work. Is there an advantage to the monthly injection of D3 over a daily oral dose just curious?

[Damavandi]

Hi:

One of the first things that vitamin D3 replishment does is to convert your shallow breathing to deep
breathing. So all your problems may not be related to allergies ! As I wrote, I went for the monthly injections of
300,000 IU. Probably in the United States the big dose is the oral, once a week, 50,000 D3 for 12 weeks, and then a test
to see how you are doing. I prefer one monthly injection of 300,000 IU for 3 months, and then the re-test. However do not accept
D2 as your medication. It is an inferior sort of vitamin D, and does not get you well as much as D3 does.

Best wishes,
Ali

[mammoth]

This happens to me when I get overwhelmingly lonely and depressed. It's so hard to get out of bed. I find that if I force myself to get out and do something like go for a hike, do some yoga, go to the gym, or some other sort of physical activity I end up feeling better.

[Demon Cleaner]

Yes exercise works for me but I have to do at least 90 minutes to feel okay. Which is difficult to do every morning and the days I don't well you know how that goes I don't get out of bed. I have equal difficulty falling asleep. I have a history of self medicating with painkillers and opiates, alcohol etc. I've been in recovery and drug and alcohol free for 7 months and as most addicts will attest the anxiety is extreme and all the depression from before comes back even worse then prior to abuse. I started the vitamin D shots but haven't noticed any change my vitamin D levels weren't low but it was worth a shot.

[littlelightning]

When my depression and anxiety get real bad I find myself laying in bed all day long sometimes sleeping sometimes not. Does anyone else here have experience with these major spells of anhedonia and reclusion? What if anything helps you?

I have the same type episodes. I do the same thing of FORCING myself to get out of bed. FORCING myself to leave the house for whatever - work, errands, fun stuff.

I am not coping with feelings of dread very well. But one that does help to move is to think about it as a series of small baby steps. I tell myself there is no pressure for the final goal (like to leave for work). I'm just sitting up in bed... I'm just putting my feet on the floor- its my floor, no pressure, relax - the carpet feels good to the bottom of my feet... I ask myself what I really want if I were to leave the bedroom - for me it's coffee. It's warm and I like the feel of the warm cup and the smell of the coffee. I'm not promoting caffeine - it can make things worse for some.

You get the point though - small, doable baby steps and reward or recognition of the positive. For me, if it is tied to my senses then the better the mood enhancement. Always keep it natural - no drug or substance abuse. That will definitely make it much worse.

I'm looking for advice from others as well - I want to try the D3 thing. Never heard that before. I know my vitamin d levels are low because of a wellness exam I had a few months ago. Didn't know this had anything to do with depression and anxiety. I have other, very serious problems in my life, but maybe if I can improve on this, it will help me cope better with those problems...

[mammoth]

Taking baby steps to get out of bed is really good advice. Today, I was dreading going to work (still am) but I forced myself to at least get out of bed and make some tea and eat a little breakfast. This helped a lot. My next step will be to wash my face, brush my teeth and get dressed. Even writing this out right now is helping alleviate some of the dread of getting myself to work. I also keep telling myself "just use all your strength to get through today."

I know sometimes it feels like we have little or no strength left but we do. I think that people who struggle with mental illness are especially strong, actually. We just get pushed down over and over again.

[littlelightning]

Mammoth, when I read your response yesterday it made such a great impact on my day! Thanks for the feedback!

[Demon Cleaner]

Yes simplification can go along way. If I concentrate on one task at a time. However, my default setting is to contemplate all of the things required of me and these overwhelming or daunting tasks send me back to bed often. Sleep seems to be the safe place or an escape for us with anxiety/depression a place to hide from the world. When I think about it sleeping is very similar to my past benzodiazepine and opiate abuse (its an escape). It's difficult to worry when your sleeping although I do get panic attacks in my sleep and wake hyperventilating. I've often wondered if other people get these they are quite traumatic it feels like you're trapped in sleep and suffocating and can't wake up. The medical term for them is hyponogic hallucinations. Anyways, I'll keep it simple and by all means try the D3 it can't hurt I take 50000iu in tablet form once a week with food preferably fatty because it's fat soluble.

[inzombiac]

Where did you purchase your d3 vitamins? And how exactly do you take them? Was it your dr that suggested them ? Thanks!

[Demon Cleaner]

Yes I just asked my doctor you need a script for vitamins that are that strong 50,000iu you cant buy in the vitamin aisle

[inzombiac]

Well I bought a 5000 iu at Walgreens today I can't see my dr until the first but thanks for the tip :)

[Demon Cleaner]

Maybe mine are 5000 iu I'll have to check. Either way that's a lot of vitamin D3. I'd check with your doctor how often to take.

[Demon Cleaner]

No mine are 50,000 iu once a week

[Damavandi]

Hi Demon Cleaner:

Vitamin D3 indeed is a miracle for many diseses including anxiety, depression, and panic disorder.
But if you keep taking a 50,000 IU pill every week, eventually you will become toxic, get very sick, and possibly die.
Under the supervision of an endocrinologist, your vitamin D3 blood level must be monitored, and the dosage of vitamin D3
should be determined, accordingly.

Best wishes,
Ali

[inzombiac]

Yes I have an appointment for the first with my doctor. The pharmacist said you can take up to 10k daily and be fine but average is 2-5k a day. So I'm just going to do this until I see my doctor. Thanks for your help and yours also Ali. I would of never known about this and seeing as how I only go outside once or twice a month if even I'm positive d3 is low or non existent in my system lol

[Demon Cleaner]

Well don't discount how much getting out of the house can lift your mood. I know it is often stressful for people like us to get out and be social, but the more you force yourself the easier it gets. Depression seems to thrive on boredom one of the best therapies is distraction. I myself isolate a lot and though its comforting for me to hide it really just exasperates my depression. Depression can cause a pattern of negative thinking that can become insidious. It is not easy to learn positive thinking but when practiced daily it can reverse a lot of symptoms of depression after all it is a neurological disease. It is possible to reformat your thinking that is the idea behind CBT. You don't always need a psych to work through these negative thought patterns. If you are aware of your thoughts you can begin to work through them.

[Damavandi]

Hi Demon Cleaner:

Vitamin D3 is a miracle in treating many diseases. However, taking 50,000 IU pills, weekly, without
any close monitoring by an up to date doctor, will ultimately make you toxic. One of the symtoms of Vitamin D3 toxicity
could be death.

Vitamin D3 deficiency may cause depression, anxiety, and panic attacks. However, treating the deficiency requires a V-D3
blood test to begin with, and close monioring by an up to date doctor, after the start of the treatment.

Best wishes,
Ali

[inzombiac]

Thanks demon. I try or well I say I'm going to try....one day though I will make it out....hopefully lol

[littlelightning]

I'm trying just a regular low dose D3 first and go from there. Started it last night. I did not expect to feel any different but I actually do. Placebo affect??? Whatever...I'll take relief when I can get it.

Did any of you experience more vivid dreams when starting D3? I had the most vivid dreams that I can recall in a very long time. Some of my dreams were happy, some sad, some adventurous, but all were vivid with rich colors. Even the sad subjects didn't cause me to set off a mid-sleep anxiety attack. Instead I remember just thinking about the subject (a young man's death this summer-a boy we helped raise because of his abusive home life). I did not break down in tears in my sleep like I always do. I just thought about him and moved on to something else.

Just wondering if anyone else experienced this???

[mammoth]

No problem lightning, i'm so glad that my comment helped you! :)

[Demon Cleaner]

Little lightning,
Being rational I highly doubt d3 has anything to do with your dream experience.

[Demon Cleaner]

Sorry didn't finish what I was writing. I think you nailed it on the head with placebo effect. Regardless if you feel better it doesn't matter wether its d3 or not. What you are describing in your dreams is the subconscious or unconscious haha. Stressful life events have to be worked out by the brain and that is exactly what it is doing when we sleep. It sounds like your brain is making an effort to work through something that has been bothering you. It could be something you've buried so deep in your subconscious u don't even realize its a source of depression. Similar idea to CBT bringing buried feelings to the surface and working through them. Keep dreaming and sleeping well