**The Mental Health Thread**

Cycle of unproductive days.
Same thing during lockdown last year

Feel like nothings gonna change until it all hits the fan and crashes and burns.
As times against me and I don’t even know where to start...Can spend all day at my desk procrastinating.

which is making me stressed then I sleep less so I’m tired 247

I think when we get back to some normality I need a few weeks away with little to no internet connectivity. And just read and relax
 
LiE said:
I'm not sure if this is down to the current pandemic, it certainly isn't helping, but I am feeling a bit lost right now. All of the hobbies and interests that used to excite me and fill me with wonder no longer do anything for me. I workout 5 times a week but that's more lifestyle than a pure hobby like it used to be. I keep searching for the next thing that will spark my passion but draw blanks. I keep buying things thinking they will give me enjoyment, only to return them.

I used to wake up in the morning and get pumped to hit the gym, or I couldn't wait to finish work and do some PC gaming.

I'm probably just a bit burnt out with each day just feeling the same, not a lot to get excited about.

Can anyone else related?
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Just came to provide a follow up on this. I spoke to boss on Monday last week and he gave me 3 days off as sick and agreed to let me use 2 days holiday so that I could effectively take the week off. My wife was very supportive and made an effort to give me space to relax away from family life. I spent a lot of my time reading which really helped.

I think the root cause of the issue was my body still balancing things after a life time of caffeine use. Part of cutting caffeine is a depression like symptom which I definitely felt. By mid last week I was feeling more myself again so decided to put into place a few more things to help. I'm now meditating each morning more consistently and I've started finishing my morning shower with a blast of cold of water for a few minutes. This combined with exercise 6 days a week has really boosted my wellbeing drastically. Today I feel like a completely difference person.

To summarise, these are the things I've implemented to improve my wellbeing.
1. No more caffeine. I don't need the stress hormone and constant adrenaline pumping through my body.
2. Morning meditation.
3. Exercise almost every day mid morning.
4. Diet - it's been so good since I went vegan 5 months ago. Taking my omega 3 and D3 each day.
5. Cold showers - I prefer the Scottish shower approach. I shower in luke-warm water and finish with a cold shower.
6. Quit porn. This one is a recent thing to bring many of the benefits of NoFap. I'm married so I'm not really going down the full retention path, but still porn definitely isn't good.
 
I actually left this thread open for several days wanting to reply as your last post was very relatable. You normally come across as quite a motivated and driven person, someone I envy as that's not my strong point (and I'm coming to terms with that)!

Your update seems quite bold, that's a lot of changes. I appreciate getting to an intensely bad place might require an intense change. I don't feel caffeine causes stress per se (unless I overdo coffee) but I'm certainly dependent on it. I'll certainly be keeping your comments in mind for a bit and rolling the ideas round in my head. Glad it's working for you :)
 
LuckyBenski said:
I actually left this thread open for several days wanting to reply as your last post was very relatable. You normally come across as quite a motivated and driven person, someone I envy as that's not my strong point (and I'm coming to terms with that)!

Your update seems quite bold, that's a lot of changes. I appreciate getting to an intensely bad place might require an intense change. I don't feel caffeine causes stress per se (unless I overdo coffee) but I'm certainly dependent on it. I'll certainly be keeping your comments in mind for a bit and rolling the ideas round in my head. Glad it's working for you :)
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To be fair the recent changes are quitting porn and cold showers. I stopped taking caffeine 5 weeks ago when I noticed it having a negative effect on so many aspects of my life. I found I don't need it anymore. Diet and exercise has always been a big part of my life, but I have only recently started to really appreciate how profound the effect exercise has on my my wellbeing. Meditation has been on and off, but now it's really coming together as part of my morning routine. It really is important to start the day on the right foot. Once I've conquered the cold shower and created some space in my head from meditation I really do feel ready to tackle the day.

Contrast that to getting up and sitting on my phone while eating a bowl of cereal and skipping the shower, it's crazy.
 
I feel like generally my mental health has been so much better since I moved out of my mum's and also partly due to the fact that covid restrictions mean I can't help her with things and so im not getting bogged down with all of her stress. (I know that sounds bad but usually every time I see my mum she will complain or rant about her stresses and as I'm rather empathetic I then take her stress on, on top of my own)

I've been following a fitness program since 4th Jan which has been helping immensely but the last few days I've really struggled with motivation. Ive pushed through though and followed the workouts each day but today I've hit what I call a down day. I felt a bit meh yesterday and that I needed to just cry it out but no tears would fall. This morning however, I hopped out the shower and immediately started full on ugly crying :o

I need to start work at 9am (thankfully from home) but all I want to do today is curl up on the sofa. Even sat here now eating brekkie I'm trying to hold back the tears.

Maybe it's because I've not been getting enough sleep, maybe it's my back pain that's flared up this week or maybe it's just that I am lonely. I do enjoy my own company but I do miss curling up next to someone and watching a movie.

I don't know. I miss hugs and I miss seeing family, as much as they drive me mad lol.

I'm also still on part time furlough for Feb which means my pay is going to drop and it's likely it will continue through to March and then drop even more. I guess the stress of that isn't helping as I need every penny right now as I'm sure many others do too
 
Oh mate :( There is a whole lot of stuff going on right now. Most of us have had worries about money or the future, massively diminished socialising, lack of exercise, and upset routine. It's an awfully big load to be carrying continuously - you'd be ok with a few weeks or even months, but to have all that on your mind all the time... For months and months now.

I'm pretty similar. Had terrible back and neck pain through December so this year I've been exercising to try and prevent it, but I've now just got different back pain instead. Stuck at home, fairly constant sore back, terrible sleep habits, feeling unmotivated at work but still sat at my desk (at home) all day long. It's a grim time.

January is always bad for me, it's a seasonal thing. So I'm trying to remember that and be kind to myself, remind myself that I have a lot of crap on my mind already even before the dark time of year.

I usually just burst out crying at something arbitrary like a song or a film, and once it's started I'm in pieces for a bit. It's healing but I can never choose when it happens. Yesterday though I just curled up in a ball and tried to sleep all evening, not even from tiredness, just because I want to not be present.
 
I think everyone I know is having back pain or other posture issues, even if they've been sent the right kit. It's hard to maintain proper posture when you're fed up/demotivated. I would love a proper deep tissue sports massage right now but it just feels a bit risky.

@secretspy - I know the feeling of missing family. My mum has had to have some medical treatment and I'm terrified of going anywhere near her as her immune system is through the floor at the moment. I know it's hitting her pretty hard too. As far as your situation goes, I hope that the little "episode" has got some of it out of your system and it's taken a little weight off your shoulders. Physical contact is important to humans, I even miss the drunken bro-hugs with mates in the pub. :(

As for motivation - I find my attention span is slipping. I can do a few hours on something highly technical then I just want to do something else. I feel much more motivated and disciplined in the office.
 
If you want your mood to lift stop with the sugar high, crash cycle. Yes give it up along with wheat. Drink only water (filtered) Stop consuming meat. All those stress hormones produced from the animal, as it waits in line to die, are being absorbed by your body and it is responding accordingly.

Turn off your TV, chuck it out. Supplement D3 and B12 or eat marmite or both. Exercise and make yourself suffer. Tell yourself (because this is true) that you will feel much better afterwards even when experiencing the DOMS. Stop boozing, it's poison. Don't idolise idiot rock stars that do stupid things. Idolise athletes or former special forces dudes that can actually motivate and give you knowledge. Put your headboard North so when you sleep your head is facing that direction. Watch the quality of your sleep go up. It works.

If only I took my own advice.
 
Bassmansam said:
I don't think i ever could. It's too good and the vegan alternatives i have tried are awful.
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I cut my meat intake down to almost zero for a few years with the exception of occasional fish. So Pescatarian or whatever you call it.

Since lockdown I've slipped given I am cooking for me and my lodger and he's a proper carnivore. I just can't be bothered to do totally separate meals and doing proper home-made burgers the other day was nomtastic. Staying veggie/vegan is easy when you have so many options around you for lunch/dining out/takeaway but a lot of my favourite stuff has all evaporated now.
 
LiE said:
Tbh I’ve been vegan 5 months now and can still get stressed as this thread has shown. There may be some truth in what was posted but there are many many better reasons to ditch meat :)
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I've been vegan since 1997 mate and I didn't want to preach. Yes, there are far better reasons to give up meat. However, highlighting the fact that if you absorb hormones from another being and your body reacts to it kinda gets people's attention. Instead of calling them scummers (Huntsab jargon), I don't need to post a source. The meat industry spews out propaganda to protect its interests. Powerful lobbyists paying doctors to spout it for them.
 
Vegan mainstream alternatives are getting much better, had some vegan rosemary sausages last night, covered them in marmite, shoved in wholemeal wraps with vegan mayo, cucumber ect ect, Boom
I do it purely on an animal welfare viewpoint but have reaped health benefits.
Find it mentally tough living in a world that thinks eating dead things acceptable, and feel massively guilty for doing it myself for decades.
 
ScotchHop said:
I've been vegan since 1997 mate and I didn't want to preach. Yes, there are far better reasons to give up meat. However, highlighting the fact that if you absorb hormones from another being and your body reacts to it kinda gets people's attention. Instead of calling them scummers (Huntsab jargon), I don't need to post a source. The meat industry spews out propaganda to protect its interests. Powerful lobbyists paying doctors to spout it for them.
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well heres one source that goes against what your saying.
https://sciencenorway.no/agricultur...-meat-from-stressed-animals-unhealthy/1426527

@moon man hope you don’t watch nature documentaries!
 
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Bassmansam said:
well heres one source that goes against what your saying.
https://sciencenorway.no/agricultur...-meat-from-stressed-animals-unhealthy/1426527

@moon man hope you don’t watch nature documentaries!
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Of course they will say that. I what payroll...Oh, and nice little insult at the end. If you consume anything your body absorbs and reacts to it. It might not react in the same way as an animal. However those hormones will have an impact on you. Melatonin tablets are swallowed and absorbed into the body for balancing sleep. Pigs adrenalin is used (epinephrine) pens for Anaphylaxis. Just because your steak doesn't invoke panic, you are only eating what 200 to 300 grams of meat from a 750KG beast. Over time there are consequences. Meat will be coming off the table soon according to the Davos convention. We'll see.
 
Plenty of vegan foods available now, some good, some bad but we need to be aware plenty of vegan foods is still processed which can be bad for you even though it doesn't contain meat.
 
malachi said:
Plenty of vegan foods available now, some good, some bad but we need to be aware plenty of vegan foods is still processed which can be bad for you even though it doesn't contain meat.
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I must admit I have a couple of vegan pizzas in my chest freezer that aren't particularly healthy but I don't do it for heath that just comes with it (if you cook fresh and balenced) before I was vegan would have a quick fix margarita if I felt lazy now do a vegan one.
I used to have a nasty eczma patch that was going to require steroids, it's gone, my scales tell me I'm ripped (body type read out 65kg muscle) all this isn't the reason I do it, it just happens (note to self, do some healthy batch cooking on a weekend)
Going back to mental heath I think it helps me knowing I have empathy and the strength to do something I belive in
Edit/I don't even know if the 65kg is good, just that it has improved from when I was just veggie
 
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I’m struggling so badly right now. I can’t sleep, yet I’m exhausted. I’ve walked nearly 25 miles today and yesterday and I just can’t sleep.

I live alone and it’s really getting to me.

I feel physically ill, time seems to go on and nothing makes it pass quicker.
 
OldCoals said:
I’m struggling so badly right now. I can’t sleep, yet I’m exhausted. I’ve walked nearly 25 miles today and yesterday and I just can’t sleep.

I live alone and it’s really getting to me.

I feel physically ill, time seems to go on and nothing makes it pass quicker.
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Always here if you need to have a chat bud, My missus is suffering bad lately and lacking sleep most nights so I kind of understand how you're feeling
 
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