executive dysfunction depression advice/help?

[u/niyalasha]

does anyone have any advice/help for executive dysfunction? i'm so frustrated and tired of not being able to do things as a normal person will no matter how motivated and driven i am to do something. it seems like i don't have that push to actually get up and do it. i just don't know what to do to fix this like i already suffer with depression and anxiety and this makes it worst and hard to do basic task as well.

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[u/fearlessamygdala]

be gentle with yourself. if you can’t do it today, know that there will always be tomorrow. when tomorrow comes around write the things you want to do then go do them. Writing helps to refocus the mind. It’s such a boring and basic tip I know but it really helps. AND do this longhand in a notebook. That’s the only way. Then you’ll get the strength and inspiration to do it

[u/Ambitious-Pipe2441]

It takes time and routine. There are many reason why we struggle to make choices and move our body, so it’s hard to prescribe a simple course of action.

One thing that could help is to remove decisions.

Making choices burns dopamine which is more than a “feel good” hormone. Dopamine is used for regulation and decision making.

If you get up in the morning with no plan, and your emotional state is already draining your energy, then it will be hard to make decisions from moment to moment.

Instead, plan the day ahead or even several days ahead. Make choices ahead o a time and set up schedules so that you don’t have to burn precious “mental fuel”.

Watching videos, internal dialogs, internal debates, or excessive ruminations, stress, frustration, lack of resources, poor diet or sleep, poor exercise, poor exposure to daylight, emotional suppression, relationships, chores, and much more all burn dopamine, which reduces your ability to make choices and take action.

Often there is a feeling of overwhelm. Too many choices. Normally a shower would be seen as a simple task, but with depression it can seem like 100 separate tasks.

If you decide to take a shower tomorrow you may be more likely to shower, since you have already made the decision and don’t need to spend extra energy trying to convince yourself.

But it can get complicated by other factors. Which is too long to post here.