How do I get myself out of this rut that I'm in?
Dear Aggy,
It sounds like you are dealing with some overwhelming symptoms of anxiety and depression right now.
The first step is to reflect on when you started to notice these symptoms progressing. As you mentioned, if you are concerned about aspects of seasonal affective disorder you will need to see if you can remember whether or not you started to feel the aspects of this rut after daylight savings or once the weather started to change. People can experience varying degrees of symptoms of anxiety and depression throughout the year but certain times of the year can be worse than others.
The second step is to consider if you need to seek out additional mental health resources. It might be a good idea to see if you would like to consider starting individual therapy sessions with a mental health professional if you do not already have this resource in place. You could also seek out online support groups or support groups through local community centers or churches. The main point is to make sure that you are getting all the support that you need to figure out how to get out of the rut you feel like you are in.
The third step is to practice some self-kindness. You have mentioned experiencing symptoms that across the board relate to the low level of motivation you currently have. If you are not able to wash your hair as often as you did previously, on the days that you do wash your hair see it as a small win because right now doing things like keeping up with your hygiene are harder than they usually are. If you are having a hard time getting to work on time or focusing, consider having a conversation with your boss about your mental health. If you are not feeling as social right now maybe it is just harder to be around others at this time and that is okay. The basic point here is that it is okay to not be okay and you can focus on the small stuff right now until you feel like you are back on track with things again.
You have already taken such great steps to turn things around for yourself by reaching out and asking how you can get yourself out of the rut that you are in. I think it is also important to remember that you were able to keep up with your hygiene, function at work, and feel comfortable being social in the past and you will be able to get back there again. It might take some time though so that is again where the self-kindness component comes in. You also do not have to do this process alone, so please consider reaching out to the providers you already have for your mental health or seek out additional resources. I hope you find this information helpful.
Best,
Jasmine