Keeping Motivated During Depression: For Those Who Are Manic Depressive or Bipolar

I am bipolar. This means I go through high and low periods. During my low periods, sometimes I suffer from deep depression lasting for months at a time. It can be very hard to find motivation for anything when you are in a deep depression.

When you are manic depressive like I am, it is possible to plan out a routine while manic and then just continue the routine into your depressive state. You might need to tone it down a bit to allow for low levels of motivation.

If you can find no motivation when you are depressed, then just stick to your routine anyway. The results of your work or projects may not be as wonderful as when you were manic, or in a normal state, but at least they will get done to some degree.

Create your routine while you are still in your higher moods, specifically for your depressed times. Have everything written down that you normally do every day. Make the goals simple. Keep a check list for getting things done.

It's essential when you are depressed to have some sort of physical activity interspersed throughout the day. Incorporate physical activities into your daily schedules, and put these activities on your checklists.

Even if your physical activity is just going for a walk two or three times a day, it is really important that you have these things written down on your to-do list. It's even better if you make your physical activity something social, like going to the gym or playing tennis with a friend.

Besides work and physical activity, it's also a good idea when you're depressed to have some sort of personal project to work on. This will give you a longer-term goal and will help with motivation beyond just the day-to-day grind.

This personal goal can be anything from an art project, like learning how to paint, to writing a novel. Just make sure it's something that would normally interest you when you are in a better, more motivated mood.

One last important aspect of setting goals during depression is to have some type of social interaction, at least on a weekly basis. Daily is best, but try to get as much social activity as you can handle. You can set lunch dates, incorporate social activity with your daily psysical activity like I suggested above, join a church or reading group or volunteer at your child's school or a homeless shelter. The idea is to get out of the house and interact with people.

Depression can suck the motivation out of you, but you are still able to control what you do. When you're bipolar, you know the depression will eventually end. Keep your life going, no matter how low you feel. You will be grateful for your efforts later.