Making goals in life can seem daunting for the average person, let alone someone with depression. And once those goals are set, the next step is to find the motivation to complete those goals. This is another integral part of coping with depression.
Motivation is what drives the completion of goals, but oftentimes depression can involve a lack of motivation.
Eric Klinger, a professor of psychology at the University of Minnesota Morris, defines motivation in an e-mail as “the internal states of the organism that lead to the instigation, persistence, energy, and direction of behavior towards a goal.”
According to a textbook called “Depression: Causes and Treatment,” people with depression can have changes in motivation. For example, “the loss of motivation may be viewed as the result of the patient’s hopelessness and pessimism.” Because people with depression may focus on an expected negative outcome, this leads to inactivity toward a goal.
When a person fails at achieving a goal, there can be a reactive depression, and this can sometimes be useful, Klinger said.
“I theorize that it is nature's way of helping us to disengage from unattainable goals,” Klinger said. “It does this by undermining commitment to goal pursuits, but it tends to lead to general loss of interest in goals one had once valued and pursued.”
Some people can bounce back after failure, but others can fall into a deep depression.
“Depressed individuals tend toward undervaluing possible goals and underestimating their chances of attaining their goals,” Klinger said. “This and other features of depression (which is, after all, also a biological process) reduce their energy levels and their willingness to put forth effort.”
Depression can also lead to other negative results besides lack of motivation.
“They lose some touch with their own true values and may adopt goals suggested by others that may turn out quite unsatisfying,” Klinger said.
Although lack of motivation can be a tough cycle to break, there are ways to improve the desire and motivation to reach goals while also having depression.
Another textbook, “The Depression Solutions Workbook: A Strength & Skills-Based Approach,” features a type of therapy called “motivational interviewing.” This approach “focuses on building motivation for change” and “helps you develop hope and vision about the possibility of change.” There is also solution-focused therapy and cognitive behavioral therapy. The book also talks about realizing hidden resources (like church and family support) in order to cope with depression, and looking at individual strengths.
Klinger suggests looking at current goals and concerns and figuring out specifics, like what exactly an individual wants to accomplish, how this accomplishment would make the individual feel, how long it would take to accomplish a goal and the likelihood of accomplishing a goal. People with depression can work on this with a therapist.
Working on goals can help relieve depression in some cases.
“The sooner you can commit to pursuing new goals or resuming pursuit of old goals, the faster you are likely to get over your depression,” Klinger said.
These goals can include forming a new relationship, applying to college or working on a project.
“Choose goals that you have a realistic chance of achieving,” Klinger said. “Long shots are okay if you acknowledge them as such and are prepared to lose. For that case, have a backup plan … If you are depressed, choose some goals that provide short-term payoffs. You need to experience some joy, even if right now you have trouble feeling joyful.”
Although goals are necessary in life, it might be better to put off any major decisions while depressed.
“Be cautious about making major decisions while you are depressed,” Klinger said. “Depression warps your judgment about how much you value anything and how likely you are to succeed at what you undertake. It sometimes leads to exaggerated feelings of guilt and worthlessness. Avoid relying on these feelings.”
Although it can be tempting to think over past failures and traits that need to be improved on, there needs to be a limit on this type of thinking.
“One common feature of depression is rumination — going over and over in your mind the things that trouble you and your bleak prospects,” Klinger said. “A certain amount of rumination is probably necessary to work through the depression, but at the point where your thoughts become repetitive, where you are no longer gaining new insights or making plans or solving problems, rumination just deepens your depressed mood.”
At this point, it is best to focus on positive thoughts, like some goal that would be enjoyable to accomplish.
Besides seeing a therapist, self-talk can sometimes help with achieving goals, according to a study from the University of Illinois.
The study found that people who ask themselves if they can accomplish a task did better than people who told themselves they could accomplish a task.
Be careful to not let self-talk backfire. Although many say that positive self-affirmations can help self-esteem, another study suggests that those who have low self-esteem might not benefit as much from repeating positive self-statements to themselves.
What are some ways you motivate yourself? How do you accomplish goals? Share your experiences in the comments below.
Sources:
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/05/100528092021.htm
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19493324