Depression often makes me want to do nothing. Whether it's due to demotivation, apathy, fatigue, or despair, I only want to sleep as much as possible. When I know in my gut that I need the rest, I sleep and feel better the next day.
But I usually fight the urge to do nothing because giving in to it makes my depression worse. This seems to be a common issue for depressives, and knowing my reasons may help you figure out yours.
Doing Nothing to Cope with Depression Causes Guilt and FOMO
When I do nothing, I feel guilty. This is probably because of the social pressure to be productive and live a full life. Sleeping instead of doing something fun or meaningful triggers feelings of guilt.
A sense of worthlessness is added to the mix after seeing curated content on social media. There's also the problem of "fear of missing out" (FOMO).
Understanding FOMO and Anxiety
According to VeryWell Mind, FOMO can be a significant stressor because: "FOMO is not just the sense that there might be better things that you could be doing at the moment, but it is the feeling that you are missing out on something fundamentally important that others are experiencing right now."
Guilt and FOMO make me anxious, and since anxiety and depression are linked for me, my depression worsens. What's more, I judge myself for being weak, lazy, and boring.
Self-Judgment and Internalized Ableism
Note that words like these are labels that insensitive people assign to depressed folks. Due to internalized ableism, I sometimes judge myself as harshly as the aforementioned people.
This harsh internal dialogue makes recovery more difficult, creating a cycle where doing nothing feeds guilt, and guilt fuels depression further.
Doing Nothing When Depressed Makes Me Feel Like I Have No Control
Perhaps the worst consequence of doing nothing for many days in a row is feeling like I have lost control over my life. This is because depression is in charge of how I spend my time. During such times, I feel I am not living; I am merely existing.
Having some autonomy is essential to feel like a free human. Without it, the sense of hopelessness grows, and depression tightens its grip, making the cycle even harder to break.