# Need workarounds for severe burnout/depression.



## Necrofantasia (Feb 26, 2014)

Hi, I think the title summarizes things quite nicely. 

I am in a bind as I am right now. I am a college student with a massive case of burnout, my overall drive has reached an all time low and my attendance has dropped quite a bit, I can't even look at my schoolwork anymore and I can't bring myself to enjoy it, even though I am pretty sure this is the path I want. I can't focus (I've found myself staring at my screen/paper trying to get work done and just zoning out mentally) , I'm easily distracted (basically procrastination is now a compulsion) , my memory is nothing like what it used to be and my head is permanently foggy. There are no boundaries whatsoever in my life and I've failed miserably at setting up any kind of structure. I'm mostly paralyzed, slowly ticking away at what I can.

To top it all off I'm clinically depressed, my meds seem to be insufficient given the amount of stress I am going through, and because the program I'm in is an intensive program, I do not get more than 2 weeks breaks between semesters. I won't be able to see my doctor for a new prescription/for a referral to a new psychiatrist (my current one and I just...seem to have gone as far as we can go) until this semester is over (kind of problematic as the burnout is definitely going to affect my marks) , and after that it's back to the grinder immediately. I also often find myself unable to connect even with people I've been friends with for decades and you may as well say I have no family, everyone feels like an NPC that I can't relate to (yes, even here) , much less confide in. I'm alone in every single way that counts. 

And of course there's more. I was able to get an offer of admission for the program I've been wanting to get into for the last four years, problems are 1) This program is far more intensive than what I'm doing now 2) I'd be starting that program immediately after finishing this one, and I would not see a break of more than 2 weeks until summer 2018. I effectively cannot take any breaks. 

Now, the fact I am posting all this on an internet forum should be enough indication of how desperate I am at this point. I really want to make this work, this is essentially the only thing I've ever truly wanted and I've been dying to get to where I am right now and I've worked for it for years, but as I am now I can't give it my all and I've no idea what to do anymore. Adjusting my medication may not even be a proper solution as there's a calibration process when modifying a prescription and currently every single day counts. For all I know I could end up worse than I am now until it actually starts kicking in. 

Are there methods to force focus that don't come with heightened anxiety? That'd be ideal for me right now. 

...here goes nothing.


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## Maker of helmets (Sep 8, 2014)

is there something you could start slowly reconnecting with which you enjoy for its own sake, like a hobby or pastime


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## Necrofantasia (Feb 26, 2014)

Maker of helmets said:


> is there something you could start slowly reconnecting with which you enjoy for its own sake, like a hobby or pastime


I can think of a couple of things, but I don't think I have the time to pursue them currently.


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## Penny (Mar 24, 2016)

Nell said:


> Hi, I think the title summarizes things quite nicely.
> 
> I am in a bind as I am right now. I am a college student with a massive case of burnout, my overall drive has reached an all time low and my attendance has dropped quite a bit, I can't even look at my schoolwork anymore and I can't bring myself to enjoy it, even though I am pretty sure this is the path I want. I can't focus (I've found myself staring at my screen/paper trying to get work done and just zoning out mentally) , I'm easily distracted (basically procrastination is now a compulsion) , my memory is nothing like what it used to be and my head is permanently foggy. There are no boundaries whatsoever in my life and I've failed miserably at setting up any kind of structure. I'm mostly paralyzed, slowly ticking away at what I can.
> 
> ...


well, i can't help you with the procrastination except to say "just do it" but i have found taking ginko biloba supplements to be very helpful in increasing memory and mental clarity. i think if i remember correctly jasmine tea is also good for mental clarity. (ginko biloba stimulates blood flow to the brain.) i think it would help greatly if you like take some time and set up the boundaries and structure that you need. i know when i was in college my environment made all the difference in my success at school. what are the blocks that are holding you back from that? (setting boundaries and creating structure?)


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## Recede (Nov 23, 2011)

@Nell

I am in a similar situation. The best advice I can think of is to not be a perfectionist, and to make sure your priorities are really serving you. I don't think it's a good idea to try to force yourself to focus, to expend more energy and effort than you are naturally able to in this state. I think that trying to do so is likely to backfire and cause you to crash or freeze up so much that you can't get anything done. If you try to juggle more objects than you're able to, you'll end up dropping them all.

In a state of burnout/depression, you should try to conserve your energy as much as you can. And it's okay to do so, think of it like rationing supplies during a war. It's a matter of survival, it's important to use your resources wisely and not overspend them. You seem concerned about how this will affect your grades, but depending on the demands of the classes and how you invest your energy, it may or may not affect them as much as you think. Most students don't invest their energy efficiently. Most think that grades are proportional to effort but they are not. In this situation it's best to minimize your effort and focus it only where it matters. I'll confess that I don't do the assigned readings for my classes, as I've found them to require high time and energy investment with minimal return. And I don't try to make my term papers perfect, my goal is simply to finish them as painlessly as I can. And I'm still managing to get good enough grades. What minimum effort gets you is going to depend on your program, but in most cases it's possible to do okay (or even surprisingly well) without pushing yourself too much. That's not to say you can make your classes easy and effortless, you still have to do your homework and learn enough to do well on exams. But you don't have to make it harder than it needs to be. You _shouldn't_ make it harder than it needs to be, for the sake of your physical and mental health.


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## Rascal01 (May 22, 2016)

When overloaded, reduce the load. When under medicated, increase the meds.

You sound like you are approaching exhaustion and mired to the point of inefficiency. You could be at risk for becoming totally unproductive and injuring your health. It appears it may be time to start managing your situation rather than letting it run you into the ground... or below it.

You mentioned going from one high intensity program into another immediately after the present one is completed. While that may meet key personal goals and ambitions, it may not be practical if you are already depleted to the point of non-performance.

Consider adjusting your academic load and schedule. You may think you can't do that. It may be necessary for you to make modifications to your life in your own self-defense. You have been sprinting, perhaps it is time to jog and get a second wind. You need to become your own best friend and get busy with self-preservation before failure begins to knock at your door. I think you would find failure to be a very unpleasant companion.

Any performance enhancer you need should come from a doctor, especially since you already take medication. Your school may have a medical staff or be able to provide a medical referral. If you cannot make time to see a doctor and care for your own welfare you may be in more trouble than you realize.

Consider taking a semester off. Perhaps you could go to school abroad for a year. Do something to bring a little sunshine into your life, along with a breath of fresh air. It sounds like you need it.


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## Necrofantasia (Feb 26, 2014)

Rascal01 said:


> When overloaded, reduce the load. When under medicated, increase the meds.
> 
> You sound like you are approaching exhaustion and mired to the point of inefficiency. You could be at risk for becoming totally unproductive and injuring your health. It appears it may be time to start managing your situation rather than letting it run you into the ground... or below it.
> 
> ...


That's the route I've been getting egged towards thus far. I think I'll make a point of seeing them tomorrow and seeing if I can negotiate a lighter course load for next semester. I may not have a choice. 

That being said, I do need to change myself so as to manage my time more efficiently, I've never been able to do this, I usually can only work at night, meaning in order to be productive my sleep is the first thing that goes out the window. No amount of time segmentation or scheduling has changed this.


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## Rascal01 (May 22, 2016)

Then you have two situations to deal with... managing your load and managing yourself. Both are adding to your stress. I suggest the load first as you can bring about some measure of improvement in short order. Once accomplished you should feel some relief. Managing self seems a larger task, but one that can wait.

As soon as you can manage treat yourself to a break. Be kind to yourself. If you are able and this does not offend you, I suggest a stiff drink at least two fingers tall and 24 hours of sleep.


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## Necrofantasia (Feb 26, 2014)

Rascal01 said:


> Then you have two situations to deal with... managing your load and managing yourself. Both are adding to your stress. I suggest the load first as you can bring about some measure of improvement in short order. Once accomplished you should feel some relief. Managing self seems a larger task, but one that can wait.
> 
> As soon as you can manage treat yourself to a break. Be kind to yourself. If you are able and this does not offend you, I suggest a stiff drink at least two fingers tall and 24 hours of sleep.


I'm not easily offended, and that sounds lovely

Thank you very much for your input.


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## bruh (Oct 27, 2015)

Nell said:


> Hi, I think the title summarizes things quite nicely.
> 
> I am in a bind as I am right now. I am a college student with a massive case of burnout, my overall drive has reached an all time low and my attendance has dropped quite a bit, I can't even look at my schoolwork anymore and I can't bring myself to enjoy it, even though I am pretty sure this is the path I want. I can't focus (I've found myself staring at my screen/paper trying to get work done and just zoning out mentally) , I'm easily distracted (basically procrastination is now a compulsion) , my memory is nothing like what it used to be and my head is permanently foggy. There are no boundaries whatsoever in my life and I've failed miserably at setting up any kind of structure. I'm mostly paralyzed, slowly ticking away at what I can.
> 
> ...


Listen to white noise. Ive heard it helped children with adhd focus.
Oh and, remember that your health and piece of mind are the most important out of everything.


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## megmento (Jul 26, 2016)

Hey buddy, I hope everything's gets better. I came across this empowering blog post a year ago and you might want to spare some time reading it. I hope it helps somehow. I wish you all the best in painstakingly pursuing that endeavour despite all your demons trying to drag you right now.


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## TheProYodler (Dec 9, 2015)

Past medical history? ADHD maybe? I mean, if it's ADHD you're probably gonna wanna switch to some sort of stim medication. Blah, blah, blah I'm not a doctor. In all honesty, I think "natural supplements" are pretty bogus, and I would rather stick with extremely well documented substances that are proven to help with lack of focus/motivation/memory: caffeine, amphetamines (blah, blah, blah see a doctor), SSRI's/SNRI's (blah, blah, blah see a doctor; personally, I wouldn't touch that category of meds again because I had such an awful experience with them, but who knows... some people swear by them).


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## Necrofantasia (Feb 26, 2014)

TheProYodler said:


> Past medical history? ADHD maybe? I mean, if it's ADHD you're probably gonna wanna switch to some sort of stim medication. Blah, blah, blah I'm not a doctor. In all honesty, I think "natural supplements" are pretty bogus, and I would rather stick with extremely well documented substances that are proven to help with lack of focus/motivation/memory: caffeine, amphetamines (blah, blah, blah see a doctor), SSRI's/SNRI's (blah, blah, blah see a doctor; personally, I wouldn't touch that category of meds again because I had such an awful experience with them, but who knows... some people swear by them).


That is certainly a consideration, ADHD, or just AD, I am very low energy.
I will be able to see the doc in two to three weeks so I'll get that sorted out.


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## TheProYodler (Dec 9, 2015)

Nell said:


> That is certainly a consideration, ADHD, or just AD, I am very low energy.
> I will be able to see the doc in two to three weeks so I'll get that sorted out.


In all honesty, I've dealt with a lot--I do mean a lot--of ADHD/ADD (it's one in the same, really) cases, and you don't strike me as a prime candidate; again I'm not a doctor. Could just be depression and a basic SSRI/SNRI could fix the problem, you never know. What I've found in a lot of people who have ADHD, but are not being actively treated, is that a moderate dose of caffeine (150-300mg's) has a very positive effect concerning motivation, concentration, and memory retention. 

I would *absolutely not* recommend taking any of the following substances/stimulants without first consulting your physician: Vyvanse (Dextroamphetamine/Lisdexamfetamine), Desoxyn (Methamphetamine), Adderall (mixed amphetamine salts), Concerta (Methylphenidate), Focalin (DexMethylphenidate), Ritalin (Methylphenidate), or Dexedrine (Dextroamphetamine). These are all extremely powerful CNS stimulants and should only be taken under close medical supervision.


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## Necrofantasia (Feb 26, 2014)

TheProYodler said:


> In all honesty, I've dealt with a lot--I do mean a lot--of ADHD/ADD (it's one in the same, really) cases, and you don't strike me as a prime candidate; again I'm not a doctor. Could just be depression and a basic SSRI/SNRI could fix the problem, you never know. What I've found in a lot of people who have ADHD, but are not being actively treated, is that a moderate dose of caffeine (150-300mg's) has a very positive effect concerning motivation, concentration, and memory retention.
> 
> I would *absolutely not* recommend taking any of the following substances/stimulants without first consulting your physician: Vyvanse (Dextroamphetamine/Lisdexamfetamine), Desoxyn (Methamphetamine), Adderall (mixed amphetamine salts), Concerta (Methylphenidate), Focalin (DexMethylphenidate), Ritalin (Methylphenidate), or Dexedrine (Dextroamphetamine). These are all extremely powerful CNS stimulants and should only be taken under close medical supervision.


Worry not, my only medication presently is Welbutrin. It probably isn't enough and it may be at the root of my memory loss. But yeah, none of those others.


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## TheProYodler (Dec 9, 2015)

Nell said:


> Worry not, my only medication presently is Welbutrin. It probably isn't enough and it may be at the root of my memory loss. But yeah, none of those others.


Yeah Wellbutrin (along with Straterra) are pretty common go to drugs, but their efficacy is highly debatable for the treatment of ADHD... I've noticed that psychiatrists will usually go to stimulants as a first resort, and General practitioners/non-Psych doctors will usually prescribe non-stimulant drugs (Wellbutrin for example) as a first line. Wellbutrin is also well known for decreasing motivation and concentration in certain instances because Wellbutrin is not dopaminergic. I would not recommend that you stop taking it without first consulting your physician, however. 

I've personally been on Vyvanse for the past 11 months and will vouch for its efficacy in mood elevation, concentration, motivation, alertness, memory retention, increased energy, and the ability to perform tasks otherwise deemed too tedious to do prior to taking Vyvanse. This is not without side effects, of course. However, if you have an addictive personality I would *stay far away* from any stimulant medication as they are considered to be the most psychologically addictive substances on earth (there is no physical addiction/dependence).

EDIT: to put it to you simply, I'm currently a university student and I was struggling pretty badly before I started started Vyvanse (see below):
GPA before being prescribed Vyvanse: 2.8
GPA after being prescribed Vyvanse: 3.73


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## Necrofantasia (Feb 26, 2014)

TheProYodler said:


> Yeah Wellbutrin (along with Straterra) are pretty common go to drugs, but their efficacy is highly debatable for the treatment of ADHD... I've noticed that psychiatrists will usually go to stimulants as a first resort, and General practitioners/non-Psych doctors will usually prescribe non-stimulant drugs (Wellbutrin for example) as a first line. Wellbutrin is also well known for decreasing motivation and concentration in certain instances because Wellbutrin is not dopaminergic. I would not recommend that you stop taking it without first consulting your physician, however.
> 
> I've personally been on Vyvanse for the past 11 months and will vouch for its efficacy in mood elevation, concentration, motivation, alertness, memory retention, increased energy, and the ability to perform tasks otherwise deemed too tedious to do prior to taking Vyvanse. This is not without side effects, of course. However, if you have an addictive personality I would *stay far away* from any stimulant medication as they are considered to be the most psychologically addictive substances on earth (there is no physical addiction/dependence).
> 
> ...


Thus far I haven't been diagnosed with ADHD, just depresion/anxiety, and Asperger's Syndrome. 
I can't move the date I see my doc, you gotta book weeks in advance because of how many patients he's got. I do intend to consult him about Welbutrin, I changed to it from Celexa because of the loss of libido/weight gain. Now I'm back to normal in those areas, but now my focus/memory are negligible. I fucking hate antidepressants. 
Mood altering substances and medication tend to function differently from individual to individual so your panacea may be my poison. I have an addictive personality though, so I guess it isn't for me.


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## TheProYodler (Dec 9, 2015)

Nell said:


> Thus far I haven't been diagnosed with ADHD, just depresion/anxiety, and Asperger's Syndrome.
> I can't move the date I see my doc, you gotta book weeks in advance because of how many patients he's got. I do intend to consult him about Welbutrin, I changed to it from Celexa because of the loss of libido/weight gain. Now I'm back to normal in those areas, but now my focus/memory are negligible. I fucking hate antidepressants.
> Mood altering substances and medication tend to function differently from individual to individual so your panacea may be my poison. I have an addictive personality though, so I guess it isn't for me.


People with addictive personalities can take stimulants without problems; general rule of thumb is starting at the lowest dose and see if it's something you can manage without abusing. Stimulants work extremely consistently: there's little to no deviation, though some people work much better on different types of stimulants--adderal vs vyvanse for example. The reason they can be dangerous is because they are intense euphoriants, and do not act like any other antidepressant because they specifically induce euphoria (hence the massive productivity gains). However, they *can, but not always,* make someone's anxiety worse. I have GAD, and Vyvanse actually helps my anxiety They can also cause undesirable weight loss--I'm usually not hungry for 14 hours a day and have to make myself eat which isn't as bad as it sounds. For the vast, vast majority of people with motivational problems/anything pertaining to ADHD they are wonder drugs and their onset of action is immediate. Luckily stimulants are not dependence forming, and can be stopped at any time without any withdrawal effects.

These are your classic: "Uppers"


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