How to keep functioning when negative emotions are at play?

[ProfessorOptics]

So, yesterday I saw my therapist. He helped clear things up for me, and I left feeling full of energy and what not. Today, I feel like i did before i went to my therapist... Low energy, and barely able to function.

Big concern for my therapist is my inability to cope with negative emotions. Basically, any negative emotion causes me to cease functioning as a human. i battle to get out of bed, keep up hygiene, keep my room tidy, do work and even do the things I actually enjoy. I must learn to be able to manage these negative emotions, because it'll be necessary when going through life.

So, how do you cope with negative emotions? How do you get yourself to get out of bed, get showered and to do the simple, but important things that's is necessary to live a healthy life, when you have just about stopped functioning, and can't even think about doing anything except lay around and wilt?

 

[OkRad]

I try to think of the alternative. I feel very bad if I break routine. Hideous. It's rarely ever worth it to do so.

 

[Pats]

It's when you get to the no option stage in life that you learn to do these things whether you want to or not. My kids were dependent on me so I had no choice but to drag myself out of bed, shower and go to work or where ever I had to be regardless of how I felt (emotionally or physically).
Those negative emotions are going to come so you have to just make yourself do the things that are required of you despite the emotions.
Hope it gets easier and better for you.

 

[Autistamatic]

Ditto to Pats. Necessity drags you out of it. If I don't get out of bed and go to work, endure the day (after day, after day...) to earn a crust then neither myself nor my wife will have a home, or eat. Once I've got past the inertia then I remember the things I do that bring me joy and I'm living again.

 

[Nervous Rex]

I love the "low energy" description. My mood is directly related to how tired I am. The more tired I am, the darker the world around me is.

I remind myself over and over that the world didn't suddenly turn dark. I know my attitude problem is my problem, that no one else sees it that way. I also know that, if I wasn't so tired, things wouldn't look so bad. Finally, I know that if I act on my emotions when I'm in that state, I will do something I regret.

So, I try to keep it to myself, ride it out, and do my best to get the rest I need and make the next day better.

Also, I go to the ranting room thread on this forum and post my feelings. I am really grateful for this forum as a safe place to ask, answer, vent, whine, congratulate, reason, and emote.

 

[ProfessorOptics]

Issue is, i'm not just aspie. I've also been diagnosed with PDA. Some days I can get on fine, no problem. Other days, I just can't manage. Part of me feels i'm just blaming the diagnosis. Another part is recognizing the patterns. I don't know what is really a malfunction of my brain, and what is just an attitude/view on life/self-fulfilling prophecy. It's so overwhelming, even just thinking about it. But i can't help but think about it lol

this video explains it perfectly:

 

[Fino]

I used to not and always felt worse when I neglected things because of negative emotions, so I just slowly stopped doing that, as it became clear that doing that just made it worse and it'll get better if I just keep going as normal.

 

[Lysander]

A good start is to get plenty of sleep, and if you don't mind it, drink your approximate bodyweight in caffeine. The mask slips a lot more when you're exhausted. As for myself, I'm so unrecognizable in my disposition that it's a bit unsettling to others when I have not gotten sufficient rest lol. But then again, I normally overcompensate by a lot more than actually necessary, so the difference is made more stark.

Once that is done, identify some practical obstacles that may be tamping down your productivity, such as not having a solid record of your contacts, pen/paper where they are easy to get, keys/id/wallet where they are easy to keep track of, functioning computer, ect.

 

[OkRad]

Issue is, i'm not just aspie. I've also been diagnosed with PDA. Some days I can get on fine, no problem. Other days, I just can't manage. Part of me feels i'm just blaming the diagnosis. Another part is recognizing the patterns. I don't know what is really a malfunction of my brain, and what is just an attitude/view on life/self-fulfilling prophecy. It's so overwhelming, even just thinking about it. But i can't help but think about it lol

this video explains it perfectly:

That is sad! I read an article on this better to understand. The article spoke in disparaging terms. As if the person was manipulating, etc. It is clear that the person is in their own brain, not manipulating anyone, just needing to be closed off at that time. Brain lock. It's not someone being a jerk, which the article intimated. I like this kid. He did a good job. I hope he succeeds.

 

[Progster]

I keep busy to distract myself from them, do exercise, go walking, listen to some music, do chores... I know that most things are just feelings, chemicals in the brain, and at some point they will pass.

 

[Nervous Rex]

A good start is to get plenty of sleep. ... The mask slips a lot more when you're exhausted.

Thank you! I'm relieved that I'm not the only person for whom lack of sleep is a genuine disability. When I get enough sleep, I am professional, efficient, active, and cheerful. When I don't, I'm like a two-year old throwing a tantrum (Internally. I work so hard to hide it and stay professional externally).

It was after one of those tantrums that I stepped back from myself and thought, "This is not normal, mature adult behavior. There's something else going on." And that led to me seeking out a counselor and then being diagnosed.

The counselor who diagnosed me specializes in autism, and the sleep aspect was new to him. But he did immediately mention that he's working with a young boy who just goes to pieces if he doesn't get enough rest. So, hopefully he's now even better equipped to help others.

...and if you don't mind it, drink your approximate bodyweight in caffeine.

Also this. I'm a little ashamed to admit to anyone exactly how much caffeine I consume every day. But it's a lot. A. Lot.

Once that is done, identify some practical obstacles that may be tamping down your productivity, such as not having a solid record of your contacts, pen/paper where they are easy to get, keys/id/wallet where they are easy to keep track of, functioning computer, etc.

I do a lot of this, too. The night before a workday, I make my lunch, plan breakfast, set out my clothes, and do anything else I can do to make the next day easier for groggy Rex.

 

[Bolletje]

I had times like these during past depressions. This time around, I fought through the sluggishness and the depression. Because I had to, and because I know my depression will only get worse if I give in to the apathy.

I made myself get out of bed and go to work. I hired a personal trainer to get myself moving again, even though I didn’t feel like getting out of bed.
I made sure to keep to a regular schedule with 8 hours of sleep.
I made sure to eat regular, healthy meals.
I made sure to reconnect with friends even though I wanted to hide in my house.
I made sure to spend time doing things I usually enjoy, even though I didn’t actually enjoy doing anything.

All of that was really hard and didn’t fix everything, but it kept me going.

 

[ProfessorOptics]

What makes it that much harder, is that i know i need to do it. I need to get out of bed, yet for some reason, i just can't. I need a drink water, yet for some reason, i just can't. The more i push it, the harder it becomes, the more aware of it i become, the harder it is.

I know what it is that I want. I know what it is I need to do or should be doing. Some days, i have zero issues, yet other days, I just can't. It won't happen, and the more i force it, the harder it is to happen. and it's not just things that I should be doing either. It's things I want to be doing that is affected too.

I love playing games... yet, on days such as this one, I just can't get myself to load up a game and play it. And if i force myself, my anxiety levels skyrocket and i just want to crawl back under the blankets and shut the world out...

Any one else have diagnosed PDA or know of someone with such?

 

[Fino]

I also do anything to avoid sleep deprivation, because it ruins my life, too! I'd always choose to not do something than to lose sleep doing it, such as school work, social things, etc.