Lacking motivation and a want to do things

It sounds like you've got a good therapy session planned @Muffin12

I recently retired because I thought the stress was affecting my MH too much.

Of course, retirement has it's own problems because there's less distractions, plus my work gave me a meaning in life, a purpose. But I have to find a new purpose and accept that I didn't achieve what I wanted to in life. Although I know many people don't achieve what they wanted to in life.

When I look back I see that I have had a reduced capacity compared to other people, even though I worked full-time for most of my life, and that I have been living with a chronic illness and will continue to do so, with the problems and unpredictability that brings to my life. On the other hand, so many people are much worse off than I am.

@Muffin12 @Till23 , I tend to be very very goal focused. I won't get off my seat until I've completed what I set my mind to do. The problem is, I have to first SET my mind to do something... so yeah... sometimes that's hard.

Then again, I have to remember that if I don't get it done, I feel much much worse.

So for me, I pick whether I want to feel stressed to get things done, or feel depressed that I don't??? LOL

@Till23

I haven't retired I've just not worked. But I will probably not go back to the career that I had.

It definitely leaves a gap and a loss of purpose.

I definitely didn't achieve what i thought I would achieve.

I have definitely had to make many concessions with work over the years and worked reduced hours.

I'm too unwell at present to work. I have no idea when I will be well enough to return to work in any capacity.

So hard trying to find something when you can't manage much at all.

Just all put on hold.

@tyme it's good that you can complete tasks when you've set your mind to it but I totally get that it can be hard to do that.

Stressed or depressed...a very annoying choice to have to make!

Another thing that's important is to set yourself achieveable goals. If the goals are too unachieveable, you can lose complete hope.

For example, and achievement can even be getting out of bed at a set time, or having a shower everyday or something. Nothing big, but it's an achievement.

And if you have a large goal to achieve, break it up into smaller steps. @Muffin12