I need motivation....

I've had BP2 for about 10 years (diagnosed for 4).

At the moment it is mostly under control on a cocktail of meds - except when I get really upset over something...

So now I'm really really stressed about work and have way more to do than I have time for and instead of doing work I want to hide in bed and never get up, sleep, escape into a book/movie or browse forums!

I don't know how to get going, get focused and get this work done - I don't know where to start or how to do it...
I'm exhausted by just trying to keep on going (with work that is - not life)

Please give me some ideas

I have this issue.
I'm notorious for signing up for more than I can actually handle...
Or turning things down because I can't conceive how I could even begin to handle it.

The first thing is to make it less daunting... so break it into smaller steps.
If those aren't small enough, get smaller.
I've found it's easier for me to do 100 little things than 1 big thing...
But if you make 1 big thing into 100 little things...
The perception just changes.

Also, I recommend yoga or meditation...
Something with breathing exercizes...
You can breathe anywhere... and they help calm you.

Hope that helped.
What kind of work do you do?
Maybe I can help more if I know what you're dealing with, exactly.

Thanks for the advice

my PhD thesis is due in a few months and is nowhere near ready so I am really freaking and have become really inefficient, had a great hypo a few months ago and got lots of work done. so thinking that might be the way to do it, but then I think thats being stupid cos when it gets out of control then things will just get worse

The breaking it up into little pieces is a great idea, I might try that now and stop procrastinating

The antipsychotics kill initiative/motivation. They block dopemine which gives you motivation. You may want to look at this area if you are on them. I notice a lot of sz's seem to think their illness is causing htem to isolate/no motivation when in fact ti could be their medication. I have a link to a site that shows a study that proves this (creates negative symptoms), so if you would like it email me at *edited*, or if you would like todiscuss this subject further.

I can relate to that. I was exactly the same. I had been off my meds for a while, but I eventually gave in and went back to the psychiatrist. He put me on Concerta. It has only been a few weeks, but it definitely helped. I hate being on medication, but at least this one takes effect immediately, with few side-effects. But only take it in the morning or you will be up all night, tired, but awake.

On Friday, I went through a stressful situation that would normally have pushed me over the edge, but I was sort of unemotional about it. It is hard to explain, but I remember feeling strangely calm compared to how I had felt in a similar situation a few weeks ago.