Ask Me Help Desk - Why don't I have motivation or inspiration to do anything anymore?

Firstly, I just want to say that I am embarrassed by my actions and admitting them is shameful, so no negative feedback please.

I feel like I am the most lazy person in the world. I know I am completely capable of getting out of my bed and doing so many different things, I live right dt in a large city so I have many options, but yet every day I wake up and just long to lay in bed. I never wake up before 11 and I dread leaving my house. I have researched this a bit and just want to make it clear that leaving my house doesn't frighten me in the least of ways.. I have a very sociable lifestyle, go downtown to clubs with my friends etc. but I always find myself dreading it. I would rather be alone then with my friends. Unless something is absolutely necessary I will postpone it for days. Even things as simple as taking the recycling out. I have absolutely no ambition or motivation, and I can't remember what my mindset has been in the past. What is wrong with me? What is causing this, and is there any way that I can fix it or change my mindset and get some inspiration?

I am 19/F/ and going into my second year of university in the fall.

Sorry by negative feedback, I mean no deliberately insulting comments. If its got to be negative I will obviously accept that. Sorry :)

I see you have "researched" a little on your own. In doing so did anything stand out. Also, how is your health. Any known illnesses past or present, and when did this first beset you?

I think it started throughout this past year. I am 19/F/ 5'5 and 140 lbs, generally healthy, I used to work out in grade 12 but haven't regularly in almost a year.. other then that pretty good. I drink and smoke a lot of weed... kind of embarrassing but it might be able to help.

And while researching I didn't find out too much, that was mainly trying to figure out why I never want to do anything or leave my house.. I find anything from doing the recycling, hanging out with friends, going to friends houses, meeting someone downstairs, running to macs, (things that I think a normal person does no problem) to be huge burden on me, I actually dread it :(...

However I do keep up on my cleaning.

Tell me a little more. How much do you drink, during what hours and where? Also, what is a "lot of weed"? How long have you been smoking and has this increased?

I also note mention of friends, socializing (reluctantly) but no mention of family or significant other.

I am not an opponent of marijuana nor alcohol. It isn't my intent to make you an alcoholic or a stereotypical pot-head. I see neither as demon commodities. Either or both can have unpredictable effects in some people however. THC, metabolite of mj, has a very long and unpredictable life and is therefore cumulative. I'll do a little more specific research. Give me an idea of the potency of the mj also.

I usually drink 1-3 times per week with my friends. A night of drinking for me can include anywhere from 8-15 shots of hard liqour (usually whiskey) "A lot" of weed, is getting high anywhere from 5-10 times per day. I started smoking it in November, and since then have not gone more than 2 days without getting high (and that has only happened once). I know I am too dependent on it yet I have no desire or ambition to quit. I live with my dad but he works long days, every day and we don't talk too much. I had a boyfriend (Cody) and we dated for 3.5 years and recently broke up although we have remained close and still text quite often throughout the day, but we don't hang out much unless we are partying. (we share the same friends). The mj that I am smoking can range from crappy outdoor to quality hydro. For the most part I am smoking quality weed.

The amount and pattern of alcohol consumed could be the problem. As a matter of health, physiologically this could be having some subtle deleterious effects on you. If you drank for instance 8 oz of alcohol per week-one oz per day-there would be little reason to suspect the alcohol. However, 8-15 oz of alcohol during one drinking foray, particularly in concentrated form (whiskey @ 40% apv) aggravates everything from your esophagus to your colon. While females process alcohol more efficiently (leastwise faster) than males they are also more prone to rapid development of disorders such as, but not limited to, fatty liver, myocarditis, gastointestinal disorders, vitamin deficiency, hormonal disbalance. You can write those on the wall and throw a dart at them and where it sticks is a possible cause, and at the least a contribution to the lethargy. Chronic heavy drinking has the effect of depressing brain function(s) as well.

It's interesting that to the extent you have described your drinking, it seems to be exclusively associated with intoxication.

The marijuana use described is amazing. The only possible conclusion is that you spend more waking time in an altered state of consciousness than clear headed. Heavy marijuana use, and you're at the distant end of the term, is consistently associated with lethargy and amotivational states [I rely more on user reports than research for this statement, although research also supports it]. Fortunately, marijuana (and metabolites) while much longer lasting, lack the systemic toxicity of alcohol. But you have enough THC in your system that it could very well exert some influence for 60 days, although I know of no example of irreversible damage caused by MJ once stopped.

Either the alcohol or marijuana could explain your lethargy. It is certainly more in your pattern of excessive use, than the chemical properties of the substances. In order to make any definitive assessment you would first have to stop or greatly curtail use of both substances. Clearly it's not possible to assess anyone's mood or mental state when the seeming symptoms observed/expressed are more than likely drug effects.

So do you think this insane depression is mainly based off alcohol and mj? As soon as I read that I was instantly thinking "no that can't possibly be it"... is that just me being in denial? I feel like I am not damaging my body that much... but then again I have been partying pretty hard for the last 3 years... maybe it just caught up to me?

Do you think I need to see a doctor about getting on anti depressants or anti anxiety medication?

Quote:

Originally Posted by addictedtoyou

So do you think this insane depression is mainly based off of alcohol and mj? As soon as I read that I was instantly thinking "no that can't possibly be it".... is that just me being in denial? I feel like I am not damaging my body that much... but then again I have been partying pretty hard for the last 3 years... maybe it just caught up to me?

Do you think I need to see a doctor about getting on anti depressants or anti anxiety medication?

You are using two substances either of which in excess create depression. By any standard of measurement your usage is excessive. The solution to that is not to introduce yet another drug to counter these drug effects. No physician with any knowledge of substance abuse would even consider prescribing medication for that purpose or under the circumstances you describe. That being said, a thorough medical examination is well advised.