Can’t do homework because depressed? (9 ways to cope)

The article below is focused on what to do if you can’t do homework because you are depressed. 

Depression and anhedonia 

Anhedonia is a condition where an individual suffers from the lack of motivation and pleasure to engage himself or herself in any activity.

One of the major symptoms of depression is anhedonia. Other symptoms along with anhedonia are feelings of sadness, worthlessness, hopelessness and excessive or too less appetite.

To not be able to do homework because of depression is nothing to be shocked about. It is normal for anyone regardless of the presence of any mental illness to not feel like doing homework and assignment. But if you feel you cannot concentrate on anything that you are planning to do and end up feeling depressed then these ways may help you to cope up.

1. Engage in physical activity 

In an article published in the journal ” Psychology”, it has been mentioned that sustained physical activity can help a person with his or her bad mood by balancing out the chemicals in their body, restricting the frequency of crisis and offering means of catharsis.

The benefits of doing some physical activity on a regular basis keeps your body fit, mind energetic, increases blood supply to all the organs and decreases risk of becoming depressed and sad.

Activities that you can do:

1. Doing exercise at home

You can surf the youtube and grab loads of videos on cardio, warm ups, ab workout and many more. 

I personally like Chloe ting’s workout videos. When I cannot concentrate, I usually start off with any of her challenging videos which eventually makes me feel strong, focused and energetic.

2. Go out for a walk

If you think cardio is not your thing, you can simply grab your earphones and go our for a short walk. When you are walking look around your vicinity, attend to the trees and plants around you. Attend to anything that catches your eyes. You shall feel happier I assure.

3. Take a ride

You can also take a bicycle ride surrounding your locality to get some fresh air and help yourself. 

If you feel you cannot concentrate on your homeworks and assignments, you can get any kind of physical activity included in your schedule. This will help you lighten your mood thus you will be able to concentrate on your studies. 

2. Practice mindfulness

Mindfulness is a mental state in which a person experiences the present moment without getting distracted by the memories of the past or the anticipations of the future.

Mindfulness will help you get back to tracking and get going with your task.

When you feel like you do not want to sit with your homework, follow this easy mindfulness strategy.

Sit back and relax; close your eyes; focus on what is happening around you; become conscious of your breathing; breathe consciously; inhale and exhale bigger; feel all the five senses individually; feel the place where you are sitting; feel the black hollow of your closed eyes; breathe the smell of the air; feel your tongue, listen to all the sounds happening around; don’t think about what you have done or you plan to do. Just feel the moment and you will be able to concentrate on your homework.

3. W‌‌rite journal

Writing a journal when you cannot concentrate on your homework can help you get over anhedonia. 

We all need to socialize at some point to share our feelings and emotions especially when we are not happy or feeling depressed.

It is always not possible to find a person to talk to, who would be understanding. Instead you can find a therapist in your own diary. Write what you have to say to a diary and give yourself advice as if you are your own therapist. This type of cognitive restructuring will help you with feelings of depression and anhedonia. 

4. Start doing a hobby 

If you have a hobby that you like to do, start doing it. You need some motivation and energy to work efficiently. Start a new hobby or get yourself engaged in an old one. If you like baking, go and grab the ingredients from the nearest grocery story and start off, you can even prepare a Depression Cake. If you like watching movies, call upon some friends and watch a good movie that will inspire you. You can also listen to songs, watch games and sketch your heart out. 

You can also start a new hobby or experiment with your old ones. This will help you attain a lot of energy and greater goals in life. 

5. Start with small goals

It is very important to give attention to how you plan your day. You should not make unrealistic plans of completing a ton of tasks in one day. Start with small goals. If you feel your assigned task will take more than a day, plan it likewise. Afterall who likes monotony? Make sure your assignment does not make you bored and uninterested. 

6. Socialize 

According to studies, socializing is a good way of getting over depression. You can socialize over the internet. Nowadays the internet has connected people from all over the world through social media. You can also register in various depression chat rooms to talk to people and get support from users. You can go out and hang around with your friends. 

You can also call up a friend of yours and talk for some time. This will provide you with instant energy so that you can sit properly with your studies.

7. Take a break 

It is very important to take a break when you feel you cannot do something that you are assigned to do.

At times we are depressed and we do not feel motivated enough to do anything. We are bored at the monotony of our lives. We should take breaks and not force ourselves to do something, which we have no intrinsic motivation towards. 

8. Use depression chat rooms

Depression chat rooms are online platforms where people who are suffering from depression communicate  with each other about their experiences and receive mutual support and help. 

These chat rooms are moderated by a volunteer who makes sure that the rules and ethics of the site is maintained.

Depression chat rooms and forums are quite helpful because people these days find chat rooms easier to use because of their availability and trustworthiness compared to getting an appointment from therapists.

Some common Chat rooms and forums 

Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance

Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance (DBSA) offers support groups and forums led by peers to help people living with depression and bipolar disorders to share experiences and coping skills thus gaining hope. Depression Chat Rooms

Depression Chat Rooms from depression-chat-rooms.org aims to make people suffering from depression and anxiety communicate with each other. They also welcome people with similar or related health issues such as bipolar disorder and eating disorders. The website is independent, nonprofit, and free.

Depression Forums

Depression Forums offers forums on topics ranging from depression, anxiety to bipolar along with ways to recover, cope and therapy moderated by volunteers. This forum is trusted and has members around 70000.

Depression Sanctuary

Depression Sanctuary is a well-known nonprofit organization created to provide safe, moderated services for people with depression and anxiety. They  seek support from other like-minded people in these chatrooms. Membership is required to participate in the Depression Sanctuary chat rooms, but it’s completely free to join.

The are hosted at specific times. You have to make sure that you abide by the rules and regulations of the chatrooms and treat every member respectfully. The volunteers working over here also suffer from depression. Please be kind to them and treat them with respect.

.Depression Understood

Depression Understood offers a depression chat room that is always open. They aim to have a relaxed, supportive, and informal atmosphere for people who like virtual talk therapy services. 

HealthUnlocked

HealthUnlocked runs in partnership with the Anxiety and Depression Association of America (ADAA) and offers a safe space for anxiety and depression support. 

Healthfulchat is a trustworthy service for people who are succumbed to any sort of mental illness. They say “ Here, you will find a Depression Chat Room, depression forums, and a depression social network. It is the hope of HealthfulChat that these important forms of peer support, along with whatever medical attention you may be receiving will help bring you up out of the cloud of depression so that you can begin to enjoy life again. 

9. Don’t give up

You should keep on trying until and unless you gain your concentration to do your assignments in time. Depression should not overpower your potential. Perseverance is the cornerstone of never giving up. Some might consider it being stubborn. But in reality, it is just a doggedness of pushing forward when times get tough and never giving up until you have achieved your dreams. One of the key facets of never giving up is hard work, patience, commitment and self-love

Conclusion 

From the article we got to know what to do if you can’t do homework because you are depressed. The article also points out the reason behind lack of motivation also known as anhedonia and how it can be overpowering when someone is depressed. It can be concluded that not being able to do homework because of depression is nothing to be shocked about. It is normal for anyone regardless of the presence of any mental illness to not feel like doing homework and assignment. But if you feel you cannot concentrate on anything that you are planning to do and end up feeling depressed then these ways may help you to cope up.

FAQs : Can’t do homework because depressed

References

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK201497/

https://www.quora.com/How-can-I-bring-myself-to-do-homework-with-depression