This is very common, and the only way I know to get through it is to keep plugging along, and get your depression under control. Use talk therapy, or meds, or both, and use natural methods as well such as exercise, journaling etc. Most people cannot get through depression on their own, really try to get some counseling, since you have to learn how to recognize what the thoughts you have are telling you, and how to change those thought patterns (for example a lot of people who are depressed are perfectionists and their thoughts tell them that they will never be good enough, never get it right etc.) if for some reason you can't, I strongly urge you to talk to your doctor, and join a support group if there is one in your town. Actually these last two are recommended even if you do get some counseling.

I hadn't even realized it, but I think you've hit the nail on the head. I've been having a VERY difficult time concentrating lately . . . I bet it does have something to do with the dark cloud that's hanging over my head lately.

Counseling isn't financially an option for me, and getting out of the house without my children is impossible, so 'support groups' are out of the question as well . . . They're great ideas . . . but they won't work for me.

Sometimes excersise shakes me out of it. I have class tonight, I now have hope that tomorrow will be better. Maybe I will actually be able to focus enough to get some of this cr@p on my desk cleaned up and checked off my to-do list.

Sorry you're going through this too, but thanks for bringing it up.

Even if your insurance doesn't cover therapy, you should talk to your doctor about trying medication. It's so much better if you do both, but medication can help.

This is one of the nine criteria considered to be a standard part of depression. See #8. So you are on the money...and the advice here about managing it is excellent.

A. Five (or more) of the following symptoms have been present during the same 2-week period and represent a change from previous functioning; at least one of the symptoms is either (1) depressed mood or (2) loss of interest or pleasure.

(1) depressed mood most of the day, nearly every day, as indicated by either subjective report (e.g., feels sad or empty) or observation made by others (e.g., appears tearful). Note: In children and adolescents, can be irritable mood.

(2) markedly diminished interest or pleasure in all, or almost all, activities most of the day, nearly every day (as indicated by either subjective account or observation made by others)

(3) significant weight loss when not dieting or weight gain (e.g., a change of more than 5% of body weight in a month), or decrease or increase in appetite nearly every day. Note: In children, consider failure to make expected weight gains.

(4) insomnia or hypersomnia nearly every day

(5) psychomotor agitation or retardation nearly every day (observable by others, not merely subjective feelings of restlessness or being slowed down)

(6) fatigue or loss of energy nearly every day

(7) feelings of worthlessness or excessive or inappropriate guilt (which may be delusional) nearly every day (not merely self-reproach or guilt about being sick)

(8) diminished ability to think or concentrate, or indecisiveness, nearly every day (either by subjective account or as observed by others)

(9) recurrent thoughts of death (not just fear of dying), recurrent suicidal ideation without a specific plan, or a suicide attempt or a specific plan for committing suicide

There are some support groups online, you could try that.

I understand if you cannot afford counselling, but have you talked to your doctor about it? There are many good depression books out there that also tell you how to change your thinking patterns and include workbooks for you to work through some of your issues all by yourself. Off the top of my head there is a really good one by Dr. David Burns (his mentor was Dr. Beck) I can't remember the exact title but it something like The Feel Good Handbook, it is very well respected, and very widely available. Dr. Beck was the one who came up with the depression diagnosis tool.

You're right - it's the Feeling Good Handbook by David Burns. Also there's a discussion about cognitive therapy here that has some good suggestions about changing thinking.

http://www.tbd.com/content/article/basic_article.article:::health_behavior_modification

I have experienced this lack of concentration repeatedly over the years. It wasn't until I was diagnosed with depression early last year and started treatment (therapy and Effexor XR) that I understood where the lack of concentration, motivation, etc. was coming from.

I still run into this even with the medication.

I don't have a solid "works every time" answer for how to get out of it, although ordinarygirl's suggestion of exercise is a good one. It works part of the time.

One other thing to try is talking to someone you know that is one of those high energy people that can help get you rev'd up.

TBD won't like this, but, I find my computer to be my enemy when I get in these funks. It gives me too easy of a way to run away and hide - tune out the world.

One other idea to help is to look at the work you need to do and find the most stressful part of the work that may be keeping you from diving in. Solve that stress / roadblock. Many times we put off doing something since it is less stressful to just avoid it. We will put it off until the stress of putting it off becomes greater than the stress of doing the work.