Not just MS Fatigue...

[Cookie_Crumbles]

Just recently googled about my fatigue and my inability to do things, and guess what? It's not the fatigue alone, it's combined with another symptom - it's "initiation problem". Most literature describes it as a consequence of traumatic brain injury, with frontal lobe damage. But MS is a creeping brain injury anyways, right?

So for a while I hated myself for being lazy and was upset with myself for being always tired. Basically, I know I need to do stuff. I write all kinds of lists. I post reminders. I leave the things that need fixing or finishing right on top of my meds tray. And yet I don't do those tasks. I can sit in my chair all day and think "I need to do this", but I just can't make the first step. And I don't mean Easter cleanup or writing a novel, it really is tiny things like braiding my hair, or printing a label for a return. Basically it's like I'm in a car and my hand is frozen on the ignition the key.

So it's not me, it's motivation disorder and initiation deficit.

"The individual may have every intention of doing something, and may even have a plan, but just does not seem to be able to get started."

Whew... (well, not exactly...) But it helps to know that I can stop hating myself for being "lazy".

Here is a short article with description: https://www.brainline.org/author/cel...iation-deficit


Can anyone relate?

[Seasha]

Interesting article, Cookie crumb, and thanks. I had never heard of this before. I wonder if you could use any of these therapies listed to help you? It;s worth looking into.

My problem is not starting things, but finishing up the things I've started! Wonder if there is a therapy for this?

[Cookie_Crumbles]

I'm going to research whatever I can find online in English about therapies.

[Seasha]

I'm going to research whatever I can find online in English about therapies.

Good luck and let us know how it goes!

[Cookie_Crumbles]

Updating this to add a couple of helpful things I found. My useful strategies.

First one: keep visual track of accomplishments. For example, every time I declutter something, I add a Lego cube to a "tower". It's a small thing, but eventually I got a skyscraper built, then another one. It felt very nice and it motivated me. It looked like a result. Every time I saw it, I thought "I got stuff done."

I also added a button into a bowl when I got even a smallest task of cleaning done. Those things really help!

Second rule: nothing is too small an accomplishment. Dragged myself downstairs and put laundry in - do a happy dance. Vacuumed the hallway - say "Excellent job!" Give yourself positive feedback.

Third rule: if easy things became difficult, don't be hard on youself by still treating them as "easy" and yourself as "lazy".

It used to be easy just to throw the laundry in. I kept thinking that way, and I'd be mean to myself - "why are you so lazy, why don't you just do it already, you wasted a whole day and got nothing done". Now I think "it was hard, but I did it!"