@Rhubot posted a new topic, subject "Simple things but I won't do them". It read:

   I'm often overwhelmed by the simplest of things. I'm sitting on my sofa, and in front of me are three Christmas cards that I haven't opened and am not likely to open now. I get this way about text messages, voice mails and emails from friends, too - even about messages here on the site.
    
    I get this way about bills, about assignments, about putting the toilet paper roll on the dispenser.
    
    If you struggle with this, how do you fight it? What works for you?

Then @everhopeful said

    Just do one productive thing a day. They all add up. It works for me.

So @Rhubot replied

    I can do productive things, but opening these Christmas cards makes me feel like puking. Can't figure it out. I'm just all

Then @TomCat said

    You should open them They might have money in there or at least pictures of children. Might bring a smile to your face.

@everhopeful replied

    Sometimes I don't do trivial things because it reminds me I've more complex things to do and If I start on the trivial things, then I might have to start on the complex things.

@flybottle replied

    I can have similar resistance to doing such small things. When it comes to friends, I have pretty much overcome it by pracicing my sociality, first as an ingrediënt of my recovery, rather instrumental sociality I might say, later because I enjoyed it. And then every once in a while take the time to appreciate friends. And if you do appreciate friends, I tell myself in such moments, you show it in action. That usually gets the trick done. Similar for projects I am engaged to. For some stuff like the toilet paper that only concerns myself - I give myself a break.

@PsychoticPsyduck replied

    I feel the same way, unfortunately I haven't found a way to overcome it yet.
    
    I've got so much unopened mail, ignored voicemails, texts etc etc. I have really bad phone anxiety, I usually keep mine on silent lol notifications panic me.

Then @Rhubot said

    Small things trip me up far more than big things. If something has to be done, I find a way of making myself do it. But these things - I dunno.
    
    You're right that sociality is almost a guarantee that I'll have resistance to doing something, even (especially?) when it's utterly passive, like opening a card.

So @zeno replied

    Bdon:
    
    > I have really bad phone anxiety, I usually keep mine on silent lol notifications panic me.
    
    I deactivated my SIM card and closed my facebook account, I wonder how long I will resist here…

@PsychoticPsyduck replied

    I did that during my first psychotic break. Completely deactivated my phone.

Then @zeno said

    Was it because of the delusions or because it was a source of stress?

@PsychoticPsyduck replied

    It was because of delusions, I thought my phone was tapped. Now I silence it because it's a source of stress.

After which, @ninjastar added

    I get this way about trivial things, too. For me, it's driven mostly by guilt. I feel guilty that I haven't, for example, taken my vitamins or flossed in days. The longer I go without doing it, the more guilty I feel, and the harder it becomes to actually do the thing. It makes no sense, because if I actually just forced myself to do it, I would stop feeling guilty. But instead, I get trapped in a loop.
    
    Sarcosine has helped a lot with breaking the loop. Now, I can usually force myself to just rip off the metaphorical band-aid and just do whatever tiny thing I'm dreading.

Then @anon17132524 said

    @Rhubot
    
    I would write things down, for if you write something down you're more likely to do it. Also, writing tasks (no matter how trivial they may seem) down in a planner will provide the structure (i.e., deadline) you may need to prevent you from putting things off.
    
    Yeah, easier said than done.

So @QuietSpider replied

    Do you fear the out come if these small tasks?  
    Like the opening the card, the possible unknow if who is form what the message is  
    Will it make a emional reaction? If I open it will I have to answer the card? Do I have to talk to this person.
    
    Close for the emails texts etc it seems like a reaction vs the possible inter action  
    If open email I have to read it, than answering it maybe the person is waiting in me to answer so I am now forced to answer it.
    
    Coul be fear driven of the what ifs of doing the task
    
    The mind sets us up think is called setting up to fail.  
    Finding the root why could be helpful to understand the drive or fear behind this.

After which, @metime added

    I have a hard time getting out of bed. I even tried putting my robe on my covers, so I'd be warm when I got out. I just put on my robe and hopped right back in!

@anon58900831 replied

    My problem is brushing my teeth but during relapse I can not do anything!!!
    
    so just take it easy - you don't have to =)

Then @Lexicon said

    Same, sometimes phone notifications cause me physical pain. Somehow.

Then @Hedgehog said

    I've thrown unopened cards away. Whomever sent them to you didn't want to stress you. What's better: to open them and then throw them away, or just throw them away? Getting them off the table is progress.  
    I feel the same way sometimes over things like that. Doing those little things right away and quickly helps me. OR, I'm allowed to resist until the anxiety over completing the simple task is less than the anxiety of not completing it.  
    Things like assignments I think I can equate with grading papers at my work. There are things I have to do. I have to push through what feels like my stomach turning over, and prickles on my skin… Once I get started on a task the anxiety always subsides.  
    I guess I'm saying the simplist thing but don't want to sound dismissive: Just do it.

After which, @77nick77 added

    I don't want to do anything. But my motto is the Nike motto: “Just do it”.

@Rhubot replied

    All right, update: I opened the cards. Posting about it turned it from a little thing to a big thing, apparently  \- good call, @kindness. And as @Hedgehog said, no one was trying to stress me out with the cards.
    
    One from my cousin, which included adorable baby and puppy pictures, one from a friend, and one from my dad, which is always emotionally fraught. But it's done and everyone survived.
    
    Thanks to everyone for your comments - I got a lot of insight into what's going on in my head about this.

So @Hedgehog replied

    Hooray! You did it!


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