Is it normal to not want to get better?

I don't know whether I can say it's normal, but I can certainly say I have experienced this. It's very easy to fall into a trap where, being depressed is all you can really remember. And it can be at this point that you you begin to normalise it, this is what you are used to, you don't know how to feel any different hence being depressed almost feels comfortable, and the thought of being happy becomes strange and anxiety-inducing. All I can say is we can't be afraid to change, if that change is only for the better.

Yes it normal. We like to hold onto our unhealthy ways. We don't want to get out of our comfort zones. Getting better means changing,and changing is hard.

7 cups of tea is a very nice platform to express our feelings to those who cares.Love you seven cups

Some physicians and therapist perpetuate the myth that individuals purposefully do not want to feel better. This is an example of 'victim-blaming' when the tools of that particular practitioner do not yield the intended results with a particular client. Positive intention is an important driver of success, but when a methodology really works on a physiological level, it cannot be affected by subjective bias. The nocebo effect only works with medication that is no better than placebo. In a healthy environment of the body, both internal and external, it is the natural human drive to adapt and fight for better conditions. If, on the surface, it appears that one may be engaged in self-defeating patterns of behavior, underlying trauma or complex trauma may have created unhealthy coping mechanisms. But again, that is not a judgement placed on the individual or a personal choice to self-sabotage.

Yes it is. Sometimes, we get so wrapped up in the distorted beliefs that come along with a mental health problem that it feels comfortable, and the idea of recovery is scary, because it severs us from our "sick" identity, which has sometimes been a part of us for a very long time.

When we have continuelly felt bad, for an extended amount of time, that sadness and misery feels normal to us. We recognize it, and it's a normal type of suffering. Sometimes when we are faced with the choice of facing the unknown in order to recover, we will crawl back towards our pain becuase we wlready know what it's like to suffer. If we are given the choice between an unknown benefit, and a familiar pain, many of us will take our pain and hold it close for comfort. This tendency is why it's hard for people to choose recovery after experiencing a chronic mental illness.

It can be very normal! When we have been a certain way or gone through something for a long enough time, it becomes the every-day way of life. And even if it's not good for us, it's comfortable because it's familiar. It also takes time to want to get better, sometimes our bad situation/habits is doing a service for us in some for or other, and to give that up in order to "get better" means changing an important part of your life.

When I am experience a major depressive episode, I don't want to get better. I sink into the dark feeling and just let the world wash over me. Sometimes it takes support from others to bring me up to the point where I want to get better for myself, but I think it is a normal experience to just give over to the problem.

I think that it's normal to not want to get better sometimes, it's a process to go through recovery and a lot of people go through the 'I want to get better' and 'I don't want to get better' processes of any illness.

It is sometimes, isn't it? There's a comfort in our lives, the good and the consistency of pain, discomfort, of things just not right. To step out of our discomfort zone is just as uncomfortable, that moment of non-acceptance, standing out and saying this isn't what I will allow is liberating...for that moment. Other eyes? Other thoughts? That makes this uncomfortable, why you--Why now? Why are you so special? Why do you have to be special? To be happy. So guilt, why do I deserve this, why can't I accept things as they are/were--becomes a big question. And the answer to be happy, comfortable, safe is not unique nor should it be. That simple realization is the driver and engine to be stoked. We can let go and allow life to happen. We can accept our pain as part of our life because we choose to or affect what we can, and that is the power of our strength to manipulate what we can to our favor is we choose. Not wanting to get better is a starting point, a commanding position. To not want to get better is a growth point that some have not reached for or to yet, nothing else. Judgment has no place here in that decision.

Humans are creatures of custom. We get used to the way things are, and we can get very comfortable in a situation...even if it's a bad one. Sometimes it's hard to see beyond the moment, to imagine the future. And it can seem like the situation we have, with all of its challenges, is safer and easier than what might come if things change. BUT...if you're suffering, then you need to keep reminding yourself that you can have a better life. You can feel better. You can be better. It's okay to appreciate what we have, but we should never let that hold us back from improvement. Some day, when you're feeling better, you're going to be so grateful that you made the needed changes, that you took the risk and let yourself improve. All the best with your journey...there are bright things ahead! Trust yourself, and trust happiness.

Yes. When we are not well, we have this distorted way of thinking. But when we are feeling better and think back, we ask why we ever even felt that way. It is like we were a totally different person. We had a totally different way of thinking as well. Feeling better though is much better for us not only mentally but also physically. I would say not wanting to get better is a result of the mind playing tricks on itself and on you when you are not well. But the truth is feeling better is just that. You feeling good. Our body releases dopamine and we enjoy life. Which can distract you from all the bad too. Interesting how you can go from one end of the spectrum to the complete opposite.

Absolutely! It's normal to want to stay sick, and even normal to wish that you were more sick. We can become attached to our problem or diagnosis and feel like it is a part of us, and sometimes we can find comfort in that. Sometimes we also wish that we were more sick so that we would require more attention, compassion and care. It is very normal, but know that you are not your illness or your problem. It is just something that you are dealing with right now, and you are a person outside of it.

Sadness is very sad, of course, but it is also very comfortable. There is a certain appeal to wrapping yourself in your depression or mania or whatever else because it is such an ever-present companion. The important thing to realize is that you aren't truly comfortable in whatever state you are in, and you do want to "get better" very much. What you are actually comfortable with is the side effects of whatever state you are in, whether it is being out and about, not worrying about consequences, or being reflective and introspective. Find a way to nuture the healthy aspects of yourself apart from whatever self destructive elements. If you are alone and depressed, try enjoying a book or reflecting on the positive things in your life. If you can't stop abusing a substance, try having fun in other ways. Getting better doesn't mean your life is over, it just means you need to find new ways to enjoy it. In the long run, you'll get even more out of life once you realize this.

I think it's an almost universal symptom of depression to be too tired to want to get better. I think sometimes we get used to it and our expectations reduce accordingly.

Sometimes getting better feels like it will take too much work or will not be worth it. It's natural to feel that way sometimes, especially because depression can make you apathetic about your life and future. But feelings aren't facts and just because you feel like trying to get better isn't worth it, that doesn't mean it's not possible for you to heal and grow and find a future you can be happy with. Speaking personally I thought I would never be able to live a life I would want and working on my health felt pointless, but ultimately when I got serious about getting help I did get my life back and it was so much better than I imagined it could be.

Yes, sometimes people are afraid of change, and getting better does take change. It's okay to have mixed feelings about change. It's also common to believe that getting better is a far-fetched dream, but believe me it isn't. It is completely within your reach, and one day you will look back and remember the first steps you took towards being happy and healthy and you will be proud of yourself.

It can be common. When your life has been defined by your struggle with a difficulty (whether it be mental illness such as depression, bipolar, etc. or a physical illness) it can begin to become "comfortable". Not comfortable in the sense that there is no pain, but you are familiar with the pain, and know it well. As such, "getting well" may involve new pain, and this time (with the illness or condition managed) there is no one to blame but yourself. These are normal thoughts that are common in many people, often people who have been dealing with pain for a long time. They need to be fought, and it is hard, but its part of recovery. Recovery is not a straight upward trajectory, its instead going up and down many times before you reach the goal.

Yeah, for sure. This is something that a lot of people experience. It can be awful and confusing. I think it can come out of the need to feel validated that your pain is real and bad and deserving of treatment. Or sometimes the things you struggle with become such a big part of your identity that it's hard to let that go. If you've been struggling for such a long time, you might not really know how to go about life in a more healthy way, and sometimes you're just too exhausted and don't see the point in pursuing healing. It can be a lot of work and you might not feel ready for it. I promise you though that once you do get better, you'll be glad that you did.

This is different for everybody of course but I have felt this way before, personally it feels easier to let emotions take over because making a conscious decision to go into recovery is a big leap of faith in yourself. It's an uphill battle because if you lose focus in recovering yourself sometimes you can fall further into depression than before, so subconsciously we choose to adapt with our depression and welcome it rather than fight it.

If by "normal" you mean the statistical 60% of the people 60% of the time, then i would say YES. Inertia is strong, and fear of the unknown is stronger. These things help to hold us in place, and over time we start to feel comfortable there. Especially if we have been stressed and traumatized by failure to 'get better' (what ever that might mean to a person), it can be daunting to take that step again. Also, many people have not had positive experiences and results with trying to improve themselves or their circumstances, so there is a 'previous failure bias' involved. It's not that people don't WISH to be better off, we just fear the loss that might accompany that effort.

Yes. I think it is completely normal to not want to get better. This is because you have always been this way and been dealing with this issue. So when you get better you often realize that you do not remember what it’s like to live life without your illness. I think it is completely normal to feel this way. But just because you are afraid of getting better, does not mean that you should sabotage your progress that you have already made. You have already taken the steps to get better, keep going even if it is scary.

Yes, it is, some people just aren't prepared to make a change and just want to stay the way they are.

From personal experience, sometimes I didn't want to become "better" for two...maybe three reasons. For one, I felt like my issues set me apart from other people. I felt "unique" and believed no one will ever understand what I'm going through. So in that way, I was never another part of the monochrome crowd. For another reason, I have an issue with feelings. I can't feel anything unless it's negative because that's what I felt like I deserved to feel. So feeling like a piece of crap, in a twisted way I think I like it because at least I'm feeling SOMETHING other than just emptiness. And lastly. I felt like "wanting to get better" meant that something was really wrong with me. Like I'm a diseased freak that needs to get better. But the first step to recovery means admitting something's wrong.

No. Because you actually want to get better deep inside, dont lie. But you just make it hard for yourself. Its all in yourself.

It depends on the person and the circumstance. I personally know that not wanting to get better can serve as keeping the feelings/emotions to feel the way that you do, even when they may be gone.

As we are humans, we sometimes don't want to get better. This however is a concern as it points to the symptoms of depression. It can help to make that initial leap into counselling to get support for this issue.

Some people are desperate to get better while sometimes people are more comfortable with how things are and dislike change or maybe they think it will be too hard or they are scared of change or just unsure. These feelings are normal and it is your choice. Its important to consider all options and decide which one is best for your health and wellbeing.

Some people feel that and I did too. I don't know why but I did. But when you do get better, it's so much.... better! I promise you, you'll be glad you did :)

It is kind of normal, sadly. This is caused by the fact that getting better is hard and a very long way forward. You might feel better being where you are, but after working for a good life, you'll be happy you did!