What do you do to get out of this slump and get more drive and reason again?
YES I HAVE DAYS LIKE THAT... We all feel that way sometimes and it can last weeks or years. You may or may not realise it but you are actually suffering from depression... What you are describing are classic symptoms.
Depression arises for all sorts of reasons because if something in our life isn't quite right our mental health can easily become disrupted and we feel we have lost exactly those powers we need to overcome our depression even though this is never actually true...
I like to think of this as being a bit like getting a mental bruise. In fact it is as normal as getting a physical bruise when for whatever reason you have gotten hurt. The reasons for the mental bruising can be as diverse as for physical bruising, ranging from a trivial thing like accidentally walking into something to serious stuff like having been set upon by muggers. The fact is bruises take time to heal but this is not a failure of our bodies it is just normal - Get it?
As for mental bruises depression is the sending out of normal "help me" messages to everyone around us - It's quite natural in our society to heal slowly (or not at all if the injury is repeated): You feel this way partly because our society is dysfunctional (we've lost our sense of community) and partly because you yourself haven't taken yourself out of harms way (because you've lost your mental rudder). Our emotional needs are often misunderstood and given too low a priority by ourselves and others...
You can begin to understand these needs by realising they include basics such as:
1) The need for security (stable home life and a safe territory to live in);
2) The need for intimacy and friendship; the need to give and receive attention;
3) The need for a sense of autonomy and control;
4) The need to feel connected to others and be part of a wider community;
5) The need to feel competent which comes from successful learning and effectively applying skills (the antidote to ‘low self-esteem’);
6) The need for privacy (to reflect on and consolidate our experiences) and the need to be ‘stretched’ in what we do, from which comes our sense that life is meaningful.
Using the above list can you identify any gaps in your life compared to when you used to be happy? If the above list makes sense to you I would recommend you follow the link I have given in this answer.
NOW, to answer the second part of your question, here's my list for getting out of a mental hole:-
Firstly, I make sure I don't beat myself up about it... Knowing that this is a normal state of mind at various times for most people is important: You are not a failure, freak or alone.
Second, I make sure I don't completely close down e.g. I make sure I get up out of bed at weekends, do at least some chores even if I haven't got the energy, etc
Third, I ring people up even if I feel I might bring them down and even if I don't know them all that well, just to say hello...
Fourth, I lose myself in reading... I particularly like educational/factual stuff because it gets my mind working. Try wikipedia or magazines like the economist which can be really thought provoking.
Fifth, I try and get a sense of proportion by realising how lucky I am to have what I have... Jealousy and anger are like hitting yourself - Keeping a sense of humour is important too buddy.
Do not despair the answers are there!
P.S. Practical ideas include dragging yourself out to see a stand up comedian if there's one near enough or for a longer term solution getting a dog can be a great help: They're not called man's best friend for nothing...
Oh and one final thought: Depression can also be driven by age factors. May be you feel lost now simply because at your time of life you need things you didn't need before? Source(s): http://www.mindfields.org.uk/?pid=31