Depression & Weight Loss

andielyn

Paix_Amour wrote: »

I've been depressed for a few months, seeing a therapist, blah blah blah. Not on medication (therapist recommended against it, actually).

I sleep a lot. I eat comfort foods. I still make it to the gym 2-3 times a week... I'm struggling here. Anybody have any pointers? Should I just take a break from making a huge effort for losing weight? I have some really good incentives, but just not the heart right now. I feel so overwhelmed and burdened by life's essential happenings.

I'm also finishing up a degree and internship, working 40 hours a week, and maintaining a family and social life, primary caregiver for our 2 dogs, run 90% of the errands, and maintain the housework. It's a lot. Oh, and we got bedbugs and they only bite me, so I'm dealing with that too. And hey, holidays. Lots of stresses.

I'd appreciate any of your thoughts or stories!

I didn't read through all the replies, just skimmed, so apologies in advance. This book helped me put exercise in a different perspective, "Exercise for Mood and Anxiety: Proven Strategies for Overcoming Depression and Enhancing Well-Being". I got the Kindle edition for < $1 but it's no longer on sale. Much of it is logical common knowledge and there is no magic bullet here, but it puts a twist on the exercise and asks you to focus on the immediate benefits of exercise, not the long term benefits of improving health and/or losing weight. It also doesn't suggest you go "balls to the wall" because that can often impede motivation for exercising again the next time. The premise is how to self-motivate when you are suffering from low mood, exhaustion, depression, fatigue, etc. and least likely to find self-motivation. There are specific take-away ideas that have worked with me. It's all about setting yourself up for success--with that success being you will feel an immediate benefit on your mood.

I have no affiliation with the authors, just found this book by happenstance and like a lot of what it has to say. It's a short, easy read.

Edit--I should clarify, the book does not assert this is a all-out cure for major depression. Only highlights the positive effects exercise can have on low mood and anxiety.

beamer0821

its tough! i battle depression as well. and when its in full swing it sucks! i don't have the motivation to do anything, its like survival mode. making good food choices of course becomes very challenging as well.

all i can say is, when I'm overwhelmed and anxious i think what can i take off my plate or say no to (there is ALWAYS something, don't fool yourself into thinking there is not), who can help me and what can i do for myself today or right this moment? sometimes its just 5-15min to close your eyes and meditate or just breathe.

when I'm in a funk I'm usually racking my brain on how to get out of it. my therapist suggested to me last session to not fight so hard to get out of it. maybe just sit with it and accept that you are just in a funk and its ok. and it won't be like this forever (which for me is true i know not for all who have more severe cases). and magically that helps me.

they key is to be proactive. preventative maintenance is important. having an awareness when I'm overwhelmed or overcommitted, stressed, etc is a sure trigger a few days later like a hang over...

hang in there, go easy on yourself and honestly what can you say no to and who can help? get creative... because none of that stuff can happen anyways without out you so you need to care for yourself first!

the diet is a by product of taking care of yourself. so don't worry about your diet. when you have a healthy mind making good food choices is easy.

dubird

Just to throw in my two cents....

When I finally admitted to myself that I could be suffering depression, I did NOT want any meds. I was afraid of side effects, and didn't (and still don't) like the idea of being on a med for the rest of my life. My doctor actually didn't put me on meds first, we tried other things. Like finding out I can't absorb B12 from food anymore and starting taking shots for that. But nothing helped with the apathy or social anxiety. So she did start me on a med, and that actually helped. I was able to interact better and stopped wanting to spend all day in bed. It did also help with weight loss in that I felt better and actually wanted to go do things, so starting exercise was much easier for me. Hell, I've gone down to a lower dose because we're trying to get pregnant, and I can definatly feel a difference in both my mood and my energy level!

Depression is different for everyone. Every person will have different symptoms and need a different treatment. There are some people that technaclly aren't suffering from clinical depression, but keep feeling down and wrung out. There are a lot of people that say they're depressed because they're sad in their life or the like. I'm not saying they should suck it up and deal because they probably don't have the mental tools to do so and need help with that. These are the people that don't need meds, but do still need help working things out and getting back on track. But if you're one of the people suffering from an actual chemical imbalence, meds can make a huge difference. For me, they're not 'happy pills'. They allow me to keep an even keel, and when I do start that downward spiral where I'm feeling worthless, I can pull myself out of it within a few hours, not the days or weeks it would take before. I can also spend a lot longer in a crowd before starting to feel overwhelmed. So if you've been seeing a theripist for a couple months and have no improvement, I would suggest getting a second opinion. Talk to your doctor and get a recommendation for another therapist, just to see what they'll say. They may also say you don't need meds, and that's good, but they may have other suggestions.

OP, my personal suggestion is don't focus on weight loss right now. Keep tracking and keep on the maintance level for now so you're in the habit of it. Exercise is a good idea even if you're not using it for weight loss as it will help you work out stress and keep (or get) in better shape. Then, when you've found a method to deal with your depression, start lowering your calories again. If you're used to exercise by then, you'll lose weight much faster and feel better about yourself. Make sure you tell your doctor/therapist EVERYTHING about how you feel and what your fears are, that will help them get you on the right track for you. If they're not willing to tailor their methods for you and are trying to fit you into a one-size-fits-all treatment, find a new one. Work out a schedule where you've got at least an hour a day to do something for yourself. It doesn't have to be exercise, it can be a random hobby you like to do or reading a chapter from a book. Make that time YOUR time. Don't stress the weight loss right now, wait until you've got your mood back on track and go from there. Good luck!