Eating While Depressed

wcso911mn

I'm back on MFP after being gone for quite awhile. However, during that time, I've had a lot of personal issues - one of which is an impending divorce. It should be finalized in October, but I find myself having days of depression where I don't want to eat. Or, days where I seem to eat everything within reach. My softball ended for the summer which was my main exercise for the week. I want to get back into Zumba on Thursday nights, but I have absolutely no motivation. All I want to do after I get home from work is sit in my recliner & watch TV & work on my cross-stitch as a way of relaxing. It seems like the closer the "end" gets, the more depressed I get & the less I want to eat. My stomach is in knots & I just don't feel like it. Has anyone else gone through anything like this? If so, I would welcome any advice you can give me.

kshama2001

I force myself to exercise, but give myself permission to stop after 15 minutes if I want. I never do I just need to start.

When I got divorced, I got really busy with new activities, in new places, with new people. I volunteered for a non-profit. This helped a lot. I also had a lot of therapy leading up to the divorce.

I was married for 18 years and went through a rough few years before and after the divorce. It was finalized 10 years ago, and now I am engaged to someone I adore and with whom I am much more compatible.

PinkPixiexox

Welcome back :]

I'm sorry to hear you are in such a sad place, mentally. It sounds like you have a lot going on at the moment and my concern is that you entering into a programme to lose weight is not what you need right at this moment. I'm probably going against what every one on MFP would suggest - but deal with the inside first and foremost. The physical? All in good time.

Be kind to yourself. Surround yourself with friends, family and laughter. Ease yourself back in to a happy place. Then the motivation, determination and positivity will follow. I have no doubt in my mind that you can succeed - but this we have to deal with the full package when we are undergoing a lifestyle change. And you need to find your smile again.

Wishing you the very best of luck.

zyxst

I've never been through a divorce, but my depression has eating swings like that. Most of the time when it hits, I don't want to eat, but there are rare occasions that I overeat. IMO, as long as you're not hurting yourself (intentionally starving or bingeing, self-harm, etc), it's fine to take time to chill out with your cross-stitch. Mental health is as important as physical health. If you're not together in your head, other parts of your life will suffer.

ahoy_m8

PinkPixiexox wrote: »

Welcome back :]

I'm sorry to hear you are in such a sad place, mentally. It sounds like you have a lot going on at the moment and my concern is that you entering into a programme to lose weight is not what you need right at this moment. I'm probably going against what every one on MFP would suggest - but deal with the inside first and foremost. The physical? All in good time.

Be kind to yourself. Surround yourself with friends, family and laughter. Ease yourself back in to a happy place. Then the motivation, determination and positivity will follow. I have no doubt in my mind that you can succeed - but this we have to deal with the full package when we are undergoing a lifestyle change. And you need to find your smile again.

Wishing you the very best of luck.

+1
Are there things you know lift your spirits? E.g. a good chat with a friend/family member, walking a dog, browsing a bookstore/art gallery/public garden/shop/etc., intense exercise, easy exercise, a funny movie, planter gardening, etc. What if, instead of a weight loss goal, for the present your goal was to force yourself to do one-spirit lifting thing a day, or 4/week, or some such?