mental health problems/illness and diet and exercise

saoirse32

Hi,

I am glad I found this thread, I have recently being diagnosed as going through my third bout of depression and have just started medication to help with this. This time my new side to my depression is anxiety / panic attacks which started a couple of weeks ago which pushed me to go to my doctor.

I am currently finding it really hard to sleep at night and can still be awake at 3am meaning the next day I can barely function meaning I don't leave the house only to take the dog out, currently signed off work. I managed to go to the gym yesterday with my OH which I enjoyed. How did you cope in the first few weeks until you got used to the medication?

I've been on medication a really long time so its hard to remember but I have changed it a few times over the years and I agree it can have a bad effect on you, just take it easy and listen to your body until the meds have settled, you don't want your anxiety to get worse .
Its good that you where able to go out and enjoy the gym and had someone supportive to go with.
Focus on the things you are managing to do each day, no matter how small. Even write them down each day; I walked the dog, I did laundry, I had a shower etc
You might find that the initial side effects of the drugs change; eg some days you are dizzy, another day you might be hyper etc but it should even out after a while. If it doesn't then you may need to try a different dose or a different drug.
The sleep thing is frustrating , I have problems with sleep too and I end up having to take naps during the day which isn't ideal. But maybe at this stage you should do what you need to do to manage both the symptoms of your illness and the side effects from the drugs.
I think there will be ways to tackle the sleep problems, when the drugs start working you may find it improves or maybe some kind of course will help, stress management, mindfulness, massage , that kind of thing.
In the meantime you should try and implement what is called 'sleep hygiene'.
http://www.sleepfoundation.org/article/ask-the-expert/sleep-hygiene
http://www.patient.co.uk/health/insomnia-poor-sleep
I try and do this as much as possible and it can help but only up to a point as my mind just won't wind down.
Feel free to add me as a friend if you think that may be helpful.

Hi,

Thanks for your post and links which I will read later.

I made it to the gym this morning but I really had to talk myself into going but glad I did, however, I sweated buckets, I do sweat at the gym but this was awful, I have noticed that my temp has gone through the roof during the night due to the meds but hadn't really suffered during the day much. I am aiming to go the gym again tomorrow morning so fingers crossed, will keep you posted.

FR sent as well

honsi

I was attending hospital 5 days a week for many years for treatment for mental health problems and when I was discharged I started going to the gym to replace the routine of going to hospital. And I've found it has been a very positive move and I'm really please that more than a year half later I have stuck with it and it is now part of my lifestyle.
I put on a lot of weight a few years ago due to a mix of mental illness and medication to combat it and I'm now losing the weight.
I've made friends at the gym, which means I am less isolated and diet and exercise gives me a focus which can help with intrusive thoughts etc
One thing I have found is that the physical effects of having mental health problems tends to get over looked as well as the side effects of medication.
It just seems to mess with everything- I have migraines, heavy limbs, muscle pain, vertigo, fatigue and I always look exhausted.
Can anyone else relate to this?

Congratulations, Honsi!

thanks!

honsi

Turns out there is a known link between the oft pushed "low fat diet" and mental health problems. Depression in particular.
The brain needs fat to function properly.
Pharmaceutical companies love low fat diets. It helps them sell drug to treat depression and high cholesterol.

Multiple articles can be found.
http://www.psychologytoday.com/articles/200304/the-risks-low-fat-diets
http://health.learninginfo.org/mental-illness-modern-diet.htm
http://www.sparkpeople.com/resource/nutrition_articles.asp?id=60


More general nutrion related links to mental health as well.
http://www.mentalhealth.org.uk/help-information/mental-health-a-z/D/diet/

yes its true there is a big link between low cholesterol /low fat diets and depression, the cells in the body need a layer of healthy fat including cholesterol and a layer of water to function properly. I looked into it myself a few years ago to try and find ways to improve my mental health through nutrition.

seltzermint555

I have had severe anxiety my entire life, and although I still struggle with it in many ways I really think MFP has helped me to get a handle on stress eating and comfort eating.

cpego1

Yes I can, I am tired all of the time.
I have done some testing to try and tell me what the issues are. I am getting a sleep study completed soon. I also have to taken medication for mental illness and it one of the side affects was weight gain. (not all the medicines fault). I have osteoarthritis in my knees and everything I get up my knees hurt. I have stopped working out for the moment and I am working with a dietician to try to get my diet taken care of first and see what some of the test that have taken will tell them.
Add my as a friend. I will happily support and motivate you!
Cassi

keem88

yes, i do believe that having a mental illness can lead to poor physical health, i see it a lot in my clients and saw it with myself.
that's great that you have the gym to help aid you in your recovery. best of luck!

chunkydunk714

yes, i do believe that having a mental illness can lead to poor physical health, i see it a lot in my clients and saw it with myself.
that's great that you have the gym to help aid you in your recovery. best of luck!

Im walking proof...was put on a first round of meds for clinical depression/generalized anxiety and I gained about 30 pounds on top of the 20 initial pounds gained from the depression. I craved salty and sugar foods like nobodys business and sadly, caved into those cravings. It was horrible. I stopped the medication because the weight gain was causing me to become more depressed and felt like I was worse off than from when I started. After stopping the meds I swore I wouldn't take them again. Well...I couldnt handle the depression as it crept on me again so Im trying a different medication which so far, I cant complain. My weight has stayed the same and now Im motivated to do things...not 100% but better off than where I was before.

Friend request me if you'd like..I know its always helpful to surround yourself with people who understand :flowerforyou:

kmmoreland

I'm recovering from depression and anxiety and I pretty much didn't leave the house for most of January and then forced myself to leave the house and go for a walk every day. Even if it was just into town and back. This was also when I started on MFP and wanted the extra calories. I found it good for my mental health - just getting out and breathing fresh air, not being in the same 4 walls, making a decision and seeing through, sense of achievement. All really small things but huge achievements for me back then.

I am in your position right now though I've been pretty much homebound for years due to a combination of anxiety issues with being in public and being without transportation as a stay at home mom without a lot of cash. The temptation to snack is overwhelming sometimes but I am trying to throw out all of the "bad" food my ex kept around and surround myself with healthy things. I'm also trying to walk at least 30 minutes a day, which as you said is a small amount but it gets me out there, breathing fresh air and saying hello to people, which is something I desperately need to do. Hopefully this is just the start of me reclaiming my once very active life. I wish you the best on your journey.

kmmoreland

Also if anyone here has been on Paxil how has it impacted your efforts? I just started a few weeks ago and my pdoc was concerned maybe I might have to switch to Wellbutrin if starting a weight loss program. Anyone else do that?

jamie88moore

hi guys...please friend me do to mental illness...im am so glad someone wrote about this...I was diagnosed 20 yrs ago and I have to take 4 meds....im also a addict/alcoholic...sober 5yrs.....I am an expert..SERIOUSLY...in these areas and trying to get healthy and eat right in the middle of depression or panick attacks.....I also just had a lot of episodes this year do to my hormones being out of wack.....let alone trying to lose the 30 lbs I gained from meds in first place......today I feel great....due to excercising and eating right...it really does do a lot...please contact me...im a sponsor here at home for recovering addicts and for mental issues.....

Dragn77

Im glad this thread came up... I have PTSD and depression. I have my moments where I feel fine, and the rest of the time I feel like the world is moving on without me, and I cant pull myself off my couch to save my life. This really makes getting, and keeping motivated to do anything really difficult.

Ive been on Zoloft and in therapy since Jan, and though I always say I dont feel any different, that Im even back on here and trying to get back in shape and have been going for my walks and stuff, from another thread I realized that the meds and therapy must be sneaking up on me in some way, because a year ago, I wasnt even checking my mailbox, and had no appetite to eat, moreless going for half hour walks and eating healthier.

I still have my moments...I didnt go for my walk for a week, and each day that went by, I was feelign worse about not doing it, yet still wasnt doing it. My Slim in 6 arrived a week ago, and I still havnt done it. Its not laziness, than that I just....its hard to explain. Its hard to want to do something, and not be able to bring yourself to do it.

anyway, sometimes its easy to feel totally alone, so it was encouraging to read through this thread and see others who are managing.

Graelwyn75

I, sadly, have a long history of mental health issues, of which I am still ashamed to this day. So often I find myself walking along and saying in despair, 'Why can't I just be normal, like everyone else?' Obviously one could then say there is no definition of normal. I was abused when I was 8 and 11, and that seemed to basically totally change and damage my personality. A once outgoing, talkative, inquisitive kid with a lot of potential due to a major creative streak and a high IQ, withdrew, found herself unable to express love and emotions properly, and developed depression and anorexia at the age of 13. It is also now suspected that I have undiagnosed Asperger's, which probably did not help and the fact I struggled socially, and often said the wrong things, did result in a lot of bullying. I am also thought to be bipolar, and have been diagnosed with OCD and social anxiety.

I have been in hospitals, starting from age 13 when I took my first overdose.I have badly scarred arms from lashing out at myself when others got angry at me or when I filled with self blame for the abuse. People still stare at them when I go out, which angers me.
I was on all kinds of medications, including anti psychotics, which left me in this half living, half dead state. I refuse to take anything now even though I struggle a lot. Exercise helps, if it becomes my focus, but I can equally slip into phases of binge eating and purging to try and deal with the depression and sense of being 'flawed' and 'damaged' and a failure. I have holes in my walls from struggling to deal with the mood swings that have increased since I hit my mid 30s, hormonal I am presuming. And I still get days where I have to battle so hard to get out of bed, and find a reason to try anymore. But I am still here, still fighting.

There is still such stigma attached to mental illness, and that makes it difficult. People conveniently forget that some of the most famous creative people suffered from mental illness, especially bipolar. Karen Carpenter had anorexia, and look how much she left to the world with her beautiful voice. If anyone judges me, I just judge them right back, because I might have a mental health issue, but at least I have a soul.

saoirse32

Hi all,

How are you all getting on? I was back at the doctors on Friday past and got myself all worked up prior to the appointment so much so that I was a nervous wreck going into the appointment. Been signed off for another 3 weeks and a further prescription of fluoxetine.

Had a major panic / anxeity attack on saturday night / sunday morning and it was the worst one to date, ended up exhausted and good for nothing until really yesterday (spent sunday and monday in bed). However, felt better yesterday and managed to get out to go shopping.

My OH is off today so we went to Loch Lomond with the dog for a walk and paddle in the Loch. The sun and warmth made me feel much better and glad to be out and about. The OH is also off again at the weekend which for him is a luxury so he is planning on taking me to MIllport (isle of cumbrae for the the day to enjoy the mini heatwave we have at the moment). For those of you not Scotland or indeed UK based here is a wee link to Millport http://www.millport.org and http://www.visitscotland.com/info/towns-villages/millport-p242501

XLombardX

I doubled my body weight while on Zyprexa. I couldn't think about anything except eating, couldn't study. As well as making me crave food all the time it exhausted me, and I slept up to 18 hours a day. I also "sleep ate", like sleep walking only for food. I'd wake in the morning with a pain in my stomach and no food left in the kitchen. My flatmates had to hide their food in their rooms at night, I was so ashamed.

That's the most dramatic example for me, but I've been on lots of drugs for depression that made me tired and sluggish. Some caused sugar and salt cravings.

Wellbutrin made me too nauseous to eat very much for about a month (maybe three apples and 6 cups of tea per day), and after that I ate normally. I didn't find it helpful in terms of weight loss, but that wasn't on my agenda at the time. It definitely put me back in control of food though.

My advice for people with depression and anxiety:
Do not stop any medication without a doctor's support.
Take vitamin D, vitamin B12 and 5g of Omega 3 fatty acids per day.
When you are depressed, action precedes motivation - in other words, you'll never WANT to go on that walk, so go out and do it, you'll be glad you did.
Anxiety is often the fear of the worst happening, exposure to the anxiety-provoking stimuli can lessen that anxiety. I was afraid to leave the house for a long time too.
Avoid sugar, as the sugar high can cause anxious feelings and the low can cause depressive feelings. I was so much more chilled when I quit sugar (back on it now post-depression, but watching my intake).
Meditate. Read "The Mindful Way Through Depression", a literal lifesaver.

Healthy eating makes me feel so good. I had to eat healthily before I was able to exercise as crappy food just exacerbated the exhaustion. After 8 years on many, many antidepressant drugs, I've been off them now for two years and I feel great.

BlackPup

I have bipolar and put on a stack of weight (20 kg) while on lithium. I'm now on abilify and tofranil and I'm slowly losing the weight that I put on. I have found that exercising daily has helped me cut down my antidepressant dose. I use an exercise bike for 30 min a day.

jamie88moore

im here if anyones want to talk about mental disorders or addiction....and FOOD ....so hard when you are on these meds...I take all my meds at night and BAM...binge eat....never ever had to watch what I ate I was actually to tiny...I like being heavier but not this heavy....I actually have never stayed on a good eating plan more than a week in my life but when I did 11 lbs GONE....so time to buck up...I have been through so much in my life and kicking this bad habit off night eating is very hard and tonight is night 1.....ill keep you guys posted and plz friend me....