Depression..... how have you bounced back?

MrOpportunist

Hey,
I’ve had depression the last 3years and has destroyed my life. Relationship, work, friends and family, eating and training. I need some peoples experience on what you’ve done to combat depression and how you’ve been able to exercise and love yourself to get fitter and healthier. After all, if you can’t love yourself how can you love anyone else. Appreciate any help you can give

Geneveremfp

I invested in some therapy to help me to get some coping strategies. I gradually started to feel better about myself and that helped me get the impetus to start exercise and diet.

It sounds like you're already one step in the right direction - you're on here trying to change.

One big thing that helped me aside from therapy was the couch to 5k program (I did the zombie version). Getting outside is a mood booster and the incremental progress really made me feel more confident. I still remember 7 years on that feeling when I managed to run for 5 minutes solid and didn't think I could. It doesn't have to be couch to 5k it could be a strength building program or just working on increasing the amount of time you can spend in a plank. Anything where you can see progress happen.

Numer1ca

I’m sorry you have depression.
I needed to go on medication for a while.
I was on it for a winter. Then I dropped it. Then the next winter I went back on and stayed on for a year or a year and a half.
And I started therapy. I’ve been in therapy with this therapist for maybe 18 months?
It’s a real process, we’ve drastically cut son on my drinking, but I still need to do the work to see why I was so depressed.
I am adding in slowly working through the book The Emotional Eaters Repair Manual because I think I overeat for the same reasons that I over drank. So until I do this hard work, I’m not going to be fully mentally healthy.
But I am improving.
I need to add in some meditation too.

Numer1ca

Also, I am walking 2.5 miles a day. Excercise helps me manage my moods better.

colormeJamie

It's been really hard for me as a person who was very active. I injured myself rock climbing and havent been the same since. I had spine surgery last year but still if I try to put my right arm above my shoulder I have major pain. That with upbringing, genetics and some challenges in life that test my anxiety give me a huge hurdle. I have periods where I cant function fully. I've been focusing on what I can do. I can reach out to friends and speak positive words of kindness and support. I can tackle small organization projects. I can find a new simple but healthy recipe. I can eat something on my rare to almost never food list if I make it a healthy portion. I can write in my journal. I can go for a walk. I also listen to free audio books from my library. Some on family relationships, work relationships, other self help, inspirational, or recently I've been reading books for fun. Good luck. Dont give up.

tapwaters

Medical marijuana and running.

Fizzysgirl

The fear of type II diabetes.

Duck_Puddle

Therapy and medication. I don’t aspire to ever stop taking the medication since my brain doesn’t function properly on its own and the medication corrects that. I eat “healthy”, exercise, have hobbies and friends, a support system and everything else to help manage my mood, but therapy and medication are the keys to managing my depression.