Depression after weight loss

mjones6599

I've lost a total of 85 pounds going from 205 to 120 and am a completely changed person. I can't understand why I feel so depressed about my weight . Has anyone experienced this? Is this just a normal part of the process? Any advice?

Katla49

I sincerely hope that you are able to figure this out and get past it. I recommend talking it over with your doctor. There may be something out of balance that can be fixed with vitamin supplements, dietary adjustments, or medicine. Good luck.

Keep_The_Laughter

I've never been in exactly your position, but I was critically ill for a number of years. After the true nature of my health issues was treated, I went through an adjustment period. Learning to live in what was virtually a new body was not intuitive. It took time to adjust to feeling differently (healthier) everyday. It took time to understand the new normal even though the new situation was much better.

Could you be feeling something akin to this? Are you adjusting to learning that maintaining is your new normal? Perhaps it is more complicated for some people to move from thinking about the tangible goals of losing and gaining to acceptance of that which you've succeeded in changing?

xoeva

First of all congratulations on your weight loss. Inspiring! My 2 cents worth - since you asked - is that you don't feel emotionally like you thought you'd feel.... for example, and I apologize for my lousy comparison, you final get the shampoo from those fabulous commercials and you use it and now you have super shiny clean hair but not a convertible, a beach house and a bunch of tanned good looking friends like the ones in the commercial. ?? Just something to think about. Also, depending on where you live... could you be experiencing 'SAD syndrome'?

sola24

I dunno if it is the same thing and I have lost only around 10lbs so far.. and have 10 more to go.. but lately everytime I am looking at my body I am just feeling sad.. and fat.. I always feel like I am not losing enough.. and even if I am losing its not showing.. Some people advised I should look at pics.. but I look at the pics I took 2 mnths back and the pics I took recently and I dont see much difference..

Please if someone has some advice, it would be greatly appreciated.. I need help..

1longroad

I think that losing weight and getting healthy is an adventure, a challenge and a major feat when you are successful. Then, you get to your goal and you are finished. The drive and determination may need a new outlet. Have you been working on toning, as you look spectacular! Is there something you have always wanted to do, like zip lining or bungee jumping? Try to think of new ways you can challenge yourself!!

I do also suggest talking to your doctor. A simple blood test can show if you are deficient in vitamins or minerals and that could be very helpful!!

Best of luck and congratulations!!

adriennewx

this happened to my mum. she lost a lot lf weight and said she just didn't feel like herself. you should be very proud of yourself and your weight loss, I wish I had your determination.

Sylvitryinghard

omg!! Id walk 1 m above the ground. Be happy thats fantastic!!

acpgee

I can imagine that people think that improving their appearance will fix a lot of problems that they find are still there. Please talk to a professional.

arcana7609

I had this happen to me. I had lost about 100lbs and I felt vulnerable and weird. I would definately look into talking to someone about it.

Capetowndieter

I have read that it takes almost a year for your brain to readjust to your new weight.
Congrats on your weight loss its very inspiring !

Francl27

Bah you can't tell a depressed person to be happy.

I agree with the poster who said it's probably hormones. You might have an imbalance because of your weight loss. I'd definitely go see a doctor.

dgray143

Please don't be depressed you are an inspiration to us all!

Try taking in more Omega-3 fatty acids they are supposed to help with depression.

samasok

I went through something like this the last time I lost a significant amount of weight. I lost somewhere in the area of 80 lbs. I was training for a half marathon and was in wonderful shape. I had also gotten my life pulled together, stop drinking, figured out what I was going to do with the rest of my life and career. I mean for once I had it all figured out and I was 39 years old (I am 43 now). Then this depression hit, my wife thought it might be the mid-life thing so I went to a therapist. He told me I spent and entire year fixated on one thing - losing weight and getting my life together. Now that I was there I needed something to fill the void. He told me to do a bucket list and start looking at things outside of weight and work.

msf74

Yes, I do believe it is relatively normal.

Your new weight presents you with a different reality that you have to learn to come to terms with and deal with. I think many people also think on an unconscious level that losing weight may magically change their internal issues, lack of confidence or so on. Then when they arrive at their destination they find that may not be true at all. Low mood therefore follows.

I don't think you really need a doctor or counselling unless you have actual depression (rather than just low mood.) I think it is worth taking time contemplating what you mentally want to achieve going forwards and how you can do so (affirmations, visualisations, reframing & anchoring techniques...)

Fuzzipeg

I think it is natural to need a period of adjustment. We all get used to ourselves being bigger and it took a time to get there. Then when we get back to a weight which is better for us it is something else to get used to. Even if you loose at 1 lb a week this is probably faster than it went on.

Well done in all your work. Want to be like you one day

Take care

SwtPzYaya

Yes it it normal to feel this way... but when it starts to consume your every thought and disrupt your way of life you need to seek medical assistance. It could just be a imbalance of sorts and you need something to get everything back on a even kilt. You have done an amazing job with getting the weight off and working to keep it off... That feeling of what's next is in the back of your mind... but keep doing what you are doing and don't focus so much on the weight... your main focus has been work your *kitten* off to get it off, now that its done your lost... thats what happen to me but I started to focus on what i needed to do to keep it off with things that i enjoy doing... swimming, hiking, gardening, etc not so much the gym all the time...I hope this helps and good luck...

Sincerely,

MFP friend

ktcomplicated

Many times depression is actually chemical, so I'd definitely speak to someone. Even if it's situational (large weight loss can be very disorienting), it would still be good to talk to someone who can guide you through what you're feeling.

SwtPzYaya

I have read that it takes almost a year for your brain to readjust to your new weight.
Congrats on your weight loss its very inspiring !

I have to say that article does not apply to all... I'm going on 4 years of maintaining a 133+ lb. weight loss and i still feel go thru the readjustment Its a day to day process...
Stay strong

baileysmom4

I went thru the same thing after my initial 20 lbs came off. I'm 48 and started having hot flashes and moodiness and all the symptoms of menopause. After reading up on it, I read where your fat stores estrogen and when you lose fat there is a drop in estrogen which leads to menopause symptoms. My body adjusted and I'm fine now. I did get very depressed though and just about gave up thinking I would be happier fat! LOL Glad I hung in there. I'm down 30 pounds now and keep plugging along.

smc864

I think when we are overweight we think that everything in our life will be perfect when we "get skinny"... the problem is, having a new small body isn't going to make everything magically better. I definitely think you should talk to someone about it. Wellbutrin has been amazing for me, not that I think you should jump the gun and get on AD right away.

Like others have said, losing large amounts of weight can put stress on our adrenal and pituitary glands which can throw your hormones off. Your best bet is to see a doctor or therapist.

I hope you start to feel better soon! You are such an inspiration!

lambchoplewis

I am 53 and was in menopause - hot flashes, moods etc. I read up also that fat and alcohol contribute to all of this. I decided to get my life in order. I weigh myself, log food and exercise, cut out alcohol (the hardest) and voila - symptoms went away. Then I stopped all this for the summer - not sure why. Weight, flashes and moods came back. I am not back on track and finally sleeping through the night, no bloat and gained weight is coming off. I have to keep on my regimen or I will go back to weight gain.

I did get depressed a little after getting to my goal because I was done. Now what. It was fun to see the scale go down and clothes get looser, but now what. I got the clothes that fit, they don't get looser and the scale stays the same. I needed another goal - which is maintaining. I need to do the same as weight loss but make sure I am +/- 2-3 lbs. It is hard to see my body as "normal".

CollieFit

I think when we are overweight we think that everything in our life will be perfect when we "get skinny"...

THAT.

Some people think that with the "new body" comes an automatic personality transplant and as by magic you will have abundance of self-confidence, self-esteem, will be the life & soul of the party with men/women dropping at your feet, in line for a big promotion and on your way to winning the lottery.

I think sometimes we just have unrealistic expectations of what weightloss will do to us, and that realisation can be an anti-climax.

gelendestrasse

Depression can come on for any number of reasons and your focus on weight isn't uncommon, I do the same thing. Personally, I think you'll be fine in the long run. But if you think the depression is really a problem I suggest talking to somebody in a professional capacity and see if they can help. Breathing exercises can help too.

Hang in there, good things will happen.

Francl27

I think when we are overweight we think that everything in our life will be perfect when we "get skinny"...

THAT.

Some people think that with the "new body" comes an automatic personality transplant and as by magic you will have abundance of self-confidence, self-esteem, will be the life & soul of the party with men/women dropping at your feet, in line for a big promotion and on your way to winning the lottery.

I think sometimes we just have unrealistic expectations of what weightloss will do to us, and that realisation can be an anti-climax.

Totally agreed.

LishLash79

this exact thing happened to me. I lost weight starting this past January and starting in about the spring I just started to feel off (right about the time I added weight lifting). It was terrifying as I had felt Down before, but never this bad. I spent this past summer just dragging my self out of bed in the mornings. I also started getting migraines. I scheduled my gym time in the mornings all summer and it was the only thing that kept my head above the water. I also stopped talking to friends and family for months. Anyhow.. long story short, I went for a lot of testing and blood work. I had a major vitamin imbalance and hormones were out of whack due to the chemical changes in my body due to weight loss. I am taking a lot of supplements now, as well as some herbal remedy's to help with the hormone adjustment, and some B12 shots. It took a couple months to regulate it all, but I feel so much better.

I think the other thing is, coming from someone that has had body issues my whole life, I think I imagined that when I was slimmer I would be soooo happy with myself. People look at you as well, and assume that's the case, but its not. You need to have a whole body approach to health and realize that just because you look different, you still are the same person on the inside, if you struggled with esteem issues, they will still be there.

hope you figure it all out

cheers

Rosannajo88

Sometimes at the end of a weightloss journey there is a little bit of an anticlimax because when you are overweight you tend to associate being slimmer with being the answer to all problems and its a horrible realisatiion that it isnt xx

For now concentrate on your success and maybe list the things in life that you feel need improvement xx

Congratulations on an incredible loss xx

LorinaLynn

I didn't necessarily have depression after weight loss (or because of weight loss), but I was actually more comfortable with my body before losing weight. I just accepted "this is my body" and thought it was ok enough, so I didn't put much thought into it. After losing weight and doing recomp, I was never satisfied. I thought I looked fantastic, but I always wanted more, more, more. Then thanks to some medication, I gained some weight, and that hit me hard for a while... nothing I could do would get rid of it. And it wasn't much weight... just ten pounds or so, but it bugged me.

I'm currently stepping back from calorie counting and not pushing myself as hard with exercise, and I'm feeling happier again. I know logically that losing that ten pounds doesn't make any difference in who I am. I'm not a better person at 10 pounds less. Just a smaller one. Slightly smaller. Barely noticeably smaller. I'd rather be a happier, less obsessed person than a smaller one. :happy:

I think weight is a lot like money. We think it's going to make a big difference in our life, and going from poverty to above poverty does make a difference. Just like going from unhealthy to healthy makes a difference. But it doesn't change who you are. You still need to put your pants on one leg at a time.

Daisy80

I am currently seeing a counselor because of a long term issue but recently I have been feeling especially fragile and upset. My counselor said to me that this can happen during weight loss as for many of us gaining weight is an emotional issue. Often we put on weight to gain something like an emotional shield. So once we start to lose weight we also take down this shield and we can feel more exposed to the emotional issues that we often try to overcome with food. Maybe that makes sense to you?

I hope you're feeling better soon...Don't let it trouble you too long without going out to seek help with it. Help is available and you will feel much better once you have found the right help for you.

mcjmommy

Talk with a doctor and if you aren't satisfied, talk with another one! The fact that you are asking for help is great ... It shows that you are ready.
I had a bout with depression after recovery from a stroke. Fortunately, my sister took me in hand and found a counselor for me to see. I didn't need meds, my depression had its core in fear that I'd have another stroke, but there is help out there.
You can see in these posts that you have support here! Best of luck to you!

memickee

I dunno if it is the same thing and I have lost only around 10lbs so far.. and have 10 more to go.. but lately everytime I am looking at my body I am just feeling sad.. and fat.. I always feel like I am not losing enough.. and even if I am losing its not showing..

Felt the same way today. Some days I feel so good about my progress and others not. I don't think it's depression for me though. ***feelings lie*** If are really feeling stuck, talk to someone professional.