facing some emotional challengesbafter weightloss?

GlitterAway101

Hello guys!!! I started this HARD and CHALLENGING weightloss journey back in october of 2013. I have managed to lose 30 pounds on my own and never thought I could do it!!! However I dont think I did it in a completly healthy way. I started out eating 1200 calories a day and working out at home. To be honest I feeling really good and lost and average about 1.5 pounds a week which is healthy. BUT when January came along I started feeling like COMPLETE CRAP. I was feeling cold all the time, mad and angry also. After some research I found out I have to up my calories so I started eating 1500 calories this week. However Now i'm having mental issues. I feel emotional and depressed most of the time. I wake up feeling energetic and hopeful but once afternoon comes along I have this uneasy anxiety type of feeling and thinking life isnt worth it at all, i'm going to die anytime, what is the point, and I isolate myself. This started happening only this week and I have noticed this week's weather was cloudy and gloomy also, and whenever bright lights are on I feel so much better. Is this depression happening because of my drastic weightloss and my hormones are out of balance? i do take vitamins everyday, because I tend to be low on Vitamin A, C, and fat, and iron but I should be getting in 100% because of vitamins. Should I go see a doctor? Also I havent gotten my period for the past 2 months but I thought because that is my low body fat :-/ I WANNA BE HAPPY AGAIN IM ONLY 18 Honestly all my doctor is going to do is tell me to gain weight and eat everything again, I want to be healthy all my life NOW!! How should I check out my hormones is there some natural way I can balance them out without any doctor or medication. I have a big vacation coming up and I want to start feeling good again. Thank you :-)

Artionis

You need help. See a school counselor or get a referral for someone trained in adolescent issues. Seems like there's more going on in your life than losing a few pounds -- start with your family physician and be blunt about everything you've mentioned here. There are people in your life who care about you and want to see you be well and happy -- please let them help you.

zyxst

See your doctor and ask about Seasonal Affective Disorder.

TavistockToad

If you want to be healthy then see a doctor now before you do any lasting damage.

LeahFerri

I don't know how tall you are/how much you weigh, so I don't know if you're a physically healthy weight for your height (the loss of periods makes me think maybe not, but amenorrhea can happen for other reasons), but I know that the emotional fluctuations you're experiencing can happen at any kind of weight, so I'm going to focus on those.

I will start by agreeing with the recommendation that you do see a doctor to make sure you're physically healthy. This focuses making sure there aren't underlying hormonal/vitamin problems leading to the feelings of constant cold and loss of periods. If your primary care provider (assuming you have a regular source of care) isn't willing to spend time with you to work out a plan that will work for you and offer you enough support, ask for another resource that will spend that time with you and communicate with your doctor. I would expect to need to ask for that additional resources. Doctors have to be pretty stingy with their time, unfortunately.

Your primary care doctor is also a good place to start to find someone to talk to about the emotional fluctuations. He/she should be able to refer you to a resource for mental health, focused on adolescent complaints. This person should also be working with your doctor. (Bear in mind that communication between all these individuals is IDEAL, but unlikely. If you can get to all of these professionals, that can be enough.)

I know you said you don't want to work with a doctor, and I totally understand. I'm used to putting myself last and not seeking help when I need it. That led me to having unmanaged depression for far longer than I should have and in one case almost giving myself a massive peritoneal infection (don't worry about what that is, just know that it's bad). I have chosen a balance of working with a professional for my mental health and doing a LOT of research to manage my own physical health. My father is a physician and I am an EMT, both of which help me to have the physical health background. I have also come to understand how much my physical health influences my mental health. I lose it on 1200 calories. Depression comes back with a vengeance, crying episodes, having to hide under a blanket because that's not even enough fuel for my body to stay warm. I do all right with 1500-1600. But it takes work, and doing it myself means that I don't have professional support through the trial and error. I honestly recommend having that professional support through finding what will keep you healthy and happy.

Good luck! Feel free to PM me with any questions or send me an FR.