Depression and over coming it :)

Moodymona

I have depression and want to know if anyone else has it? what do you do to keep yourself motivated and keeping the negatives thoughts at bay? i am also an over eater i really really need all the tips and advice i can get. I am really tired living this way (( i just want to lose some weight and be motivated

thanks sooo much

bflicker11

BUMP!!!

moushtie

I always found company good. Online or otherwise. Just having someone to keep me focussed on something other than how crap I feel.
Remember you do not have to be ruled by your mood. You can feel awful and make bad food choices.. which you will feel bad about afterwards, or you can feel awful and do what you know you should. It;s hard, but in the end, that's how you win the battle. If you want to chat, feel free to friend me. I was stuck in a bad place last year, but I'm doing a lot better now.

hm_day

I suffer from depression and anxiety. I'd like to be all cheesy and say "my friends and my family and my boyfriend keep me going every day" but that's only true to a certain extent. I keep myself motivated simply by going out and doing what needs to be done. I am medicated for anxiety, and sometimes I have to be put on temporary "mood boosters" to help with the depression. But otherwise, I just push through it.

I have a hard time with change. When there's change in my life, I eat, until I adjust to my surroundings. So I know how you feel.

ajbeans

I've dealt with depression for literally as long as I can remember. I'm kind of rushed right now, but I'll share a few things that have helped me.

Positive affirmations. Even if you feel stupid saying positive things out loud to yourself, do it anyway. It's important, and nobody else can hear you. I also tell myself things out loud to keep from procrastinating things that will make me feel better. "Just do it now!"

Exercise. Every day. At least 30 minutes. It doesn't have to be anything major, just a walk around the block or something. Get moving. If you can't muster up the energy for 30 minutes, do 20 jumping jacks, and then do some more later when you can. Any little bit helps.

Banish "perfect" from your vocabulary. You don't want to be perfect. Perfect is boring. But you are good enough. Whatever you're doing, your best is good enough. Keep this in mind to help banish those negative voices.

Take a vitamin D supplement. I take 4000 IU in the winter, 2000 IU in the summer. It helps.

Aeliyah

I've dealt with depression for literally as long as I can remember. I'm kind of rushed right now, but I'll share a few things that have helped me.

Positive affirmations. Even if you feel stupid saying positive things out loud to yourself, do it anyway. It's important, and nobody else can hear you. I also tell myself things out loud to keep from procrastinating things that will make me feel better. "Just do it now!"

Exercise. Every day. At least 30 minutes. It doesn't have to be anything major, just a walk around the block or something. Get moving. If you can't muster up the energy for 30 minutes, do 20 jumping jacks, and then do some more later when you can. Any little bit helps.

Banish "perfect" from your vocabulary. You don't want to be perfect. Perfect is boring. But you are good enough. Whatever you're doing, your best is good enough. Keep this in mind to help banish those negative voices.

Take a vitamin D supplement. I take 4000 IU in the winter, 2000 IU in the summer. It helps.

This entire entry is everything I wanted to say. The positive affirmations, the exercise - or even just extra movement, the vitamin D, and taking "perfect" out of your vocabulary. I deal with mild depression - have for years and never realized it... and all of these things have helped me get through it. Best of luck to you, and feel free to add me as a friend if you'd like.

gresnicke

Moodymona,
I too suffer from depression. I have good days and bad days. Medication for two years and still struggle.
I am a believer in Jesus Christ and I tend to go to daily devotionals and my Bible to chase those thoughts out. I'm reading a book right now that talks about replacing those negative and destructive thoughts with something else. I start my day with something uplifting. The days I miss doing that, I tend to be less motivated to do anything at all. I know easier said than done, but every day gets a little better for me.
Motivation is my biggest problem to losing weight. I do the "one day at a time" thing in this area as well. I had a friend tell me to start with a walk down the street and back. Then around the block, and so on. I walked 30mins yesterday! Today I swam for 15. Exercise is what will help me get the weight off (I've gained 45lbs in the last year). I'm waiting for something to click, then I will make exercise a priority. Until then, one day at a time.

bevskiwolf

Vitamins got me off 80mg a Paxil and ativan. I had been on anti-depressants for 25 years. All of it came with losing this amount of weight.

I found an alternative doctor in my area that worked with me to get off the Paxil (I made it down to 20mg on my own) and then she got me some vitamin cushion to help me off the rest. Now I'm taking a natural supplement for the depression and a wonderful product called "Bliss" for my anxiety.

I don't want to post all that I'm taking as I am not a doctor and what I take cannot be taken while on MAOI's. Find yourself a great alternative doctor that understands and will work with you. I have never felt better and eating clean and high protein keeps me up and happy-- no more junk and processed foods has really changed my life!

Good luck and I hope you find a good alt doc. Mine turned out to be a Chiropractor! Hugs...

craftzilla

I've dealt with depression for literally as long as I can remember. I'm kind of rushed right now, but I'll share a few things that have helped me.

Positive affirmations. Even if you feel stupid saying positive things out loud to yourself, do it anyway. It's important, and nobody else can hear you. I also tell myself things out loud to keep from procrastinating things that will make me feel better. "Just do it now!"

Exercise. Every day. At least 30 minutes. It doesn't have to be anything major, just a walk around the block or something. Get moving. If you can't muster up the energy for 30 minutes, do 20 jumping jacks, and then do some more later when you can. Any little bit helps.

Banish "perfect" from your vocabulary. You don't want to be perfect. Perfect is boring. But you are good enough. Whatever you're doing, your best is good enough. Keep this in mind to help banish those negative voices.

Take a vitamin D supplement. I take 4000 IU in the winter, 2000 IU in the summer. It helps.

This post says it so well! I, too, have struggled with depression/anxiety for about 8 years now. Even now, being medicated and in a healthy place, I still have my ups and downs. I have found that the three things that help me most are exercise (even when i don't want to), cutting a lot of sugar and crappy food out of my diet (desserts and stuff, which I would use to self-medicate), and having a community of support (friends, family, church). Good luck to you in this! It is a battle....but it looks like you have people here who can understand and support you.

psuLemon

I found that setting small goals each week and obtaining them get me motivated. And it's not always around weight loss. Some days, it's just about eating clean (and getting every calorie possible) and pushing myself hard on a workout. My best advice, take pictures of yourself today, and do it every 30 days to compare. And you will be surprised that over time, if you keep with it, how much weight and inches you will lose. That in itself is a huge motivater for me (I also do this with body fat). And really since I am within 10 lbs of my goal, I don't worry about weight.


So to let you know some of my goals, my # 1 goal is to break single digit bod fat by holloween (I started at 12% when I started my second round of chalean extreme). I also, have a goal to stay under 190 (i am at 195). And this week, my goal is to eat clean and don't drink soda at all.

Moodymona

Omg! thank you all soo much for the tips and advice!!! it is most def greatly appreciated ))))

Moodymona

I've dealt with depression for literally as long as I can remember. I'm kind of rushed right now, but I'll share a few things that have helped me.

Positive affirmations. Even if you feel stupid saying positive things out loud to yourself, do it anyway. It's important, and nobody else can hear you. I also tell myself things out loud to keep from procrastinating things that will make me feel better. "Just do it now!"

Exercise. Every day. At least 30 minutes. It doesn't have to be anything major, just a walk around the block or something. Get moving. If you can't muster up the energy for 30 minutes, do 20 jumping jacks, and then do some more later when you can. Any little bit helps.

Banish "perfect" from your vocabulary. You don't want to be perfect. Perfect is boring. But you are good enough. Whatever you're doing, your best is good enough. Keep this in mind to help banish those negative voices.

Take a vitamin D supplement. I take 4000 IU in the winter, 2000 IU in the summer. It helps.

what is IU? and i am def going to go out and get those

Grokette

I have depression and want to know if anyone else has it? what do you do to keep yourself motivated and keeping the negatives thoughts at bay? i am also an over eater i really really need all the tips and advice i can get. I am really tired living this way (( i just want to lose some weight and be motivated

thanks sooo much

You are probably not going to want to hear this, but what we eat has a direct effect on our moods and depression.

Eating a low fat diet is directly correlated to depression.

If you could switch your way of eating for 30 days over to a CLEAN diet that is filled with animal fats, moderate amounts of meats and eggs, lots of vegetables in the green leafy form and some occasional fruit.

You will be amazed at how much better you feel.

Please contact me if you would like some more detailed help. I have been in your shoes with both the over eating and the depression.

Please read this article.

http://www.psychologytoday.com/articles/200304/the-risks-low-fat-diets

The Risks of Low-Fat Diets
A diet low in fat and cholesterol may put you at risk for depression.
By Hara Estroff Marano, published on April 29, 2003 - last reviewed on August 13, 2007
It's one of the most intriguing discoveries about diet. People who consume a diet low in fats and especially low in cholesterol are at risk for depression and suicide.

The first clue that low-fat diets might have anything to do with depression or self-directed violence turned up a few decades ago, quite by surprise. Large community-based studies of heart disease prevention strategies showed that among persons with the lowest cholesterol levels, there was a increased incidence of death not caused by illness, primarily to suicide, accidents, and violence.

At first, it defied comprehension. And to a considerable degree it still does, twenty-something years later.

But the link between cholesterol lowering and suicide may run directly through brain serotonin pathways, with side stops to depression, irritability, impulsiveness, and aggression. Or it may run more indirectly through metabolic pathways of brain serotonin, the neurotransmitter most associated with depression. Whatever the link is, it's complex, because it hasn't been easy to pin down.

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Not that there is a whole industry of people trying to hunt it down. To some degree, the issue pits hearts against minds, or the interests of cardiologists against those of psychiatrists and neuroscientists. Cardiologists, for the most part, along with many public health experts, are focused on the need for much of the American population to reduce their risk of heart disease by cutting their intake of dietary fats. They have lots of evidence to back them up. And they don't seem over-eager to vigorously pursue whether there may be an unusual behavioral hazard associated with cholesterol-lowering strategies.

Several studies have shown that low cholesterol is linked to depressed mood and to impulsivity, although it isn't clear whether the link to depression is as true for people whose cholesterol levels are lowered by diet as in people with naturally occurring low cholesterol levels. Behavior is a very tricky thing to study, and many different factors have to be taken into account.

But some problem in serotonin function seems always to be at the center of the story.

In nonhuman primates, high cholesterol levels enhance serotonin function. They lower levels of overt aggression. And they promote social behavior.

In people and other animals, serotonin dysfunction is implicated in major depression and, independently, with suicide. Serotonin is seen as a neurotransmitter of restraint. It remains inactive until called upon to inhibit some impulsive command, such as, say, the thought of suicide in the face of some extra stress.

In healthy people, serotonin turns on to suppress impulses and keeps them in check. In those whose serotonin system is not responsive, for whatever reasons, it fails to suppress an impulse, resulting in an impulsive act. Like hostility or acting on a suicidal thought.

Low-fat diets are known to alter serotonin function. They might decrease the fats in nerve-cell membranes, impairing serotonin receptors.

Where does that leave you?

With some awareness, hopefully, that there are few absolutes. Dietary fat isn't all bad, and some is absolutely necessary. Did we say moderation? Absolutely.

sassekel

I agree with posters above about the exercise daily, always helps me. Even a walk with my dog helps! good luck

Grokette

I've dealt with depression for literally as long as I can remember. I'm kind of rushed right now, but I'll share a few things that have helped me.

Positive affirmations. Even if you feel stupid saying positive things out loud to yourself, do it anyway. It's important, and nobody else can hear you. I also tell myself things out loud to keep from procrastinating things that will make me feel better. "Just do it now!"

Exercise. Every day. At least 30 minutes. It doesn't have to be anything major, just a walk around the block or something. Get moving. If you can't muster up the energy for 30 minutes, do 20 jumping jacks, and then do some more later when you can. Any little bit helps.

Banish "perfect" from your vocabulary. You don't want to be perfect. Perfect is boring. But you are good enough. Whatever you're doing, your best is good enough. Keep this in mind to help banish those negative voices.

Take a vitamin D supplement. I take 4000 IU in the winter, 2000 IU in the summer. It helps.

what is IU? and i am def going to go out and get those

I take 5,000 IU (international units) of vitamin D daily.................it helps a lot with the depression.

Moodymona

so you are basically saying go on a low carb diet? i want to but i really cant i still breastfeed

ajbeans

I've dealt with depression for literally as long as I can remember. I'm kind of rushed right now, but I'll share a few things that have helped me.

Positive affirmations. Even if you feel stupid saying positive things out loud to yourself, do it anyway. It's important, and nobody else can hear you. I also tell myself things out loud to keep from procrastinating things that will make me feel better. "Just do it now!"

Exercise. Every day. At least 30 minutes. It doesn't have to be anything major, just a walk around the block or something. Get moving. If you can't muster up the energy for 30 minutes, do 20 jumping jacks, and then do some more later when you can. Any little bit helps.

Banish "perfect" from your vocabulary. You don't want to be perfect. Perfect is boring. But you are good enough. Whatever you're doing, your best is good enough. Keep this in mind to help banish those negative voices.

Take a vitamin D supplement. I take 4000 IU in the winter, 2000 IU in the summer. It helps.

what is IU? and i am def going to go out and get those

I think it stands for International Units. It'll say on the bottle how many IU are in each gelcap.

As far as the low-carb diet that the other poster is referring to, it has helped me to increase my protein and fat. I still wouldn't say I'm "low-carb," as I still get around 45% of my daily calories from carbs, but increasing my protein has done wonders for my mood. I find that when I eat a lot of refined sugar or simple carbs, I do tend to have more mood problems than when I stay away from those things. I wouldn't go low-carb right now since you're nursing, but you can increase your protein and fat and try to avoid simple carbs.

Grokette

so you are basically saying go on a low carb diet? i want to but i really cant i still breastfeed

You can be on a low carb plan and breastfeed...........You would actually be giving your baby more nutrition by eating a clean, whole foods plan

Humans were eating this way for years and years before the onset of agriculture..............

Here is a thread on Marks Daily Apple where there are quite a few women that are breastfeeding and eating this way.

http://www.marksdailyapple.com/forum/thread20135.html

Moodymona

ohh ok thanks for the info ))) greatly appreciated