Depression

fairfieldbeach

Just wondering--do any of you struggle with depression--either intermittent or chronic? If so, how do you deal with it, without bingeing?

mandasimba

Yes, depression and anxiety since... maybe 13 years old. The binging is 100% related to the stresses around that. I had been quite well adjusted and happy for several years and hadn't binged that entire time, then it all came crashing down and the binging started again.

Therapy (talk and cbt) and meds for as long as I can remember, though therapy only occasionally since I hit my 20s and unable to get any recently as I'm unemployed and uninsured.

I find it can be really hard because the sadness and emptyness causes the binges, and the binges makes me feel even more sad and helpless. Vicious cycle. I suppose the best thing to do is just try and find the root cause of it all, perhaps they are related and working on one or a couple issues can go a long way in fixing several things.

cschmidt42

Oh yes, I suffer from depression and anxiety. And of course that leads to my binges. I am on medication, I use to be in therapy when I had insurance. A lot of my depression is related to my childhood and is hereditary. I am really working on the self-talk to help me overcome my depression and not let some of my family members affect me, I have had to really limit time with my mother. I have been stressed about the up-coming holidays! That led to some of my binges last week, and I realized that I had to get a grip and not let the holidays do this to me!!
I am interested in how others manage their depression.

Crystal

rainydayboys

Yes, very much. Intermittent year round but waaay more pronounced in the winter months.

This time around, my moods and eating have been worse than ever before. I went back to my doctor, talked about the possibility of an anti-depressant. She recommended cipralex (which is lexapro in the US, I think). I really don't want to go back on one, I was for over a year after my youngest was born and then it took 6-8 months to come off of it.

So the next day I went to my naturopathic dr. I've got 2 new supplements now (an adrenal support and Vitamin D) as well as dr's orders to take my full daily dose of natural antidepressant and iron, both of which I've been skipping on lately, or only taking the morning dose. I got a B12 shot and we came up with a plan to get me back on track with my diet & exercise. I'm now aiming for 3 workouts a week - 2 runs, one yoga or pilates, plus some resistance training 1x per week (like situps, etc). And will be stocking my cupboards with better foods. (Honestly, if I cut out the crap food and watch my portions, I eat pretty good, if a bit low on protein.) Oh, and to get to bed by 10pm each night.

I know all these things and fully mean to do all of them but just don't. Know it's dr's orders, so more official and maybe I'll pay better attention. Because when I feel like crap, I eat crap and my sleep is crap. And if I feel good but have a bad night's sleep, then I eat crap and then feel crap. It's all a cycle and it's extremely hard to stop it.

This is the game plan for the next month. And if no improvement or if things get worse, then I'll go to the cipralex. (My choice). I've also got bloodwork in 3 weeks to monitor a few other things, too.

ViciousPrincess0707

I struggle with Depression.... actually I have only recently been diagnosed with it. As far as coping without binging.... well I have yet to figure it out.

One of my problems is I'll get depressed about my weight, and then binge, which makes me gain,,,,, and you see how this vicious cycle goes. Does anyone else deal with this problem?

mandasimba

Depression of weight leading to binging... endless circle... I feel ya!

Last time I posted here, I had just increased my SSNRI. I've been on them for ages but haven't felt the depression like I have in years. I had been going downhill since summer. I finally couldn't take it anymore and went back to the doc today. My insurace doesn't cover anything mental health realated but I don't know what I would have done if I didn't get myself some help. I've now doubled my meds and am in the process of finding a therapist with a sliding scale payment method.

I think the bad part being I used to drink heavily... when I stopped drinking is when I started back on the binging. I've now picked up the bottle again in hopes to replacing the binging... hopefully I can soon find something that takes away the need for both!