Lets talk depression

DanielleWatson83

do you have depression and does that affect your eating habbits. i know mine is really bad this time of year

floridagirl7264

I have bipolar depression. I understand how difficult it is to lose weight while dealing with the depression. Most days I don't even get dressed. I am under doctor's care and do take medications to control the depression. Here's what I do: I allow myself small treats, like fun sized candy, throughout the day to keep me on track. It's been working for me. Knowing that I'm getting that treat stopped me from going into a full blown binge. Of course I add these treats into my diary. Try it and maybe it will help you.

beach_chelle

I do and it does. But usually I stop eating. I had a real problem after I started in June 2011. My brother visited for a month (we live overseas right now) when he left I got really depressed and stopped making progress.

DanielleWatson83

im being checked for bipolar as well... do u have facebook... i wish i had someone to talk to about this

floridagirl7264

:flowerforyou:

7. Do Not Publish Private Contact Information

For your safety, do not post personal information such as telephone numbers, emails, mailing addresses, instant messenger ids, etc.

Edited by Arewethereyet, MFP Moderator

ahinescapron

I have depression, but it is well controlled with medication. I was on a med that made it impossible for me to lose weight (Lexapro), but switched and have been able to lose steadily ever since. The only time I had problems was when I was transitioning between medications, because my depression was not well controlled. If it gets out of control, I will stuff my face.

mnkenned

If you feel like it's seasonal (and you live somewhere cold) look into getting a little UV lamp for your living room or desk or wherever you spend the most time. Seasonal affective disorder is EXTREMELY common and I have friends for which a UV lamp totally worked.

ranewell

Yeah, it's situational, when it's bad, I don't eat at all. It's the stress that gets me...high stress, high anxiety days, I could eat EVERYTHING! LOL

tashaa1992

Yeah massively:-( I have anorexia but I'm currently in recovery, my depression makes it hard because my eating depends on my moods. If I feel low I generally can't eat or drink anything and because I also have bulimic tendencies(purging)I purge alot on those days but on my good days, I can eat most of my meals:-)

breeanreyes

it's always hard to eat well and care for yourself when you don't care about anything, you can pretty much tell my mood by my diary, the days in the red are the ones i don't feel well. If your depression is typically worse in the winter or on continually cloudy days, try taking a vitamin D supplement (try doubleing the suggested dose or see a Dr. and get your blood tested for vitamin D deficiency), the lack of sun is a HUGE factor in Seasonal Affective Disorder (seasonal depression). I'm on mass doses of vitamin D because of my levels and it made a huge impact only 3 days after i started taking it. Wish you luck and success on your journey!

usmcmp

I used to suffer from depression and SAD. The more weight I lose and the healthier I get the better I get. This year the depression has been minimal and barely impacted my life. I think focusing on health improves our quality of life overall.

ranewell

im being checked for bipolar as well... do u have facebook... i wish i had someone to talk to about this

I was actually misdiagnosed with bipolar disorder, I actually had situational depression and I have generalized anxiety disorder. I am also a mental health therapist, and I feel bipolar is way overdiagnosed...not saying it isn't accurate, I'm just saying be careful, and if you're placed on several different med cocktails and your symptoms are worse than when you weren't on anything, probably not BPD. I am not on ANY psychotropic medications right now, and I'm doing great (again, I'm not a psychiatrist, please get checked out, just sharing my experiences both personally and professionally). add me or e-mail me if you need

sweetheart37

yes i have but on meds, ive found i can control it better ,,my worst moments are when i get really upset and stressed out then i have to focus and try not to eat , and having anxiety disorder doesnt help ,i found before they put me on meds i was feeding the anxiety cause i didnt no what was wrong with me ....

Partyofpugs

I have been on meds for it for almost 12 years after a suicide attempt. I am on Effexor and on a high dose. I have gained and lost through the years. This time I'm getting a lot of counseling on my weight loss journey. It sure helps. Also, exercise is a natural mood booster. I have SADD and so I'm worse this time of year. I try to get out as much as possible. Luckily I live where the sun shines most of the time. I have also learned to put my health first in my life. I do no one much good if I'm not healthy. Lot's and lot's of help is out there, you just need to reach out (like you are doing) and grab it. Good luck! Feel free to friend me!

deedy69

Yes definately xx

cassuccino

I have depression and I definitely turn to food for 'comfort'. I lost 70 pounds a few years ago doing a low carb, high protein, 1500 calorie diet and I was feeling so good!! Then one of my antidepressants stopped working and I just went into a big black hole... I gained the 70 pounds back, plus 20 more. All within a year. It was horrible. I know I have food issues. I've been losing weight again (after a few years of just letting myself go and eating what I wanted because I figured, I wanted to die, why not do it eating food I wanted to eat?!?!) and I'm starting to understand my food issues a little more and I'm feeling a lot better. My diet really, really helps me. It's pretty strict and regimented but it's working for me and it's helping me to find things to do besides eat. So far, I've lost 75 pounds. I still have 15 to lose to get to my old weight from my last weight loss... and I have about 100+ more pounds to go after that... but I'm actually feeling like maybe this time I'll be able to do it... and I'll finally be happy. I know it's not a cure-all (dieting) but I'm feeling so much better about life now... I can't even imagine how much better I'll feel when I'm 100+ pounds less than this. It takes a lot of work but I really believe you can overcome any issues with food... if you really want to.

Good luck to you with all your goals in life!!! You can do whatever you set your mind to!!

ladyjeanne57

I do sympathize with you. How bad is your depression? Does it feel sometimes like it literally hurts? I have had those times and I remember when my daughter was 16 and I had it planned that once she was out of high school I would then commit suicide. I so wish that I would have reached out for professional help. Other times it has been just this overwhelming "greyness". Eat healthy? Not a chance. In both degrees of depression it is very hard to find the energy to think of healthy eating with anything less than despair.

I only mention this because...I never reached out to friends or professionals. Please reach out to others. Don't be alone in it. Talk to your physician. Wrap yourself in the love and caring of friends. I would be proud to be considered a friend.

Don't let the depression tell you that you are without worth. Keep telling yourself that you are a wonderful person. Keep considering depression as that pessimistic friend or family member that thinks they are being helpful, but, are only pulling you down. Treat yourself with love and caring. You are worth it!

MariaAlbinaxoxo

I have SAD which is seasonal affective disorder and I get it in winter and that's when I eat more than I should because I don't wanna do anything or go anywhere if I can stay in my warm house with my comfort food.

daryls

Have you looked into Seasonal Affective Disorder? It's episodes of depression that occur at a certain time of the year, usually during winter. Taking long walks during the daylight hours and getting exercise can make the symptoms better. Keep active socially, even if it involves some effort. Light therapy using a special lamp with a very bright fluorescent light (10,000 lux) that mimics light from the sun may also be helpful.

Anyways, talk to your doctor about your symptoms.

plushkitten

I have bipolar disorder and yes it has affected my eating habits, but not as much as the actual medication has. Mood stabilizers/anti-psychotics are notorious for their weight gain side effects. I went from being 110 to 150 within two years of being treated like a guinea pig by psychiatrists who were playing trial and error rather than on proven patient results. I finally got sick of the weight and got down to a healthy 125 about a year and a half ago. I am now 137 and aiming to get back to 125, but I can definitely tell you that eating right, exercise, meditation, and therapy can bring a lot of balance into your life and help you start being who you want to be.

TheGlen

For those that have mentioned SAD, you might want to take a look at some of the seasonal lighting options: http://goo.gl/lP8xU

We have both the energy light and the wake-up light (I love the alarm clock).

TheGlen

...Light therapy using a special lamp with a very bright fluorescent light (10,000 lux) that mimics light from the sun may also be helpful.

When we started looking into this, we found a lot of documentation that now say that the blue lights are more effective. We are using the blue light and have seen some positive results (although we've never used the bright light).

prism6

I have depression and the last 2 winters I did nothing but watch tv ,eat junk, and drink beer..by the time spring came around I was like a mass of goo.... I didn't want to do that again this year so I started on this site, am seeing a counselor, and quit drinking. I still have the watch TV and do nothing urge, but not until I am done with my walks.... good luck to you all. I do know how bad it can be.

DanielleWatson83

well.. my depression is affecting my marraige ;0( i duno what to do

melhayes1115

I was on Lexapro also. It made me feel great, but I gained 15 lbs in the 3 months I was on it.

meltygarden

I have had regular bouts of depression all of my life, but no - I think my eating has more to do with stuffing down emotions in a more general sense, and with "taking care of myself" when I feel like my needs are not being met in other areas, than with the depression.

georgiebears

Yes, I am 41 years old and have battled depression since I was a teenager. I find that when I am depressed I tend to eat more junk food and comfort food. But when I have the anxiety with the depression I tend to not eat at all. This summer I lost 10 pounds that way.

AngelaChase84

I have had chronic depression and anxiety issues since I was at least 13. It is 100% the source of my overeating and sometimes months-long bouts of inactivity. Food is an ineffective coping mechanism --self-medication. I have been on anti-depressants off and on for 5yrs and the right ones definitely help me but when I am able to afford seeing my therapist, the results increase greatly.

I joined MFP to start taking baby steps and focus on one-day-at-a-time; it is very easy to lose hope if you allow yourself to think about past times you have fallen or begin to feel trapped by the patterns you have lived with. The fact that you are here and asking for support is NOT menial!!! You are trying to get to a better place and deserve to feel good about it. No two people are alike. Everyone has their own pace.

My depression has affected my marriage, worse at some times than others; I had my husband come in to my therapist with me a few times and it was really beneficial. He has a tendency to try to parent me to "help" me when I become debilitated. That is not a healthy role for him to play and he really needed my therapist to tell him that. Acknowledge to your husband that your problems are putting strain on the marriage and that you do not want things to be that way. If he feels like it is okay to be frustrated maybe that will help. You should try both meds and therapy if you really want to make a go of improving your home-life. I need the medication just to think clearly enough to notice when my thoughts are irrational so I can begin to stop them and replace them with reality and hope.

katherinemm31

I am so glad you brought up this topic because I have struggled with depression my entire life. Part of it is genetic, but situations make it worse, PMS is a nightmare and this time of the year is the absolute pits. A lot of my depression stems from anxiety, which is also hereditary. Consistent medication monitored by a qualified doctor is crucial and could save your life on a variety of levels.

When I get stressed, I auto-eat, kind of like how alcoholics have drinks at the end of the day or people chain-smoke. I also zap out, which means I sleep a lot to escape. And I shop. Right now, our family is going through a lot, which means the eating is worse.

Some things that help me are getting up and out of the house in the morning so I don't spend the day inside getting nothing done. Also, working outside the home helps me because it gives me a sense of accomplishment and having a mission, so long as I monitor my hours so I can take care of the kids and spend family time and not get stressed out at that end of life. I work from home, too, but working only from home isn't good for me. I also have other activities, but I tend to over-volunteer, which isn't good either because then I throw my life out of balance because I stress that I can't do what I said I would do. At the moment, if I could do something to change my balance, I would work more outside the home, exercise more and spend more time doing fun things. The problem with depression, of course, is that it's hard to think of what's fun when you're depressed. It's also hard to make yourself get out of the house because you can't convince yourself it's going to be "fun." Getting out when it's not mandatory becomes a chore. So I go for things like reading until I feel like going out somewhere, and I blog.

Anyway, the point is, depression means things are out of balance physically, mentally and, if you believe in it, spiritually. Figuring out what's wrong is half the battle. Fixing it--well, that a whole other thing. Fixing it requires support, medical care and some really deep thought. And maybe a trip to the Bahamas!

Molly182

I get depressed easily. Winter is the worst. You're not getting sun and you're not moving around as much. It's a drag. I hate it. I always get the winter blues.

BeautyFromPain

I have had depression, anxiety and ptsd for about 7 years, exercising has helped A LOT but i still get my bad days.. and yes I eat terribly cos of it... trying to break the habit.
But I can proudly say that I am no longer on meds