Depression getting in the way

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  • kaleylynnt
    kaleylynnt Posts: 32
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    Take a few mins each night and write out 5 things you accomplished that day. Even if you just got out of bed when you didn't want to, write that down. I have struggled with depression on and off and have found this helps me. Taking care of ourselves is extremely important because we all know how hard it can be to get out of those funks... If I eat right and take care of myself, excercise and take the time I need to feel better, my whole family benefits and that is what keeps me going. Also cutting back on sugar helps! It's tough to stay motivated and tougher when you're battling depression but it can be done :)
  • Brownsbacker4evr
    Brownsbacker4evr Posts: 365 Member
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    This has been my biggest downfall. I've had many successful weight loss stints. My most successful loss wa 80+lbs. I hurt my shoulder, got depressed, and gained it back. Then had about two other bouts of weight loss derailed by depression. Lost 35lbs before joining the site...gained THAT back. Then decided to get on MFP and lost 54lbs...and then...you guessed it...>GAINED IT ALLL BACK. I was on anti depressant meds during my most recent loss. But I stopped taking them, I didn't wanna become dependent on them and that backfired. It's a real pain in the *kitten* because depression makes leaving my bedroom hard enough, let alone doing anything. I feel your pain.
  • JMM41980
    JMM41980 Posts: 5
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    Love this thread! Thank you.
  • JMM41980
    JMM41980 Posts: 5
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    I crash sometimes too...it's not just not working out, it's wanting to sit around and do nothing. Then feeling guilty/bad because I did nothing. If you can make yourself get up and go workout that's great, but sometimes it takes babysteps to make us feel better. This may sound a little silly, but have you showered today or gotten dressed in something more than "bummy" clothes or fixed your hair? If not, try it and add a little makeup, perfume and/or moisturizer, even if you aren't going out - this is just for you because your worth it. Next, try getting a glass of water. Clean water is such a blessing that many people don't have in the world (please focus on this thought as your drink your water). Have you eaten something healthy today - baby carrots, an apple? If not, go get a small, good for you snack - even a little peanut butter on crackers is good. Now, even if you don't feel like it, go look in the mirror and smile at yourself. Finally, reach out to someone positive - a phone call, a text, come back on here. Make sure to get a good night's sleep and tomorrow I hope you will feel better. :smile:

    This was really helpful for me. Thank you.
  • sallyaj
    sallyaj Posts: 207 Member
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    I had to give up sugar. And the vitamin D supplements seem to help alot.
  • lithezebra
    lithezebra Posts: 3,670 Member
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    Exercise IS how I pull myself out of depression, even if it's just going for a walk outdoors because it's sunny, or taking a yoga class. The hardest time for me to keep exercising is when I feel pulled in too many directions, by work and social obligations, and even then, I need exercise and sleep to keep me in shape to juggle it all.
  • AdrieneJ
    AdrieneJ Posts: 141 Member
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    The worst times for me are when I am really, really tired. It's better for me to make sure I rest enough and that I've fueled my body enough, because then I am conscientious enough to make sure I am making good choices.

    I was also on medication for depression until about a year ago, and I was also seeing a therapist. He helped me to make new habits, especially in the way I viewed myself and the people around me. If you are really having a hard time day to day, please seek help, so that you can at least talk it through and get it out. It will help you tremendously.

    Send me a friend request if you like. I'm happy to chat.
  • Reza151
    Reza151 Posts: 517 Member
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    Definitely. I know what you mean (especially right now, going through a break up).

    BUt the key is to exercise despite the depression. You may not be as focused and therefore not work as hard HOWEVER, exercising along makes you feel like a BAMF and you get a rush of endorphins and adrenaline. And, in my experience, it takes my mind off of sadness at least temporarily. I hope things start looking up for you! Best of luck <3
  • jenn_sullivan
    jenn_sullivan Posts: 12
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    Man... if I had a nickle for everytime I let this happen to me... I would have a lot of nickels!

    My doctor upped the dosage of my medication (Wellbutrin) and that helped quite a bit. It was so bad that I would pretty much sleep all day on the weekends and go straight home after work and sleep (I wasn't really eating much either since I was spending so much time sleeping). I acutally started seeing a counselor as well. Just talking to someone else (especially since she is unbiased) really helped to put things into perspective. I still have down days, or even a down couple of days, but even just playing with my dogs in the yard gets me out of a funk If you have pets, they are a great source of motivation - someone has to take care of them, right?
  • Rhonnie
    Rhonnie Posts: 506 Member
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    Exercise can help depression so much, but obviously depression can keep you fro exercising. For many having a workout partner really helps because while you are ok with letting yourself down, you think twice before letting down a friend. If you don't have anyone to work out with the next best thing is have your exercise be a scheduled event (either a sport where the games are at a specific time or a class that has a set schedule), most people do better with a schedule because we are just wired in our modern world to go to our appointments.

    Best of luck to you... it is a beast of a burden to carry!
  • Crystaleyed
    Crystaleyed Posts: 229 Member
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    I haven't been diagnosed or anything, but I do have bouts of severe depression and with school on top of all that, you can imagine how my lifestyle gets put on the back burner for a while. I just listen to my body, for me it is important to not rush things and just go at my own pace and if I am having a bad day I try to just keep the food down to a minimum and when things are going well I go for it as much as I can.
    That's probably no use to you at all but I hope it helped in some sense :)
  • Telliott1977
    Telliott1977 Posts: 9
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    I have moments like that and I make myself workout. I just get so totally mad and say to myself ill workout tomorrow, but I know that i wont so i almost be in tears literally, and force I myself to do it. I try to take the focus off of me and my issue. I think about my goal and how in a month, I want my scale to read 10lbs less that what it does today. I just fight it with everything i have. I dont have people to talk to in times like that, so i take it upon myself to get out of it and I just pray and get up and do it. And when i finish, Im so proud of myself for fighting and winning that battle....
  • RainHoward
    RainHoward Posts: 1,599 Member
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    I know they hate it when you "advertise" non MFP blogs but I have written much on the subject and my struggles with it on my blog www.rainhoward.blogspot.com and if reading any of it helps one person then I'm happy.
  • healthy_zoe
    healthy_zoe Posts: 1
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    Yes. thats why atm I'm focusing on health & not weight loss
  • wllwsmmr
    wllwsmmr Posts: 391 Member
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    Everyday I remind myself that if i'm not going to end my life (and I am not, because if I do I am free but my loved ones will have to live with the grief forever and I cannot bear for my father and grandma to go through that), I will have to learn to love myself! And when I love myself I will want to treat myself right, which includes treating one's body right with the right nutrition and exercise to a healthier self psychologically and physically. I remind myself as much as possible, that I am worth it, that I know that I am strong enough to choose health and to get my life back. Positivity is everything. I am learning to take things slow and set little goals for myself everyday. I try to not kill myself over mistakes and focus on becoming better the next minute and day. Just remind yourself that it is pointless in wallowing in regrets, and even if you have bad days do not let that become an excuse to mope! Everyone have bad days and you must learn to move on from it!

    Agree with exercising and endorphins! Also good to find an exercise buddy. Forcing yourself to go out helps too, just a smile from a stranger can make my day! I find helping people makes me happy too! I also try to not be alone too much, and also learning to not deprive from anything.

    If your 'solutions' don't work immediately don't give up! Keep trying, force yourself if you have to at the beginning, and eventually it will become a habit!! Do something everyday that makes you happy (a nice long shower, calling a friend, having tea, going shopping, watching a show, laying down and doing nothing etc.)

    Also agree with the previous poster that said focus on health first and not weight loss!! And it helps with eating a lot :) I am also learning to enjoy every bite of food I eat, get excited planning what to eat next and get to eat a variety of stuff because I am slowly learning moderation! (as opposed to binging and hence only having to look forward to how to compensate and that gets overwhelming and hence I give up and it is just really a terrible cycle!!)
  • bigrye79
    bigrye79 Posts: 2
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    trust me I understand about the depression getting in the way. it usually hits me around my birthday, again in march and then again in May and June. as much as I know I should get a banana or another piece of fruit to snack on and go heavy on salads for meals-chocolate wins for snacks and I usually end up eating some form of fast food or pizza or something. I know the feeling real well and then I regret not eating properly. don't feel bad you're in good company but I am determined to get my way out of it.
  • Tatiyanya
    Tatiyanya Posts: 255 Member
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    Triumph of the Will .

    Sure I know the depression lurks there, together with unmedicated (MONEY,OK?!) bipolar I sometimes feel like ticking bomb.
    BUT:
    I remember how I felt when I gave up. When I didnt get up in the morning, when I didnt work out, When I pigged out on food.
    When I looked in the mirror and saw this once cute lil girl drowning in fat.
    THAT I dont want to come back to, in anyway.

    The thing that caused my depression will never go away , I know, we got one set of parents and no ability to ressurect people IRL.
    Its fine.
    I learned to live with it, to maintain, to find what triggers episodes, to recognise first signs of depressive behaviour.

    I counter the living hell out of them. Sure it takes a bit of strong will, but people strain with bigger problems than my ****ty job, never enough money or even recent breakup (last monday, damn) . Sure it sucks, sure I feel like miserable lonely blob of sad sometimes, but I counter that by geting tired as heck.

    Up your activity level when you are geting depressed. I promise you it takes only innitial effort. After that you like the burn of muscles, endorphines come in and eventualy its a POSSITIVE trigger. -, you get fit, -you are proud of yourself, Also endorphines.

    Work out your melancholy.

    Ps.
    I hate the word "depression", I think its overused and that we use it as excuze way too often. I wasted 7 years of my life on something that, now I know, I wont ever be able to change/fix. Don't let the depression overcome you, because its downward spiral. Fight it and use the magnificent mean machine that your body is to reclaim control.
    Strong will for the innitial blitzkrieg is really /ALL/ you need :)
  • Lulzaroonie
    Lulzaroonie Posts: 222 Member
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    My advice to you, would be to just keep on keeping on. Don't let this get in the way of your day, or your life.
    I phased out my meds and now exercise is my stabiliser, and when I don't exercise for an extended period, the darkness creeps back in.
    Sometimes it's a long reprogramming phase, but eventually you will level back out.
    Acknowledge how you feel, and then move past it. It's not a barrier, it's a patch of rain that is ok to pass through.
  • marymickaela
    marymickaela Posts: 190 Member
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    I have felt my bipolar depression getting worse and worse the last couple weeks. I make up excuses not to go to the gym and spent last week in Vegas, lots of sunshine, walking, and still felt the depression deepening. This week I've forced myself to get on the treadmill and it does help. However, yesterday was my therapy appt. and we got into my PTSD issues surrounding some repressed memories of sexual abuse when I was 5 y.o. Upon leaving I immediately started craving chocolate and stopped at the store and bought way too much and proceeded to eat it. I feel apathetic, listless. The only thing keeping me going is my quilting classes, which gives me something to do, and even that is becoming difficult I cancelled my workout with my trainer this morning and am now headed to bed at 11am. I need to show and even that seems difficult.

    I will probably only lay down a couple hours and am determined to get on the treadmill. I also want to sit in the sun some as in northern Illinois who knows how long that will last. I could use a friend if anybody here can relate.
  • Timshel_
    Timshel_ Posts: 22,834 Member
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    Love this thread! Thank you.

    Yup, agreed. I NEVER had any issues of depression growing up, but had it hit me hard last year. It freaked me out, being what I considered a strong, confident man...it really brought me to my knees...literally. I learned in short time, it is me against my body sometimes, but I am learning to manage it conciously and with this better lifestyle I am entering.

    One of the things I have found, and even in reading this thread, is I am not alone with this. So gather around...group hug...high fives...and let's keep each other going!

    Cheers.

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