Depression and motivation

mousepaws22 · August 2012

I wasn't sure where to post this so if anyone has any suggestions to move it please let me know! I suffer with depression and have done for quite some time- it runs in my family and I think mine has also been exacerbated by difficult family situations and circumstances. I comfort eat so that is one of the reasons that I am overweight although I am trying very hard to control it better. My problem at the minute seems to be with lack of motivation, and low energy levels- I am wondering if I felt less depressed then my motivation and energy levels might improve. Which leads me to thinking maybe I should try some anti-depressants. I took some for a short period 12 years ago but didn't really like the way they made me feel (can't remember what kind they were)- my sister has been encouraging me to try some as she started on Citalopram last year and says she feels much better. Does anyone else have any experience with trying to lose weight whilst struggling with depression and how anti-depressants helped or did not help?

haleydself · August 2012

I know exactly how you feel. I suffered from depression for almost 2 years, not knowing WHAT to do. I had my daughter when I was 20, and a couple months later I developed post-partum depression. I felt like my life was just over. Having someone else to rely on YOU for everything they need was hard. I was stressed with a few other things (family issues) before that, so I think that's why my depression was as bad as it was. I ended up gaining 30 extra pounds, and that was added to the extra baby weight I still had. Food was my only friend, and the only thing that would give me comfort.

I considered medication, but I know a few people who have to take anti-depression meds, and they are all bad stories! I didn't want to end up like that, having to rely on pills to help me enjoy my life. I prayed and prayed for God to take my depression away!! I hated it.

Then something just hit me like a ton of bricks. I needed to get up off my *kitten* and take care of myself. I was gaining even more weight, and I was not only hurting myself, but hurting my husband and my daughter. I slowly started making healthier decisions, and started walking in the evenings. At first, it didn't help. I didn't have enough energy, it seemed like. But after a couple of weeks, my body started feeling better, and stronger. I actually WANTED to get up and exercise, instead of having to MAKE MYSELF get up and try.

I focused more on my healthier lifestyle than my depression. I would tell myself I was beautiful every day, and reminded myself that God made me, and He knows that I am beautiful too. I would list the things that I SHOULD be thankful for: my daughter, my husband, food on the table each night, etc. And I just realized that depression didn't need to control me anymore. This is MY life, and I wanted to enjoy it.

It slowly went away, it definitely didn't happen over night. But me taking care of myself, praying, eating right, and exercising made my depression go away. I was so happy to wake up each day and enjoy my life, my family. Every once in a while, I can feel the depression try to creep back up, but as soon as I feel it, I think of good things, maybe take a walk, and push it away!

Being healthy is my medication, and that is never going to change. I think that you can get over this too if you just focus on your healthier lifestyle, and all the good things in your life! Hopefully you can keep that stupid depression away, and start enjoying this life God gave you. It goes by too fast to be depressed about it. Let me know if I can help with anything! Good luck, I will be praying for you

impyimpyaj · August 2012

I wasn't sure where to post this so if anyone has any suggestions to move it please let me know! I suffer with depression and have done for quite some time- it runs in my family and I think mine has also been exacerbated by difficult family situations and circumstances. I comfort eat so that is one of the reasons that I am overweight although I am trying very hard to control it better. My problem at the minute seems to be with lack of motivation, and low energy levels- I am wondering if I felt less depressed then my motivation and energy levels might improve. Which leads me to thinking maybe I should try some anti-depressants. I took some for a short period 12 years ago but didn't really like the way they made me feel (can't remember what kind they were)- my sister has been encouraging me to try some as she started on Citalopram last year and says she feels much better. Does anyone else have any experience with trying to lose weight whilst struggling with depression and how anti-depressants helped or did not help?

Depression and energy levels are definitely linked. The decision whether or not to take drugs for it is something entirely between you and your doctor (please see a psychiatrist, or a therapist who works in conjunction with your general practitioner -- don't just go to your GP and ask for anti-depressants, they're not really trained to know which one you need). But I can tell you that it's all cyclical. If you are rested and have energy, the depression will be lessened, and as the depression lifts, you will have more energy.

Things that have worked for me are:
setting a bedtime (and sticking to it!) so that I get enough sleep every night, but not too much.
Eating healthier foods, including more healthy fats and protein and fewer carbs and sugars
Drinking plenty of water
Staying at least moderately active (so I'll at least give the house a good hour clean most days, or take a walk)
Taking my vitamins (for me, vitamin D, fish oil, and a B complex are crucial)
Learning that just because I feel it doesn't make it true.

The last one is a tricky one. I get depressed, so I start feeling all sorts of things. I feel like nobody likes me, I don't have any friends, I'm not ever going to be in shape so why bother, whatever. I've had to learn that just because I feel something, that doesn't mean it's true. Knowing that helps me, because now when I fall into a depressive episode, I can recognize that this is my brain chemicals playing tricks on me, and that my life isn't actually that bad. So that makes it easier to pull out of the episode more quickly than I used to, because I can stop the negative thought patterns that used to keep me down so tight.

Medication has its place, and if you decide that it's right for you, then great! But do these things as well. Don't just depend on the medication to fix everything for you, because that's not what it's designed for. It's one factor toward mental wellness, but if you develop good routines to help keep your energy and mood elevated, it will be even better.

impyimpyaj · August 2012

I'd also like to invite you and anyone else who's struggling with depression to join us here: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/groups/home/2202-managing-depression Judgment-free zone, and it's a good group full of people who want to help each other toward wellness.

Blunty75 · August 2012

I hear ya. I have been suffering with depression for what seems like forever. I have been taking Prozac for quite a few years now. It helped me get to a place where I could face life but I don't think drugs are always the answer. I tried to wean myself off them at the end of last year and it didn't go well. I almost lost my marriage thru it. I was a state. However at this time I was eating junk (comfort eating) and doing zero exercise. I started to take small walks and as I increased my activity felt so much better. I could face swimming and going to the gym. Something I wouldn't have considered when I was at my lowest ebb. I then looked at my diet and joined this site. It has been invaluable. Sleep is important too but not easy when depressed. I had insomnia and it was hell. However I sleep so much better now.
People always say hang in there and it doesn't always help to hear. That said - keep going. It can get better! x

mousepaws22 · August 2012

Glad to know I'm not the only one! I will definitely join that group as well thank you.

I think maybe I will go and see my Doctor and discuss my options. It's like a vicious circle- part of me feels like if I could sort my diet and exercise out it would help my depression and the other part of me feels like if I could improve my depression I would have a better chance at sorting my diet and exercise out. I'm just going to try and take one day at a time.

rwinnie2 · August 2012

I'm a fully signed up clinical depressive, and have tried loads of the medication out there but the strange thing is excercise actually works better, on my really crap days (and there are loads) I want to go back to bed and stay there, I have to crawl out of bed and stay busy I call them my black dog days (as that thing is trying to bite my *kitten*) a good diet full of fresh fruit and veg will help (although you will find mine still dotted with chocolate and wine :-D ) my two life savers walking and meditation. Take the pills if you really need them but you can stimulate your natural highs as well.

impyimpyaj · August 2012

Glad to know I'm not the only one! I will definitely join that group as well thank you.

I think maybe I will go and see my Doctor and discuss my options. It's like a vicious circle- part of me feels like if I could sort my diet and exercise out it would help my depression and the other part of me feels like if I could improve my depression I would have a better chance at sorting my diet and exercise out. I'm just going to try and take one day at a time.

That's the way you have to do it -- one day at a time. One moment at a time. It's never going to be the "right" time to get everything going better. So make small changes in your diet and exercise routine, and then as those changes are manageable, you make more changes. And if you slip up, you don't punish yourself by starting all over, you just pick up where you left off, because you're only human and NO human is perfect. So you say, RIGHT NOW I am going to make the choice to take this walk/eat this healthy food/drink this water. THIS moment. Don't worry about the next moment, or the one before, just THIS one. And slowly but steadily, you'll pull yourself out. You'll find the things that work for you, and the things that don't, and you'll be ok.

I strongly encourage you to see a therapist in addition to your doctor. Even if your depression is chemically-based, negative thought patterns are a big part of that, and a therapist can help you defeat those bad patterns so that you won't pull yourself down further.

Depression and motivation

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