Skinny and Crazy or Obese and Sane? Please Read

six1908 · October 2012

I'm a counselor. I currently work with teenagers but have worked with adults as well in an outpatient setting. I'm also a person who struggles with the ups and downs of a mental illness. I have Bipolar Disorder. I am very open about my illness because I control it, it does not control me and I've come a long way on the road to recovery to living a happy, normal, and stable life. As many of you know, with mental disorders often come psychotropic drugs (anti depressants, anti-anxiety, anti-psychotics, etc) and many of these include a wonderful (sarcasm emphasized) side effect... weight gain. Sometimes you feel that you have to choose between being skinny and crazy or obsese and sane!?

A part of me taking control of my life and following my treatment plan is to take control of the physical side of things as well as the psychological side. It's my hope to meet others who have struggled with the ups and downs of life and can relate to the frustration that comes with sometimes feeling like you have to choose between stability and happiness and looking good as well. Feel free to share as much... or as little... as you would like... and it is my hope that we find support, find hope, find love, and utlimately through being there for each other... find healing.

beelikethebug · October 2012

Hey there! I'm a counselor too :-) Although I do not take any psychotropic meds, I think in a sense I still understand where you're at—I too have struggled with my weight (and obviously, still do—that's why I'm here!) and as a result of a thyroid disorder, the scale doesn't always do what I want it to do, regardless of home much work I put into it.

There are some obvious answers that I'm sure you know—make sure you get blood work done as part of your meds (if that's a requirement of the meds you're taking), talk with your doctor about possible alternatives that do not cause as much weight gain while controlling other symptoms, rule out other possible medical causes (e.g., thyroid disorders), etc.

In addition to that, though, I wonder if instead of looking at it as only two options, you could look at another possibility of being mentally, emotionally, and physically HEALTHY. This might mean changing the way you think about physical health, but I think this is totally possible. Even though I've only lost 6 pounds since I've started, I've noticed other changes—I have more stamina when I work out, I'm walking more steps per day, I'm thinking about what I eat differently. I don't have a whole lot to show for my work just yet, but I feel good about other changes I've seen.

One other thing I would throw out to you that has helped me a lot is mindfulness—I've been trying to do reading and work around my mindfulness, especially when it comes to my eating and self-doubts. It's been really helpful.

Anyway, best of luck to you! Feel free to friend me if you need some support :-)

nikki_1123 · October 2012

Over the last five years I have been dealing with extreme clinical depression and eating disorders (mostly bulimia). I have been on medications before which, like you said, helped keep me sane but made me gain weight like crazy. I definitely felt like I had to choose between being fat and more mentally stable, or being depressed but skinny.
I'm going to be honest and say that I chose to get off my meds even though my doctor told me not to, just because I was becoming a weight where I hated myself so much that the meds weren't even doing anything for me anymore besides making me fatter.

That being said, right after I stopped my meds I decided to try something I never had before...Eating right and exercising regularily lol. I ditched the extreme diets, the bingeing, the purging and the laxitives and just began trying to be healthy. I found that exercise is a GREAT anti-depressant and it combined with eating well got me back on track in my life.

I would be lying if I said my self prescribed solution works for me every single day, and that I'm always feeling happy and I am completely 100% "healed" from my mental illnesses. In the beginning I often told myself to "fake it until you make it" I woke up and put a smile on my face even if I did not feel like getting out of bed. I changed my attitude and inturn, changed my life.

I also realize that I am very lucky since for alot of people, going off their medication isn't even a possibility. But I do think that this is definitely the happy medium for me.

Awkward30 · October 2012

I have obsessive tendencies, so the problem for me is that fitness has become something of an obsession. I find myself reading about nutrition instead of what I need to read for school, and my friends sometimes get mad at how many of my conversation topics revolve around fitness.

xxXcaraXxx · October 2012

Hiya huni I am mental health nurse, whilst i have seen medication really pile the pounds on especially olazapine and clozaril, I have seen once a person is mentally stabled control their diet also. Its a long a painful road but I have seen it done.

As with all thing you have to weigh up the pros and cons, if you have a enduring mental health need and medication is needed then it has to come at priority.

i also think a combination of therapy and medication is important hopefully decreasing the dependency on medication and early intervention preventing last damage of crisis resulting in a need for greater medication. I personally suffered with depression following my daughter and violent relationship. CBT has changed my life, even with my weightloss now I have "crashes" and I use a CBT model to help me move forward.

Good luck with your journey x

sherryjohnson2012 · October 2012

good topic for me.. I decided to go off my antidepressants today! I have been at a stand still for about 2 months, Im also weening myself off other meds too. see if this helps my weightloss.. Dr. told me it was ok to start weening

mccbabe1 · October 2012

Over the last five years I have been dealing with extreme clinical depression and eating disorders (mostly bulimia). I have been on medications before which, like you said, helped keep me sane but made me gain weight like crazy. I definitely felt like I had to choose between being fat and more mentally stable, or being depressed but skinny.
I'm going to be honest and say that I chose to get off my meds even though my doctor told me not to, just because I was becoming a weight where I hated myself so much that the meds weren't even doing anything for me anymore besides making me fatter.

That being said, right after I stopped my meds I decided to try something I never had before...Eating right and exercising regularily lol. I ditched the extreme diets, the bingeing, the purging and the laxitives and just began trying to be healthy. I found that exercise is a GREAT anti-depressant and it combined with eating well got me back on track in my life.

I would be lying if I said my self prescribed solution works for me every single day, and that I'm always feeling happy and I am completely 100% "healed" from my mental illnesses. In the beginning I often told myself to "fake it until you make it" I woke up and put a smile on my face even if I did not feel like getting out of bed. I changed my attitude and inturn, changed my life.

I also realize that I am very lucky since for alot of people, going off their medication isn't even a possibility. But I do think that this is definitely the happy medium for me.

bump!! wow your comment brought me to tears... that is so awesome.. ive always said that exercise is a FREE GOd given anti-depressant!!!! and eating well /better to control sugar crashes and such too.. not eating perfect.. but better/balanced!
awesome.. I am so happy for you

LelliAmi · October 2012

I have struggled with anxiety, depression and A.D.D all my life. I know A.D.D may not be considered a "mental disorder", but it feeds the depression and anxiety, and vice versa. (It makes me feel stupid, I get depressed, and then I get anxious and start thinking I'll never get better.) My anxiety was somewhat under control for a while until after graduation (June 2011), and then I quit dancing, going to the gym, socializing and drinking. By October 2011, it was so bad that I actually requested drugs from my doc. I had so many panic attacks, I just didn't feel normal at all. And my triggers, at least for the last 3 or 4 years, have been the thought of having a stroke, a heart attack, alzheimer's or losing my mind. I never understood that, because none of those really run in my family (except my dad's biological father, who died of alzheimer's a year or two ago) and I'm pretty young. So, yeah. That's my mental illness story. Also, I was on Citalopram until July, and then I began taking Bupropion because the other drug caused a lot of weight gain (40 lbs). The Bupropion is half-working. I still get anxious, and I find myself being very easily irritated. So, it's hard to say if it's a good thing or not. My goal is to not need meds at all, which will probably be attainable after I establish a schedule of exercising and eating organic, whole foods.

sleibo87 · October 2012

Good for you sharing your story! My mom is bi-polar but she would NEVER tell anyone cause she is ashamed. The funny thing is she got diagnosed because of me! I went through depression back in my teens and started seeing someone (and after talking about my mom he asked to talk with her and diagnosed her w/ bipolar!) and I was on Prozac for a few years. It definitely helped and I get some people don't believe in meds for mental problems but I don't know if I would be here if I hadn't taken it. Prozac actually didn't make me gain weight, I had loss of appetite with it! I was very active on dance team in HS to so I didn't gain a pound. (can not say the same thing for when I started birth control lol). I haven't noticed my mom gaining any weight when she got on her meds but shes always been kinda average with a tummy, and I bet if she actually ate right and exercised she could lose weight too. BUT for my mom I would rather her be medicated and sane and happy then be thin. You can do things to change your weight, but without her meds she is seriously not a person I want to be around. I wish she had been diagnosed before when I was younger, not just a few years before I moved out, maybe our relationship would have been better. I think my families lives would have been a lot healthier and happier growing up if we knew she was acting that way for a reason. Meds can affect your weight, like birth control did for me....BUT i bet if I had been eating less fast food and worked out daily I wouldn't have gained. Good luck and I hope you continue to inspire people around you to be understanding of mental illnesses and not hide it under the rug like society tells us to do. Good luck with your weight loss.

cohenan67 · October 2012

It sounds like most of you have really figured out a healthy workable plan. I've tried going off my meds & it's totally not an option for me at this time. I do eat healthy and exercise, however I do occasionally binge like it's totally out of my control. I convinced my PNP to let me add topamax, which I tried a few years ago but couldn't remember why I stopped taking it. Well, now I remember. yes it did help me lose weight and yes it made me very crazy too. I'm off it as of yesterday. Tuesday I meet with my PNP to see what we can do. I'm on two meds that work to a certain extent. I've just gone through a very depressing weight gain and I'm willing to do anything- except take topamax again- to not gain weight. I don't know what we'll decide on Tuesday, but if it involves weight gain it will not be an option. I may just settle for being sort of crazy with alot of anxiety. Good luck to you all!

Skinny and Crazy or Obese and Sane? Please Read

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