Question... Not health, fitness or food related.

I had the same question as TavistockToad.
If you just feel like this way for no reason, that's a main warning sign of clinical depression. Of course, I'm not a professional and I can't diagnose you over the internet, but you might want to keep that in mind and talk to your doctor about it. I've suffered from debilitating depression off and on for years, and feeling worthless is often one of the first signs a doctor will ask you about.

Other than that, the best advice I can give is to focus on you. Exercise, try to eat healthy (even though many of us tend to indulge in junk when we feel low...), and take time to relax your mind (yoga, bubble baths, or gentle swimming are all lovely for that).

You mention that your boyfriend is your main source of socializing. Maybe you could do something like join a charity, church group (if you're religious), volunteer at an animal shelter, or start a habit like reading to elderly people at nursing homes? Sometimes feeling like you're making a difference in your community can help boost your mood/ sense of self-worth and is a great way to meet other people. Also maybe consider taking a class at your gym or joining a club through your library to meet more people? Even though socializing isn't always appealing when you're feeling low, it's important for breaking out of negative feelings (as long as you avoid drama).

How is your boyfriend a small part of you feeling worthless? Maybe reassess how healthy your relationship is. You should be with someone that makes you feel good and who you feel like you can talk to when you're upset.

I hope I helped. : / Feeling down and worthless can be hard to navigate, but it'll get better with time if you get help/ address the issues. If you want someone to talk to, you can message/friend me.

x

Mari

P.S. This is health related. It's hard to focus on physical health without addressing emotional health as well. It's all interconnected

I'm sorry you are having such a rough time. I can relate. I go in and out of moods. After all these years, I have learned to recognize a shift. I brace myself and get ready for the storm. Some days are much worse and I literally have to ride out the waves. I know what you mean about medicine and side effects too. I have been on everything (no exaggeration). The side effects always make me stop. I actually have a new med (samples), but I am afraid to take them bc of the effects. Have you tried therapy? I have used that in the past & it seems to help, but it gets expensive bc they want you to go every week or two.

Right now, just take some "you time." Sleep, read, rent a good movie, and most of all-- CRY. Sometimes just crying helps. Hang in there.

Fake it til you make it.

This....seek alternatives to medications - diet related changes can help stabilize hormones

Fake it til you make it.

Yup. Basically stop being sad and be awesome.

I have found regular exercise, and dietary changes have improved everything. I have been off my medication for depression for 2 years (My Dr. took me off it) and still have sad days but they are few and far between.

I also started building miniatures, and have found when I do those I drift away and concentrate on that and when I am done my mood is way better and I feel good.

Fake it til you make it.

I gotta agree here too. I went through a bad funk recently, and finally just got tired of myself. Decided to at least pretend to be happy to those around me. It becomes contagious, you put it out there and it comes back to you. And suddenly you realize you don't have to fake it anymore.

omg i feel the same way OP...

Everyone can make a difference in the world. You can always do something no one can. We all have a mission here!

My answer is to exercise. When I get down its the very last thing I want to do. But when its done I feel better every time.

One other thing I learned in a class. Every day, record 5 things you like about yourself or that you do well. Every single day. Go back and read it when you need a boost.

do something that it going to make you feel good about yourself. Volunteer at a nursing home or a homeless shelter. Do something to help the ppl of New England by helping a charity drive. You'd be surprised at how much your feelings will improve just by being a friend to someone who really needs one.

My mother suffers from depression and one of the things that helped her is to exercise. Yes, it's true, regular exercise changes your brain's chemistry. I'm not just saying that because this is a fitness site, but there is research that supports that people suffering from depression are helped by regularly exercising. The endorphins that are released gives you a happy feeling, not to mention all the other benefits. You should however still check in with your doctor and let him/her know how you're feeling.

My uncle is a psychiatrist and the director of psychiatry of a clinic , and he highly recommended this to my mother as well.

Good luck! :flowerforyou:

My mother suffers from depression and one of the things that helped her is to exercise. Yes, it's true, regular exercise changes your brain's chemistry. I'm not just saying that because this is a fitness site, but there is research that supports that people suffering from depression are helped by regularly exercising. The endorphins that are released gives you a happy feeling, not to mention all the other benefits. You should however still check in with your doctor and let him/her know how you're feeling.

My uncle is a psychiatrist and the director of psychiatry in MO, and he highly recommended this to my mother as well.

Good luck! :flowerforyou:

^^ this helps too. Seriously.

All of the above! I particularly recommend:
1> Try to think more of others and less of yourself - thinking about ourselves is often depressing or anxiety-provoking. Instead focus on what you can do to help or cheer up others.
2> Exercise! It releases natural endorphins that give you a true physiological "high". I had a horrible day the other day and really didn't feel like going to the gym- but I went anyway and it REALLY helped!
3> Pray - but pray like a little kid. Tell God you are upset/angry/mad/bummed out about whatever and you need help.
4> Double check your foods and medications. One time I found myself crying about stupid things almost every day for a week or so- and it was not TOM or anything. Finally it occurred to me that I felt almost like I was drugged or something, so I started thinking about it and realized I had been taking allergy medicine almost every day- just a regular over-the-counter one. So I called my Dad who is a pharmacist and asked him if it could possibly be the allergy medicine. He said ABSOLUTELY. So I stopped taking it and bingo- no more crying!

Hope you feel better soon!

Find some good meds and stop caring so much. If you don't give a f***, then you can really be free. Also realize that the sadness you're feeling is a chemical imbalance in your brain and doesn't necessarily reflect on anything that actually happened.

One of the first steps to feeling better is recognizing how you feel, and then progressing into why you feel that way. I know it sounds like an insanely simple answer to a complex question, but that fundamental understanding of WHAT and WHY will help you determine HOW to recover.

As a clinical depression sufferer throughout my life (medications give me the "fake smile" on the outside, but do nothing for how I really feel), I've found that some of my best self-reflection comes after a solid workout. It puts my mind in a state that I'm not feeling too down, and clear headed enough to think about what's going on in my life.

The last time, I took a weekend for myself... and Saturday morning, I had a hard workout, then had some "me" time so I could reflect the entire day. I followed up with a duplicate session on Sunday.

It might not work for you, and might work for me because I learned a lot of this from previous counseling sessions... but it's worth a try!

I hope you start to feel better, I know the fall/winter months can be a little difficult, because there's little sunshine to literally brighten your day... and please... PLEASE PLEASE... realize that there is nothing wrong with seeking professional help. To be honest, I think it takes a stronger person to admit that there's a problem they cannot solve themselves, and take action to fix it.