depression/mental health

The best thing you can do to get over that feeling and make it so you can handle it if/when it comes again is see a therapist. A lot of people benefit from antidepressants and such, but usually there's a reason BESIDES solely a chemical imbalance that makes the person depressed whether they can pinpoint it or not. I'm a firm believer that no one should be put on antidepressants without accompanying visits to a therapist.
In the meantime, try taking some fish oil and St. John's Wort (be sure to check webmd.com or another resource for any negative drug interactions before you start taking them...ESPECIALLY with the SJW). Both supplements have been shown to have mood enhancing effects.

It does sound like depression as I deal with it also. I understand you saying you cannot go to the doctor until next month and that is a shame. I have found that if I just start doing something (Whether it being cleaning the bathroom, organizing the pantry, or washing dishes) it becomes easier, but it is the starting that is the hardest! Glad you are journaling your foods even if you feel like you aren't staying on target, as it will help you to see what you are putting in your body everyday. Keep it up!!! Do know that you are not alone in feeling this way, but I do encourage you to seek medications and/or counseling to ensure that you don't sink too low. Good luck to you!

Well, while I am not against taking antidepressants if you need them I have to say MAKE SURE YOU NEED THEM before taking them. There is a difference between being depressed about a situation and actually being clinically depressed. The medication will not have a positive effect if you don't have a neurotransmitter depletion. I come from a family of manic depressants and have been on every med possible. They did a test to see if I was deficient in dopamine, norepinephrine, and seretonin.

On the diet aspect- I have found that I really really love to eat. Like, actually engage in the act of eating. Because of this if I eat something high in calories in one sitting then I am sure to go over my calories for the day because I eat all day long. My advice is to eat throughout the day but eat low cal stuff. That way you don't necessarily feel deprived because you are constently eating. I enjoy fruits, veggies, string cheese, flavored rice cakes (cheese and ranch are my fav!), individual popcorn bags (light butter versions), low cal nutrition bars (fiber one makes a yummy cocoa one), almonds, any nuts really, kashi crackers, baked chips (to meet those salty cravings if I just gotta), and so on.

Don't give up. Remember that this isn't a diet. Diets do not work because as soon as you stop the weight comes back. Change your view on food, You eat to live not live to eat. It is terribly hard but the best things n life are worth fighting for. Gook luck hun!

100 cals over isn't bad, it won't kill you or blow your diet. Think more about in vs. out. If you can use more than you consume over a week then you will lose weight.

It sounds like you are very strict on yourself. This can lead to complete meltdown. Allow yourself some latitude in your diet, take a walk if you feel you are losing the battle. Your profile pic shows you holding a child. Take your child to the park and play with him/her.

If you really must eat, eat something with little or no calories. Lettuce, cabbage etc. Use a little bit of dressing and dip (sprays are getting popular) the lettuce rather than pour it. Cooked cabbage is good and if you cook it without fat or oil it is virtually calorie free.

Most of all don't give up on yourself. Right now you're only 100 over. That's not bad and you can make that up tomorrow and/or the next day. You're not perfect... don't try to be. You WILL make mistakes but you can learn from them and plan for them. Tomorrow plan to mess up so you won't blow it. Include your favorite "diet-buster" in your count and plan to account for it by eating low cal the rest of the day or exercising more.

You can do it... don't give up.

I would also like to agree with talking to a licensed therapist. It helps to talk to someone who is unbias of your life and just wants to help you figure things out.

I have genuinely found that the only thing that comes close to anti depressants for me is exercise,it helps me reglulate my mood very well,and even if Im tired,and I dont want to go,I do it,beause I know Im going to feel good afterwards.

My problems were definitely medical (thyroid and diabetes) which basically left me with a case of the blahs before being diagnosed. I woke one day at 4 a.m. and decided to pull on a pair of shorts and my sneakers, grabbed the iTouch and the earphones and went out walking. One lap around the neighborhood was 2 miles. I did 2 that first morning and watched the sun come up...and it's muggy as hell in the South... even at that time. But, I felt good in doing it.

Grab any inspired moment you stumble upon and run with it. One step at a time.

Around 2 p.m. yesterday, I sat down and wrote a note TO MYSELF. I pretended someone else was having the issues and they were asking MY advice. Then I followed my advice I broke huge tasks into small steps, declared that the computer will be OFF by 10 p.m. so that I could get plenty of sleep (I think being sleep deprived is a lot of the problem) and I FORCED myself to go on a 20 minute walk. I feel a tiny bit better. I got 10 hours of sleep. I needed it. I had only been getting around 5-6. Today I plan to write myself another note. I know it sounds silly, but hey, if it works, I'll do it! One day at a time.

Wow! Great job - these were good steps to help things start moving in the right direction. Keep it up! You've got it right - one day at a time.