How do you deal with depression?

Find someone to talk to. Start with a friend or family... and if you're not comfortable, seek a professional. People tend to view this kind of "advice" negatively - don't! From an MFP perspective, its great that you don't emotionally-eat, but at the same time, you need mental health too. Don't neglect it.

(1) Get out and get moving -- a walk, a bike ride, a swim
(2) Do something for someone else -- anyone else
(3) Sing

I really don't have any useful advice. If it was me, I'd go for a really long, hard (endorphin kicking in) run and then have a good cry.

I hope you feel better soon.

Sounds like you are just going through a little bit of a rough patch. One thing that I try to do when I am feeling good is to take a moment and remember how it feels to be happy, then when I am feeling down I reference that moment and know that I will not feel this way forever and I can be happy.

Remember that you are on a long journey towards a healthy life that can not be obtained over night, if you are feeling frustrated or overwhelmed by the fact that you have a long way to go, take a day off and relax. Try not to think about your weight or weight loss for one day and get the rest that you need. If all you feel like doing is sleeping or crying, than your body is telling you that you need to sleep and cry, basically you need to rest. The best cure for me when I feel emotional is to sleep it off. Drink some sleepy tea and get a full nights sleep, when you wake up and feel refreshed you outlook should change.

I hope this helps and I know how you feel, just remember that you are working towards an amazing goal and give yourself credit, you're doing a great job!

I totally understand hun. I always remind myself to keep going and try to put a smile on. But remember its ok to have an "off" day. I have been told for a number of years that I always have to make me time each day...even if it's just 15 mins. My "me time" must be something for myself that I enjoy....if you can't take care of yourself, you won't be help or be able to take care of others. Feel free to "friend" me and we can chat sometime. :happy: This is a great site and everyone here is willing to listen and give you kind loving words to help! Take care

I agree with DonnaLFitz. I've dealt with some mild depression over the years, and the best thing I've found is to get moving. As others have said, you may need to seek professional help. You'll have to make that decision.

consider that Im a sort of loner and ANTI-depression drugs... but when I get out & do something for ME ( massage, pedicure) and dress myself up and take myself out to lunch/dinner.... I feel kinda of empowered & free and it helps me get into a better mindframe to fight depression

Sleeping it off is a bad idea is that you are giving your body time to slow its metabolism... you want to get the blood flowing to get those anti-depression endorphins going...

This is a hard time your going through right now. I often find journaling helps. Try to find someone who you know will listen to you. Keep in mind at all times how far you have come in your weight loss journey. Remember how special you are. Don't let your depression take over you try to stay in control at all times.

I need some help. Generally I'm a pretty happy/content person but I'm going through a very emotional time right now and am afraid it's going to affect my weight loss progress. I'm almost to 25 lbs lost and still have a long way to go and don't want to hinder that. I'm not an emotional eater, but all I really feel like doing is sleeping or crying...neither of which burn very many calories. Anyone else been there that can give me some pointers?

I have clinical depression myself, honestly it can be hard somedays. The only thing you can do in terms of your weight loss is if you feel that your getting upset. Go for a walk, or do some light exercises. Take someone with you who will listen. And I mean really listen. In my experience, I have some friends who claim they are listening and then I find they are not listening at all. If you can get your friend to go on the walk with you to talk it's even better because your talking and walking which means, your helping your depression and still doing your exercise.

On the days where all you feel like doing is sleeping or crying, those are the days where you have to try to pull yourself up the most. But honestly if you feel that you can't, it's not going ot hurt you to take a single day. So what you can do, is just mark on your calander "Okay I had my breakdown day for the week. I can't have another til next week." This can help abit, i've come to find, and sometimes even makes the rest of the week easier.

It's good that you don't resort to food when depressed, but I hope you don't resort to starving yourself either. That's an issue that I have. Sometimes on my worst days I don't even want to eat at all. So what I have to do is make myself eat, even if it's a small child sized portion. Please keep this in mind, because i've honestly made myself sick with this (the lack of eatting) and it tends to make things worse. So if your having a lack of eatting issue during depression. Try to make yourself eat atleast 3 child sized portions of food. You may feel like you don't want to do it, but if you kinda push yourself a little you'll be saving yourself alot of sick days.

I hope my advice helps. I don't think I can offer all that much considering everyone with depression has different symptoms. I myself have MDD which is what i'm told is the highest you can have in terms of depression. But all you can do is work through it and try your best to keep on your exercise.

If you need more advice feel free to add and ask. I know what your going through, though I don't know your specific issues for your depression I'll try my best to help.

Thanks, all. I really don't think I need meds, as it's just mild depression, but I'm not totally against them if it gets that bad. The depression isn't related to how far I have yet to go on my weight loss, either...it's mostly marital problems, to be honest...but we don't really have the money to go to any sort of counseling or pay for happy pills for me, so any natural, inexpensive solutions are much appreciated.

:flowerforyou: Oh, OK! Well come over here where I can reach you... No. Closer. That's it!! *HUG *SLAP *HUG... Now get on with it...:flowerforyou:

been there!