Suffering from depression and could use some support:)

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I just rejoined the myfitnesspal community under this new username after being absent for a few months. Anyways, here's the skinny (get it??) on me: I'm 24, I moved from Norway to Australia a couple of years ago and I'm currently a student doing a bachelor of psychology. I've struggled with my weight all my life, and it was pretty much at an all time high when I moved to Australia (275 lbs/124 kg). I lost nearly 55 lbs/25 kg my first few months here through a mysterious drop in my appetite, but I have gained well over half of that back now. I have also been struggling with major depression for over a decade, but I was only diagnosed about a year ago and I am having a really difficult time not giving into my illness.

So I would really like to get in touch with other MFPers who either suffer from depression, anxiety, or just want somebody to talk to. I'm not looking to have tons of friends on here, but I'm really hoping to meet at least a few people I can have a genuine connection with.

Replies

  • Anahita_Swims
    Anahita_Swims Posts: 4,127 Member
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    IM currently signed off work with depression :neutral_face:
  • ssssuperkate
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    I suffer from depression & anxiety. I would be happy to have someone who understands as well. :smile:
  • OwlChick90
    OwlChick90 Posts: 5 Member
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    I'm sorry to hear that :( How long have you been sick?
  • hazeldixon89
    hazeldixon89 Posts: 32 Member
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    I know the feeling of going up and down in weight and the depression that can bring on. But what you have to remember and hold onto is that you lost it before and therefore you CAN lose it again! :D

    Its hard to lose weight and live life I'm new back here after a few monthes too but just try and take it a day at a time, you won't enjoy your new found thin-ness if you've spent monthes and years feeling miserable while getting there. You can be beautiful and happy now while working towards a better you.
  • brayman1701d
    brayman1701d Posts: 10 Member
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    I've just come back to work from being signed off work for depression and anxiety. So I know the feeling If I can help in anyway hit me up :).
  • HerewardWake
    HerewardWake Posts: 11 Member
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    Depression isn't something you can think your way out of. Medication can definitely help-- if you're not already seeing a doctor, please do.

    I was hospitalized for depression four times in the 90's. I still see a psychiatrist so that I don't ever have to go back to that. The illness is better understood now than it was then; drug therapies have gotten better and are more effective.
  • OwlChick90
    OwlChick90 Posts: 5 Member
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    HerewardWake; Unfortunately, my condition hasn't responded to medication, although my GP and I are still trying different things. I would definitely agree that for many people (including myself) there is a physical and biological component of depression, an actual disease because of a a chemical deficiency in the brain. But because there is so much we still don't know about how the brain works and how different drugs affect it, there is a lot of guesswork involved (or as my GP put it: 'psychopharmacology is witchcraft' :P). But thank you for sharing your story; it's encouraging to hear that people do get better from this:)
  • anewstart06
    anewstart06 Posts: 2 Member
    edited January 2015
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    I suffer from depression and anxiety along with other chronic illnesses. I would like to become friends so we can support each other not only with our weight loss journey but with our life journey. Please feel free to add me. {gentle hugs}
  • agratzy
    agratzy Posts: 114 Member
    edited January 2015
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    Bipolar depression over here! So far it has only affected my workouts a slight bit, but it has kept me from my calorie goal on several occassions. Feel free to add me as well! I try to stay positive on the site and just 'keep running the race.'
  • woznube7
    woznube7 Posts: 537 Member
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    I definitely have anxiety and probably depression too.. but I've just tried to deal with it on my own. Some days are better than others! Please feel free to add me. I have about 60lbs to lose and have finally found some motivation again! I actually do feel better too. (I also have that body image issue) You can do this!!
  • MamaHen78
    MamaHen78 Posts: 15 Member
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    I have had both anxiety and depression since I was a teenager. Eating has always been a way of coping but in the end it has made it worse. My goal is to lose 80 lbs. Feel free to add me :)
  • irejb
    irejb Posts: 64 Member
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    I have depression and am currently on medication and go to therapy. So I can relate to you.

    I find exercising consistently helps with my depression. I try to force myself even if I feel down.

    Have you ever thought about alternative treatment, maybe Holistic or Eastern medicine? It may help.

  • OlgaGetsFit
    OlgaGetsFit Posts: 24 Member
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    Hello, I know exactly what you are going through. I also suffer from depression and ADD. I am going to be 30 this year. I have been overweight since I was 17 years old due to my depression. I spent my 20s hating who I was, wishing and hoping I would be who I really felt I was. Well after 10 years of that, I learned that wishing and hoping doesn't work. I lived 10 years of my life trapped in my own thoughts of negativity. I let 10 years of my life go with out feeling comfortable in my own body or ever feeling confident enough to be myself. A few months back I started reading and hearing motivational speakers. My #1 recommendation for you and everyone else is to You Tube Earl Nightingale, "The Strangest Secret" it's a 1950s recording. I hated the way I lived every day but I never made a change, I never pushed past the depression or pain. I've learned that if you don't make the changes you will never change. It's up to you. And if you have a bad day or 2 don't beat yourself up. Go back to your tapes or whatever you do to remind you of your goals. Every single day you have to do your best to stay positive. You control your thoughts, learn to recognize your emotions in order to make the right choices. Also stay away from the TV as much as possible and be outside more than usual. I will be on this journey with you. Every day counts, this is day 2 for me.
  • OwlChick90
    OwlChick90 Posts: 5 Member
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    irejb; to be honest, Eastern medicine and the like have never even crossed my mind. Do you have any experience with it?
  • lisaab27
    lisaab27 Posts: 56 Member
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    Hi I'm Lisa. I am not so healthy either, though I don't suffer from depression, I do feel depressed over my health. I have type 2 diabetes and high blood pressure and I damaged my heart from my crummy diet. I even had to start taking insulin a few years ago even though I am type 2. Plus I was taking 2 blood pressure pills a day and heart medicine for irregular heart beat caused by the damage my heart suffered. I weighed 327 lbs. and after being rushed to the ER, I vowed to eat healthy and I lost 130 lbs. I started swimming laps at my local outdoor pool (I am a crummy swimmer but I found that I enjoyed it and no matter how slow I go, I didn't care), and I got off insulin. In the winter I was walking, only a mile a day, but it's hilly around my house and my blood pressure was great and the doctor cut my medicine down to only 1/2 pill a day. I broke the 200 lb. mark and I felt good. Then I hurt my knee again and went to PT. (Walking is still more difficult.) I still watched my diet but I decided not to continue to be as strict, I was going to "maintain" for awhile. I still had weight to lose but I wanted a little break from the discipline. Then I started getting sick, my BP was climbing so I cut back on salt really strong and it came back down. In the summer I started swimming again and then I could eat more carbs and burn them off,still eating smaller portions, lower salt, lower carb. I just indulged myself on weekends but compared to how I used to eat, I thought I was doing great and I was still swimming. I started slipping gradually over these 18 months. Constant knee problems made it hard to walk and though I still watch my salt I did allow more carbs into my diet. Right now, I haven't swam since the summer. Anyway, I had vowed I was not going to allow myself to regain all my weight back so here I am. I weighed myself yesterday and I have gained back almost 50 lbs over the last 2 years! I thought I gained back about 25. How we live in denial! I almost hit the floor. So here I am back in the saddle, "no more excuses". The diet I followed last time was a medical diet, it is a diabetic diet to help control my sugars. So I count carbs, not calories. Most diabetics can have a bit more protein then I can on this diet, because it is also to lose weight. I must eat 5 meals a day: breakfast, lunch, snack, dinner, snack. The meals are only 45 carbs at breakfast, lunch and dinner, plus 2 ounces protein at lunch, 3 ounces protein at dinner. Snacks are only 15 carbs allowed. I have to measure everything. I have a little scale and I have some measuring cups that I use. If you eyeball it, you will give yourself more. It is a 1800 calorie diet, if you count calories. One of the ways I messed up is that I started allowing myself to go out to eat on the weekends. Good on diet all week, go out to eat on Sunday after church. Then it was Saturday and Sunday. When I was losing weight the first time I didn't go out to eat very often. And when I did, I cut my portions in half before I took my first bite. I had stopped doing that also. Anyway, to help me kick off my diet again, I told my husband no going out to eat for at least 3 months (New Year's resolution). It's hardest the first few weekends. I've been planning special meals for the weekend, so my husband and daughter don't feel cheated. At least I hope they don't. So right now I'm trying to figure out how to work the myfitnessplan stuff. I can only have 3 ounces of protein at dinner, but the diary has lowest amount as 4 ounces. Is there a way of changing that? I kept a food diary in a notebook when I lost weight last time, but my husband bought me a Fitbit and it links to myfitnesspal and he thinks this will be easier so I'm going to give it a go. (Fitbit won't let you count carbs) I'm hoping having friends who understand what I'm trying to do, will help. Last time I felt very alone.
  • irejb
    irejb Posts: 64 Member
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    I dont have experience, but have read articles where people, who didn't respond to conventional medicine, benefitted from Chinese medicine, Aryuvedic, mediation, yoga, etc.

    It might be worth looking it.
  • d88axelson
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    Feel free to add me. I just joined here & I've also fought depression (my entire life) and it seems that each episode gets worse and worse as I get older. (Now 39)
    I've more or less been bed ridden since Jan 2012 and was just recently diagnosed as having type2 bipolar. If you ever need someone to talk with please don't hesitate to contact me. That goes for anyone else reading this as well.
    Take care everyone.
  • darktolight
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    I have depression and anxiety too. Happy to talk to anyone :)