Depression.

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SunLove8
SunLove8 Posts: 693 Member
in Motivation and Support
I have been struggling this whole journey of MFP with it and think that I'm doing pretty damn good considering. The thing is, is that I still am depressed. For example, my husband bought him and I a bike today and normally I would be thrilled, but I feel numb. I hurt for a lot of reasons and I know it's the whole reason I gained weight in the first place. I just need some type of influence to wave me into another direction other than this negative feeling(s). Anybody relate? Anybody can help too would be wonderful!

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  • azmomof2
    azmomof2 Posts: 714 Member
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    I can totally relate but one thing I know is the more I cut out overly processed foods, lost weight, worked out, and got my sleep schedule in a more normal pattern the better emotionally I felt. Now I can think things through more clearly and when I feel a down mood coming on I can recognize it more easily and I break it by either talking about it or doing something healthy that gets my mind off of it. For me my faith in God is what keeps me going also my family and friends keep me in check and support me and they are amazing! I wish you luck and praying for you as I know how hard it is when we feel that fog of depression getting thicker and rolling in. :flowerforyou:
  • Lady_C_the_1st
    Lady_C_the_1st Posts: 208
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    I can relate. My husband suffers from depression and at one point it was quite severe. He is doing much better now though and is much happier. I also was diagnosed with mild depression as I was struggling to cope. If you haven't already been, go and see your GP. They can give you some advice and help you through this. Talk to someone. Keeping it in will only make it worse. Look after yourself too. Do things that make you feel good. Try not to focus on the fact that you don't feel much about the bike. Try it out though and see if that helps. Keep yourself active if you can. x
  • TaushasJourney
    TaushasJourney Posts: 143
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    I definitely deal with depression still sometimes, though it's not nearly as bad as it used to be before I started exercising regularly. I find that you just have to keep going, keep exercising, eating healthy foods, keep interacting with the people in your life. It passes eventually. If you are not already seeing a therapist, I would certainly recommend it. Even talking to someone you trust about how you're feeling helps, especially if therapy isn't affordable. Also, I try to think about my feelings objectively, try and "step out" of myself and see if my feelings & negative thought patterns are reasonable, or if I am exaggerating somehow. If that makes sense, haha.
  • Yankee028
    Yankee028 Posts: 4
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    Congratulations on your achievement; well done. Forgive me if none of this hits the mark as I don't know anything about your story except that you obviously have determination to do something you set your mind to.

    Perhaps that freed you up for other issues?

    Don't know all the ins and outs of your depression; perhaps you would benefit from counselling on the big issues or medication? There is no shame in getting help to live your healthiest life.

    Or if you don't think you want to go that way, go deeper into yourself and out of yourself and look up the work of Maurice Seligman (I think that is his first name) who has been working on naming the things that make people flourish (he used to be the happiness guy until he felt that was too superficial). He says we need Positive Engagements, Relationships, Meaning and Acheivements to flourish (using an acronym of course because it is pop psychology: PERMA)for example, getting stuck into causes greater than ourselves and relationships and community are really important.

    A full life is much more than weight control, maybe there is something waiting for you that you are about to discover that will bring great satisfaction. But don't try to just pep talk your way out of a real clinical depression, you may need some medical expertise.
    All the very best.
  • MandaLee8908
    MandaLee8908 Posts: 1,353 Member
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    I totally hear you! Loud and clear! I have battled with depression for awhile...which is why I now weigh what i weigh...which depresses me more...see the cycle? It hit me hard the past few months as I had an injury resurface that has taken away my only escape from the depression...running. Running was a saving grace for me for many reasons...not just for weight loss. I can't even begin to describe what running did for me. And now I can't. At least for the time being. I see a specialist at 1:30pm today. I have been praying that all is not lost. If running is permanently taken away from me, I can't even imagine what depths of hell I will be thrown into...I pray for hope.

    I'll pray for you, too.
  • Becca_007
    Becca_007 Posts: 596 Member
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    I noticed for myself, once I took the food away, the feelings started pouring out. EEK, did they ever! That's part of the weightloss and maybe even the biggest part, working on the emotional part so when we continue on we actually SEE our bodies as changed and not still overweight and insecure.

    I do hope you feel better Hon:flowerforyou: :heart:
  • SunLove8
    SunLove8 Posts: 693 Member
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    I can totally relate but one thing I know is the more I cut out overly processed foods, lost weight, worked out, and got my sleep schedule in a more normal pattern the better emotionally I felt. Now I can think things through more clearly and when I feel a down mood coming on I can recognize it more easily and I break it by either talking about it or doing something healthy that gets my mind off of it. For me my faith in God is what keeps me going also my family and friends keep me in check and support me and they are amazing! I wish you luck and praying for you as I know how hard it is when we feel that fog of depression getting thicker and rolling in. :flowerforyou:

    Overly processed foods...makes sense. Been working our, been trying to sleep but I can't get a good night's rest. When I do REM; it's always a crazy-weird dream and I wake up anxious and irritable. I'm not sure if I believe in God at this point in my life (oh sh*% I'm going to get for this one), I've honestly have gone through and witness someone I love more than life than suffer so it's really hard still.
  • SunLove8
    SunLove8 Posts: 693 Member
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    I definitely deal with depression still sometimes, though it's not nearly as bad as it used to be before I started exercising regularly. I find that you just have to keep going, keep exercising, eating healthy foods, keep interacting with the people in your life. It passes eventually. If you are not already seeing a therapist, I would certainly recommend it. Even talking to someone you trust about how you're feeling helps, especially if therapy isn't affordable. Also, I try to think about my feelings objectively, try and "step out" of myself and see if my feelings & negative thought patterns are reasonable, or if I am exaggerating somehow. If that makes sense, haha.

    Thank you...you're a sweetheart and I can feel through this that you have been through hell like me too. Thank you for speaking out to me.
  • SunLove8
    SunLove8 Posts: 693 Member
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    I totally hear you! Loud and clear! I have battled with depression for awhile...which is why I now weigh what i weigh...which depresses me more...see the cycle? It hit me hard the past few months as I had an injury resurface that has taken away my only escape from the depression...running. Running was a saving grace for me for many reasons...not just for weight loss. I can't even begin to describe what running did for me. And now I can't. At least for the time being. I see a specialist at 1:30pm today. I have been praying that all is not lost. If running is permanently taken away from me, I can't even imagine what depths of hell I will be thrown into...I pray for hope.

    I'll pray for you, too.

    Thank you for all you said. You're so encouraging. I appreciate everything you shared with me. I run too. I haven't ran the last few days but I do run. I will run tomorow. Thank you so much <3
  • SunLove8
    SunLove8 Posts: 693 Member
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    You ALL are really aweome and I so much appreciate the support. Thank you so much!!
  • TaushasJourney
    TaushasJourney Posts: 143
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    ^_^
  • Earthhorse
    Earthhorse Posts: 28 Member
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    I can relate too. I get depressed quite easily when I am overweight. Now that I have started losing weight I have noticed the depression backing off again. I also find being active, getting out in the sun (or taking my Vitamin D) really help. It is also great to have people there to support you. The hard part is also having people there, because more often than not they don't understand what is happening. I found that frustrating that my husband couldn't understand and seemed unfeeling through it all.
    I hope you start to feel better soon :)
  • yessi03
    yessi03 Posts: 6
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    How would you know if you are suffering from depression? At times I have felt that I go through stages of depression. It is a very hard thing for me to talk about and feel sometimes that might have affect on me trying to lose the weight. This is the very first time I have opened up and spoke about this in reference to myself. Any answers, or suggestions will be more than welcomed.
  • SunLove8
    SunLove8 Posts: 693 Member
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    I can relate too. I get depressed quite easily when I am overweight. Now that I have started losing weight I have noticed the depression backing off again. I also find being active, getting out in the sun (or taking my Vitamin D) really help. It is also great to have people there to support you. The hard part is also having people there, because more often than not they don't understand what is happening. I found that frustrating that my husband couldn't understand and seemed unfeeling through it all.
    I hope you start to feel better soon :)

    Thanks sweetie, so glad you are a friend of mine on here! XO
  • SunLove8
    SunLove8 Posts: 693 Member
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    How would you know if you are suffering from depression? At times I have felt that I go through stages of depression. It is a very hard thing for me to talk about and feel sometimes that might have affect on me trying to lose the weight. This is the very first time I have opened up and spoke about this in reference to myself. Any answers, or suggestions will be more than welcomed.

    For me, it's the lack of feeling of anything joyous. I feel like a pathetic loser who can't appreciate a damn thing and then get mad at myself for feeling that way. It's a rollarcoaster of feelings that makes me want to run and hide. It's not being able to sleep well and when I do finally fall asleep I dream horriable dreams and wake up in a crappy mood once again.

    I'm glad you have opened up and spoke about this in reference to you. Acknowledge is the first step and help is the 2nd. Talking has helped, but I need more doing than talking in order to make some major changes. All I can really suggest is to confide in anyone who will listen to you in the begining, but also possibly see a counselor and even journal. Easier said than done cuz I haven't done the last two in forever. I love to oil paint and haven't in almost two years. I hope this crap ends cuz I don't want to live under a dark cloud anymore.

    I hope you find support, strenghth, love and self-acceptance. Please don't ignore the depression like I have done, for then it just gets worse. Get some help today! :flowerforyou:
  • azmomof2
    azmomof2 Posts: 714 Member
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    I can totally relate but one thing I know is the more I cut out overly processed foods, lost weight, worked out, and got my sleep schedule in a more normal pattern the better emotionally I felt. Now I can think things through more clearly and when I feel a down mood coming on I can recognize it more easily and I break it by either talking about it or doing something healthy that gets my mind off of it. For me my faith in God is what keeps me going also my family and friends keep me in check and support me and they are amazing! I wish you luck and praying for you as I know how hard it is when we feel that fog of depression getting thicker and rolling in. :flowerforyou:

    Overly processed foods...makes sense. Been working our, been trying to sleep but I can't get a good night's rest. When I do REM; it's always a crazy-weird dream and I wake up anxious and irritable. I'm not sure if I believe in God at this point in my life (oh sh*% I'm going to get for this one), I've honestly have gone through and witness someone I love more than life than suffer so it's really hard still.

    Anyone that would give you a hard time for not believing in God and argue that with you isn't being very caring in the first place and not really here to help you are they? :flowerforyou: I just mentioned what has been my rock and my anchor. I'm so sorry that you're hurting and that you have those memories of a loved one suffering I think maybe it might help to find an outlet online (support group dealing with your specific hurts) if you aren't wanting just yet to find one in person. I can relate to the restless sleep I have the anxious, tossing and turning, constantly waking up periods of sleep patterns too. I noticed if I drink caffeine in the evening for me its worse and waking up the past few wks at 5am (oh my gosh that's a miracle in itself as i am not a morning person lol) to go workout with a friend of mine at the park really helps with sleeping better at night. I wish you the best girl! :smile:
  • fteale
    fteale Posts: 5,310 Member
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    I can absolutely relate, but I don't have any advice. Sorry.
  • Ahzuri
    Ahzuri Posts: 272 Member
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    I can relate completely. In fact my weight gain began as a teen when my depression hit for the first time, I got to 300lbs before I started losing it again. I have been having a depressive episode for the last half a year at least until I decided to get help for myself. Sometimes people get depressed because of the life situation, things happening, or for no reason at all (which was my case) but if it is effecting your health and you feel numb I encourage you to seek out help from a mental health clinic. I visited my local low income mental health clinic last Wed and they prescribed me meds to help out with the depression, it has been helping and I feel so much better. I'm not saying that meds are the only way but they are a good tool just like therapy is especially if you have been struggling with it for awhile.

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