Depression and Weight Loss
Replies
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shelleygold wrote: »Hey tribe,
How is everyone? A lull in our sharing! We are busy folks. Hope your minds as clear and present and focused!
Fondly
Shel
Depression is kicking my butt today.0 -
I have a cold that's kicking my *kitten* pretty good, and pretty bummed out about what I thought was a for sure source of some money coming in not working out after all, but other than that I'm okay.0
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I've got a new medicine, cymabalta and it's working great with my other medicines for my depression and anxiety and my myalgia
i fought off some depression when i crashed my 2 day old new to me car because of some hidden ice. I was just so disappointed and sad, but my great insurance makes me feel very special and helped lift me up0 -
I have a question for everyone (I hope this is an okay place to post it since it's about depression? Sorry if this isn't the right place to post this. Feel free to ignore this. )
I've been feeling better late last night/today. It's almost scarier when I start to feel the depression lift a little because I'm scared it's going to come crashing back down again, if that makes sense.
Does anyone ever feel this way? Like you're depression for so much of the time that being slightly undepressed is more scary? If so how do you make sure you don't actually crash yourself back into depression just because you're not used to feeling slightly better?0 -
one of things i heard once that i would feel what i thought was the beginning of hope and happiness and would chase the feeling and was always disappointed. then one day i realized that it was hope and happiness.
when i think about that i can appreciate the happiness and feeling better for what it is. appreciate the moment
and then there was this poem by ezra pound
erat hora
"Thank you, whatever comes.' And then she turned
And, as the ray of sun on hanging flowers
Fades when the wind hath lifted them aside,
Went swiftly from me. Nay, whatever comes
One hour was sunlit and the most high gods
May not make boast of any better thing
Than to have watched that hour as it passed. "0 -
yourhiddengem wrote: »I have a question for everyone (I hope this is an okay place to post it since it's about depression? Sorry if this isn't the right place to post this. Feel free to ignore this. )
I've been feeling better late last night/today. It's almost scarier when I start to feel the depression lift a little because I'm scared it's going to come crashing back down again, if that makes sense.
Does anyone ever feel this way? Like you're depression for so much of the time that being slightly undepressed is more scary? If so how do you make sure you don't actually crash yourself back into depression just because you're not used to feeling slightly better?
that feeling of waiting for the other shoe to drop! I know it well. all you can really do is commit to lots of self care, and be gentle with yourself. realize that these things come in cycles of severity, it WILL get better and then get worse and then get better again and so on. just don't beat yourself up for it when it gets worse.
take care of yourself.0 -
Thanks for the responses @ObsidianMist and @moyer566. I decided to clean the entire house and exercise while I had energy so now I feel productive. So that's a nice bonus feeling! (I haven't done much productivity in about a month)0
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nice! love those productive days. I've been pretty sick since friday so I've been accomplishing nothing. I'm kind of okay with just letting myself rest till I feel better though. mostly I'm bummed about not being able to make it to the gym. I have zero energy
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@ObsidianMist I hope you feel better soon!
I'm not yet caught up on all 14 pages of this thread as I came to it late however I'm around page five and I do plan on reading it all sometime as some of the suggestions on here are amazing. It's great to have people honestly sharing their struggles. I thought I would just add what I've been finding that's been helping me (some of them may have been said by other people before).
Things I've found that's helped:
- exercising moderately but not overexercising/undereating as I have an addictive personality and in the long run that just leads to more problems. I've also found that in the long run undereating will increase my anxiety and lack of sleep and add onto my depression.
- talking to my friends and not ignoring people's texts. I've been working on talking to my friends whether I'm feeling good OR bad, as I used to have the habit of either only talking to people when I was doing so bad that I needed someone OR only talking to people when I was feeling good so that I wouldn't "bother" anyone. This led to me feeling invisible and isolating myself as I only showed people one side of me (whether it was the "happy" or the "depressed" side.) I'm also working on when I'm with a group of people, actually talking and not just staying silent and stuck in my head as this made me feel invisible and like I didn't matter. Talking to people and participating in friendships has been something that's really been helping! People care about me, but I had to learn to let them care about me and accept the care.
- I've found making plans for the future is helpful (like planning things with people or even just little things like wanting to go to starbucks or watch a certain TV show). Sometimes it feels like all I do is therapy as I'm not currently working but am going to regular therapy, a trauma yoga group and EMDR. It's important to have other things to look forward to. I can't wait until I'm "better" to live my life.
- eating healthy, as in not extremely undereating or eating a bunch of things that made me feel bad the next day
- telling myself when I'm anxious that I am actually safe and the feelings of anxiety will pass even though sometimes it feels like they never will
- getting enough sleep: this is a huge one0 -
yourhiddengem wrote: »@ObsidianMist I hope you feel better soon!
I'm not yet caught up on all 14 pages of this thread as I came to it late however I'm around page five and I do plan on reading it all sometime as some of the suggestions on here are amazing. It's great to have people honestly sharing their struggles. I thought I would just add what I've been finding that's been helping me (some of them may have been said by other people before).
Things I've found that's helped:
- exercising moderately but not overexercising/undereating as I have an addictive personality and in the long run that just leads to more problems. I've also found that in the long run undereating will increase my anxiety and lack of sleep and add onto my depression.
- talking to my friends and not ignoring people's texts. I've been working on talking to my friends whether I'm feeling good OR bad, as I used to have the habit of either only talking to people when I was doing so bad that I needed someone OR only talking to people when I was feeling good so that I wouldn't "bother" anyone. This led to me feeling invisible and isolating myself as I only showed people one side of me (whether it was the "happy" or the "depressed" side.) I'm also working on when I'm with a group of people, actually talking and not just staying silent and stuck in my head as this made me feel invisible and like I didn't matter. Talking to people and participating in friendships has been something that's really been helping! People care about me, but I had to learn to let them care about me and accept the care.
- I've found making plans for the future is helpful (like planning things with people or even just little things like wanting to go to starbucks or watch a certain TV show). Sometimes it feels like all I do is therapy as I'm not currently working but am going to regular therapy, a trauma yoga group and EMDR. It's important to have other things to look forward to. I can't wait until I'm "better" to live my life.
- eating healthy, as in not extremely undereating or eating a bunch of things that made me feel bad the next day
- telling myself when I'm anxious that I am actually safe and the feelings of anxiety will pass even though sometimes it feels like they never will
- getting enough sleep: this is a huge one
Those are all so true.0 -
one of things i heard once that i would feel what i thought was the beginning of hope and happiness and would chase the feeling and was always disappointed. then one day i realized that it was hope and happiness.
when i think about that i can appreciate the happiness and feeling better for what it is. appreciate the moment
and then there was this poem by ezra pound
erat hora
"Thank you, whatever comes.' And then she turned
And, as the ray of sun on hanging flowers
Fades when the wind hath lifted them aside,
Went swiftly from me. Nay, whatever comes
One hour was sunlit and the most high gods
May not make boast of any better thing
Than to have watched that hour as it passed. "
This says what I was thinking very well.
I'd like to add that you can think of your moods in MFP speak, they aren't linear. So what goes up will go down, but it will also go up again. So, if we expect it, maybe it won't feel so terminal since we know we're not static? Anyway, that's what I tell myself. "And this too will pass," and such.
Enjoy your up time!
I am currently in a down. I have two teenagers, so I live their ups and downs along with my own. This life has added a new dimension for me. I spent a lot more down time before they came along. They've taught me a lot about myself. What a ride!0 -
Hi everyone,
I am aware that the realities of having significant mood changes lead to a myriad of challenges in our every day lives. Problem-Solving becomes mini Mount Everests when we are attempting to climb with the weights of anxiety, depression, fear, sadness, grief, loss and past experiences which create doubt and uncertainty. I am sure that if other individuals walked a mile on our shoes, even the best walkers would find the journey cumbersome and even treacherous at times. I do not think I am making excuses. We are the solution to our challenges (with support and guidance) and we have to put one foot in front of the other and just keep moving forward. Let's spare a thought for our brain which is our best bet at moving us in the right direction, keeping us afloat and never shying away from the requirements of our lives. I admire our strength and courage and I know at the end of the day, it will all make sense. Take care folks and keep moving...and climbing.
Shel
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I struggle with depression and anxiety. I have always been overweight and had accepted that for awhile. Until a month ago where I got really sick and realized that I was 28 yrs and I have been more sick and laid up in the last year than I had ever been. So I started working out. I looked at what I was eating, trigger foods that mess with imbalances, what workouts made me feel accomplished and gave up alcohol. Its been almost 3 weeks since I started working out and I full energized, less down than before and have lost 6lbs. I find that the difference between now and before is that before I wanted to lose weight to feel more attractive, but now I do it because I really want to live another 50-60 years. Happily0
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yourhiddengem wrote: »I have a question for everyone (I hope this is an okay place to post it since it's about depression? Sorry if this isn't the right place to post this. Feel free to ignore this. )
I've been feeling better late last night/today. It's almost scarier when I start to feel the depression lift a little because I'm scared it's going to come crashing back down again, if that makes sense.
Does anyone ever feel this way? Like you're depression for so much of the time that being slightly undepressed is more scary? If so how do you make sure you don't actually crash yourself back into depression just because you're not used to feeling slightly better?
Not thinking about your symptoms can be the best solution, just keep your mind busy with some work you like or different hobbies. This help me a lot to deal with my fears and depression. Try meditation and take proper antidepressants.
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I struggle with depression and anxiety. I have always been overweight and had accepted that for awhile. Until a month ago where I got really sick and realized that I was 28 yrs and I have been more sick and laid up in the last year than I had ever been. So I started working out. I looked at what I was eating, trigger foods that mess with imbalances, what workouts made me feel accomplished and gave up alcohol. Its been almost 3 weeks since I started working out and I full energized, less down than before and have lost 6lbs. I find that the difference between now and before is that before I wanted to lose weight to feel more attractive, but now I do it because I really want to live another 50-60 years. Happily
That's great! I am so happy for you! Your bolded text made all the difference for me this time also. It's amazing what that little shift in thinking did for me. That's the goal. Little shifts. Keep up the good work!0 -
i have nothing inspiring to say, just wanted to let you all know i am still here, and fighting the good fight. just getting really tired.
@moyer566 sorry about your new to you car.... but WOW you handled it so well!
i'm searching for a new med. there's not much i haven't tried except for the MAOI's. i'm running out of options and would consider ECT if it didn't freak out my husband. i tried to start jogging again but apparently i still have a muscle "imbalance". i'm tempted to force it though, because the physical pain isn't as bad as the emotional..... yet i also know that constant physical pain can also be depressing. there's a civil war between my mind and body.0 -
@68myra oh trust me there was swearing and some tears, but the cops were so nice and my insurance is pretty wonderful. that makes it much easier. and that there was no damage to the other vehicle (jeep with steel bumper, i bent the license plate just a tad.)
have you tried cymablta? it helped me from almost day one with both physical and emotional pain. I was not responding well to traditional medicines and I was put on lamyctal and cymbalta. and it's a pretty good combination. no zombies. a little tired but I'm less than 2 weeks in to cymbalta
I hope you find something that works for you0 -
@68myra oh trust me there was swearing and some tears, but the cops were so nice and my insurance is pretty wonderful. that makes it much easier. and that there was no damage to the other vehicle (jeep with steel bumper, i bent the license plate just a tad.)
have you tried cymablta? it helped me from almost day one with both physical and emotional pain. I was not responding well to traditional medicines and I was put on lamyctal and cymbalta. and it's a pretty good combination. no zombies. a little tired but I'm less than 2 weeks in to cymbalta
I hope you find something that works for you
yes, i tried cymbalta a couple years ago. right now i'm on brintellix, lamictal and adderall. the lamictal affects my memory too much. at 50mg it was just word recall.... at 100mg, someone could answer a question from me, and 15 min later i'm asking them the same one again. i dropped back to 50 mg a week ago to try to help my memory.... bad timing with PMS, i guess, because i just tanked.
i'm glad that cymbalta and lamictal are a good combination for you 0 -
Dearest Myra and others,
How challenging to have tried so much...and still filling awful. None really know that depth of pain and anguish depression and anxiety create when they hijack our brain and run the show. Sure, we still make ourselves function and yes, we even problem solve but the joy, fun, motivation and meaning of even simple things are not available and we just feel crappy. And that is the "good news". The not so good news is that we wind down into the depths of despair that has to eventually impact on our families, friends, work, and community. Then we feel useless, a burden and the slippery slap into why bother and why am I here?
PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE remember that everything is temporary including moods and change is as inevitable as the seasons so looking ahead to feeling and being better has to be the force that pulls us into the next stage of our lives. We matter, we are worthwhile and we will manage. We can never forget our value to ourselves and our loved ones and make survival the aim during the awful times so that we can be around for the good times. Stay focused and watch this space. We are here for one another and together we can make it.
Shel
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shelleygold wrote: »Dearest Myra and others,
How challenging to have tried so much...and still filling awful. None really know that depth of pain and anguish depression and anxiety create when they hijack our brain and run the show. Sure, we still make ourselves function and yes, we even problem solve but the joy, fun, motivation and meaning of even simple things are not available and we just feel crappy. And that is the "good news". The not so good news is that we wind down into the depths of despair that has to eventually impact on our families, friends, work, and community. Then we feel useless, a burden and the slippery slap into why bother and why am I here?
PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE remember that everything is temporary including moods and change is as inevitable as the seasons so looking ahead to feeling and being better has to be the force that pulls us into the next stage of our lives. We matter, we are worthwhile and we will manage. We can never forget our value to ourselves and our loved ones and make survival the aim during the awful times so that we can be around for the good times. Stay focused and watch this space. We are here for one another and together we can make it.
Shel
Thanks for this. I really needed this.
Having to quit work for now to work on stuff has made me feel semi useless. And it's hard when even "fun" things like hanging out with my friends take too much effort and don't always help me feel better.
I want to be able to function again (aka work and semi enjoy things more)0 -
ECT has ruined lots in my life. I got 8 ECTs in 3 weeks. Please try to avoid ECTs. I don't wish my life now, on anyone.0
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yourhiddengem wrote: »Having to quit work for now to work on stuff has made me feel semi useless. And it's hard when even "fun" things like hanging out with my friends take too much effort and don't always help me feel better.
I want to be able to function again (aka work and semi enjoy things more)
I hear you on this. I haven't been able to hold down a job for the last year and a half and haven't worked at all in months and months. have you thought about doing a bit of volunteer work? totally understand if you don't feel like you can commit to it right now but it's something that helps me feel a bit less useless. I have a hard time dealing with even seeing friends too. I adore my best friend and think about her literally every day but it's SO hard for me to make plans with her or even text her. it makes me feel awful.0 -
ObsidianMist wrote: »yourhiddengem wrote: »Having to quit work for now to work on stuff has made me feel semi useless. And it's hard when even "fun" things like hanging out with my friends take too much effort and don't always help me feel better.
I want to be able to function again (aka work and semi enjoy things more)
I hear you on this. I haven't been able to hold down a job for the last year and a half and haven't worked at all in months and months. have you thought about doing a bit of volunteer work? totally understand if you don't feel like you can commit to it right now but it's something that helps me feel a bit less useless. I have a hard time dealing with even seeing friends too. I adore my best friend and think about her literally every day but it's SO hard for me to make plans with her or even text her. it makes me feel awful.
I'm sorry you haven't been able to hold down a job. That's super rough. I totally feel you on that. Have you found volunteering has helped? I've had volunteer work suggested to me a lot but honestly if I was feeling well enough to volunteer I would just try to go back to my job (personally).
I've found that I have to make myself go hang out with my friends and text people or else I would totally be isolated and it would be worse. Maybe making yourself text her could help? (ignore this if its not helpful) It's rough though I totally feel you on the friend thing. Like I think about my friends ALL the time and yeah. Idk.
Why are things so hard? I have no idea. But I'm holding out hope that one day (or at least some days) things will be okay.
EDIT: sorry you totally said volunteer work helped you feel less useless. (Sorry I missed that) I'm really glad you found that!!!0 -
ECT has ruined lots in my life. I got 8 ECTs in 3 weeks. Please try to avoid ECTs. I don't wish my life now, on anyone.
thank you for sharing your personal experience. I will certainly keep that in mind.
that's a beautiful flower, btw. it looks like plumeria.... i can almost smell it 0 -
yourhiddengem wrote: »I'm sorry you haven't been able to hold down a job. That's super rough. I totally feel you on that. Have you found volunteering has helped? I've had volunteer work suggested to me a lot but honestly if I was feeling well enough to volunteer I would just try to go back to my job (personally).
I've found that I have to make myself go hang out with my friends and text people or else I would totally be isolated and it would be worse. Maybe making yourself text her could help? (ignore this if its not helpful) It's rough though I totally feel you on the friend thing. Like I think about my friends ALL the time and yeah. Idk.
Why are things so hard? I have no idea. But I'm holding out hope that one day (or at least some days) things will be okay.
EDIT: sorry you totally said volunteer work helped you feel less useless. (Sorry I missed that) I'm really glad you found that!!!
I honestly don't mind that much. I was on EI for months which was easy to live off of and now I'm on income assistance and applying for disability. it's nice to not have to spend a bunch of hours a week at some meaningless stressful job. I quite like having lots of time to myself and going to the gym whenever I want and stuff. I only suggested voluteer work rather than a full time job because it's often only a commitment of literally a few hours a week, as opposed to 30-40 hours a week. I get feeling like you may as well just work though.
luckily I see my partner nearly every day so I'm not really isolated. and we have his 20 month old toddler several days a week which is fun for me. besides I'm very much an introvert and have come to legitimately enjoy time spent by myself in my older age.0 -
yourhiddengem wrote: »shelleygold wrote: »Dearest Myra and others,
How challenging to have tried so much...and still filling awful. None really know that depth of pain and anguish depression and anxiety create when they hijack our brain and run the show. Sure, we still make ourselves function and yes, we even problem solve but the joy, fun, motivation and meaning of even simple things are not available and we just feel crappy. And that is the "good news". The not so good news is that we wind down into the depths of despair that has to eventually impact on our families, friends, work, and community. Then we feel useless, a burden and the slippery slap into why bother and why am I here?
PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE remember that everything is temporary including moods and change is as inevitable as the seasons so looking ahead to feeling and being better has to be the force that pulls us into the next stage of our lives. We matter, we are worthwhile and we will manage. We can never forget our value to ourselves and our loved ones and make survival the aim during the awful times so that we can be around for the good times. Stay focused and watch this space. We are here for one another and together we can make it.
Shel
Thanks for this. I really needed this.
Having to quit work for now to work on stuff has made me feel semi useless. And it's hard when even "fun" things like hanging out with my friends take too much effort and don't always help me feel better.
I want to be able to function again (aka work and semi enjoy things more)
I can't say which i truly enjoyed more..... Shel's heartfelt post.... or "yourhiddengem"s appreciation for it.
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yourhiddengem wrote: »ObsidianMist wrote: »yourhiddengem wrote: »Having to quit work for now to work on stuff has made me feel semi useless. And it's hard when even "fun" things like hanging out with my friends take too much effort and don't always help me feel better.
I want to be able to function again (aka work and semi enjoy things more)
I hear you on this. I haven't been able to hold down a job for the last year and a half and haven't worked at all in months and months. have you thought about doing a bit of volunteer work? totally understand if you don't feel like you can commit to it right now but it's something that helps me feel a bit less useless. I have a hard time dealing with even seeing friends too. I adore my best friend and think about her literally every day but it's SO hard for me to make plans with her or even text her. it makes me feel awful.
I'm sorry you haven't been able to hold down a job. That's super rough. I totally feel you on that. Have you found volunteering has helped? I've had volunteer work suggested to me a lot but honestly if I was feeling well enough to volunteer I would just try to go back to my job (personally).
I've found that I have to make myself go hang out with my friends and text people or else I would totally be isolated and it would be worse. Maybe making yourself text her could help? (ignore this if its not helpful) It's rough though I totally feel you on the friend thing. Like I think about my friends ALL the time and yeah. Idk.
Why are things so hard? I have no idea. But I'm holding out hope that one day (or at least some days) things will be okay.
EDIT: sorry you totally said volunteer work helped you feel less useless. (Sorry I missed that) I'm really glad you found that!!!
I've had some really great experiences volunteering.
While I have had full-time, high-stress volunteer jobs, in general, volunteer positions aren't as many hours or stress as a paid position.
Since I'm currently working full time, my volunteer work these days mostly consists of a few hours here and there helping out others in need. For example, once per month I participate in making up lunches for the homeless. I do some volunteer work for my church.
Due to illness, I had to give up a job in 2000, and volunteering was a way to ease back in to the workforce.0 -
I am not okay today. I can't even eat0
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ObsidianMist wrote: »I am not okay today. I can't even eat
*hugs* I'm sorry0 -
@ObsidianMist on days like that, i like to get a good shake or malt. sorry u are having one of those days0
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