I'm eating my emotions

Options
tuuliastikainen8763
tuuliastikainen8763 Posts: 4 Member
edited December 2024 in Health and Weight Loss
So Hi, I guess.. Um.. first thing first. I have been depressed for long and I eat to feel better, which sure won't make me feel better in the end after all. Any advice or help or anything really.. I don't think I can lose weight if I keep eating like this, but in the other hand.. I can't stop eating either. And when I look these two things, I want to be skinnier more than fat.. so.. yeah. Anyone?

Replies

  • grayblackmfp
    grayblackmfp Posts: 140 Member
    Seek some help for your depression. There's no point trying to control your diet without dealing with the emotions that are fuelling your overeating. Visit your gp, maybe look at some counselling. Try doing some exercise if it makes you feel a bit better. Be as kind to yourself as you would to a friend.
    Best wishes.
  • H_Ock12
    H_Ock12 Posts: 1,152 Member
    Talk with your doctor about an anti-depressant. In the meanwhile, is there something you enjoy doing that would distract you from eating? ...hiking, walking, working out, games, shopping, etc...

    Have you tried meal planning? Plan and prepare your meals for the week, individually and only purchase what you need for those meals....then there's nothing else in the house to eat.
  • endlessfall16
    endlessfall16 Posts: 932 Member
    I think when you are truly depressed, making a plan or structuring anything is going to be difficult. Most of the time you'd feel low energy and low motivated.

    If you think your eating is directly connected to depression then I suppose get your depression treated. However, often time eating is just an excuse for everything. People also overeat when they are not depressed.

    If you want to have a better chance with turning off your eating, fill your time with better things; and control your appetite, hunger better with certain foods.
  • Spliner1969
    Spliner1969 Posts: 3,233 Member
    Be careful with anti-depressants. Doctors love to 'fix' you with a pill. I'm not saying it's not a good idea to talk to someone but maybe a counselor would help more than someone who will simply write a script. All three of my daughters went through stages of depression between the ages of 15-20. The doctors had my oldest so screwed up on medications that she OD'd on them. Thankfully we didn't lose her but it was close. After that we went to counseling and kept them off of the pills (and refused to let them give any to our other two daughters). They were all better off for it. Just be very careful with the medication, screwing with your brain as these drugs do is pretty much guesswork for doctors. They love to try one pill and if that doesn't work they try another. In the meantime the side effects from them are yours to deal with. As far as the weight loss goes though, I agree, see if you can deal with the depression some way, it'll help the weight loss and the over eating. Believe it or not, exercise is a good stress reliever and can help you feel much better physically and mentally.
  • Unknown
    Unknown
    This content has been removed.
  • fitoverfortymom
    fitoverfortymom Posts: 3,452 Member
    I have battled being depressed a great deal and gained a lot of weight when my mother died. I had to deal with the feelings before I could take my physical health seriously to really want to try and succeed at losing weight. It took years. Talking to a professional helps. Do you have an EAP program where you could take advantage of any free sessions?

    Also, I read a few articles on being ready mentally for weight loss, and that helped me at least keep my focus. At minimum, maybe try thinking about one thing every day that you notice in a positive sense to lift some of the fog.
  • tuuliastikainen8763
    tuuliastikainen8763 Posts: 4 Member
    MotherOfSharpei wrote: »
    Talk with your doctor about an anti-depressant. In the meanwhile, is there something you enjoy doing that would distract you from eating? ...hiking, walking, working out, games, shopping, etc...

    Have you tried meal planning? Plan and prepare your meals for the week, individually and only purchase what you need for those meals....then there's nothing else in the house to eat.

    I have meal plan now.. and no I dont exersice at all to be honest. I just stay in bed eating all day.. :( ugh I guess I could try to find at least something.
  • tuuliastikainen8763
    tuuliastikainen8763 Posts: 4 Member
    kommodevaran wrote: »
    No, you aren't going to stop eating. You just have to stop harming yourself with food (I suppose you are either eating too much at once and/or gaining weight beyond healthy weight).

    Structure your eating. Plan meals (that consist of foods you like that are also good for you), serve yourself appropriate amounts (aim to hit your daily calorie goal), eat at reasonable intervals, make sure you have everything you need for your meals and time to eat, and sit down, relax, eat, and enjoy the meal.

    Do not cut out foods for no particular reason. But if you tend to overeat certain foods, consider not bringing them into your home.

    Get enough sleep and rest, exercise, and aim to do something fun and/or silly every day.

    If you have emotional/psychological issues that need treatment, get professional help.

    Don't aim to be skinny, if that means underweight. Aim for a healthy weight.

    Thank you for these advices.. I might try some of them out, if I am in the mood some day.. and well I am over weight so I want to get my self to the normal weight of girls in my age..
  • tuuliastikainen8763
    tuuliastikainen8763 Posts: 4 Member
    grayblackmfp wrote: »
    Seek some help for your depression. There's no point trying to control your diet without dealing with the emotions that are fuelling your overeating. Visit your gp, maybe look at some counselling. Try doing some exercise if it makes you feel a bit better. Be as kind to yourself as you would to a friend.
    Best wishes.

    I really guess you are right.. I mean.. Yea, if Im not depressed it will get easier to get up from bed and go outside to move.. and all.
  • CattOfTheGarage
    CattOfTheGarage Posts: 2,745 Member
    Yes, prioritise getting the depression treated, eating and weight loss will follow along. Although if you can get yourself to exercise it will help your mood.

    I had post natal depression and I used to self medicate with comedy. I would sit by the hour reading snark blogs and funny picture blogs. It never made a lasting improvement - I would be just as depressed as soon as I turned from the screen - but it eased the pain in the moment. It was a massive help for me. In the end i got counselling, which was a big help.
This discussion has been closed.

Categories