Anyone struggling with Mental Health and Weightloss just seems impossible..lets motivate eachother

Complex Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. It's been something I've lived with my entire life -- just didn't have a name to it or understand it until a few years ago. Symptoms are anxiety, depression, binge eating disorder, social anxiet, and ADHD-like symptoms, inability to focus/concentrate, a lot of energy but expressed in ways that don't always contribute to the overall well-being. I take an SSRI and an ADHD drug, which both help. Fortunately, the SSRI doesn't seem to cause me any additional food issues, and the ADHD drug is actually an appetite suppressant, so the combo has an on-again, off-again net positive on my binge-eating problem, or at least doesn't make it worse.

I'll say one really good thing about CPTSD in terms of weight control - even though I binge-eat, and I've yo yo dieted the same 50 lbs about a 50 times, the anxiety phase of it last a lot longer and is stronger, for me anyway, than the depression phase. And, during the anxiety, I have no appetite, frequent panic attacks, cannot sleep, often can't even bring myself to settle down and sit quietly - thoughts are too overwhelming and the feeling of being unsafe, pursued, hunted is very intense and palpable. So - what do you do when you're a nervous wreck, can't sleep, can't rest? You walk - or run, or ride a bike, or go to the gym - you keep moving because a moving target is harder to hit. And that combined with the panic attacks and anorexia makes weight loss easy during that phase. The depression phase of it, however, can take over and make you sluggish, want to eat, and not want to work out.

In some ways, CPTSD superficially resembles bipolar disorder or certain personality disorders, and is often misdiagnosed as other things. The pendulum swings back and forth between anxiety and depression, and the weight and energy go with it. I was grateful when I found a good neuropsych MD and a good trauma therapist who had the expertise to know what was really going on with me - you have to be able to ID it before you can treat it.

For some reason it won't let me finish my sentence in my last comment. I don't want to gain anymore weight, but sometimes it's so hard to remember that the cravings are just the Lexapro "talking"

I have BP disorder,PTSD and anxiety. I could definitely use the extra support I know my illnesses have made it a million times harder for me to lose weight and keep it off. Feel free to add me

I could definitely use some support with this as well. Im diagnosed bipolar II and anxiety rules my life. I'm currently unmedicated and so far pretty motivated to keep losing weight but in the past mental illness has found a way to kill all motivation and destroy any progress . How can we all support each other? Anyone have any challenge ideas or ideas in general?

From my own experience if u see a very good psychiatrist then the correct medicine would help. I am clinically depressed and if Im off eventually I dive. I understand it isnt fun taking it or figuring out the best one but matched with counselling it all works together.

I'm clinically depressed, taking Mirtazipine which has ramped up my binge eating to the point where I'm unable to stop eating and am living in the same house as the husband who dumped me before Christmas! I spent the first few weeks still going to the gym and unable to eat anything, but now I can feel the weight piling back on so today is the start of a new chapter and I could use all the support and motivation anyone can offer please x

OCD, depression, and anxiety (social, general, and panic attacks). I have a lot of trouble with motivation, and my anxiety. I don't put on weight on my medications, but I'd love support. I feel awful on the days I don't manage to exercise or if I eat more than I planned/wanted, and it feels like everything just spirals downward. Of course, I then push myself way too much the next day, making my back give in, and then I can't do anything the following day. Rinse, and repeat!

CanesGalactica wrote: »

I have both clinical depression and generalized anxiety. I'm trying pretty adamantly to chug on without medication as one makes me feel like a robot and the other tends to turn me into an insomniac. I find both the depression and anxiety to make it hard to commit to anything and could definitely use the support from other like-minded people.

I have a lot to lose (70 lbs) and yeah, it gets kind of discouraging when both conditions start dragging you down.

Have you only tried two medications? It can take a lot of trial and error to find the one that works. Even if it's just two types/classes of medications, you might want to give it another shot if you haven't tried others. It is difficult, and frustrating but finding the right medication can really change things.

Took over 15 (SSRIs, tricyclics, antipsychotics, SNRIs) for me to find one that helps me (lamotrigine). It was supposed to help the depression but it helped my social anxiety instead. It was wonderful; it didn't go away completely but I was able to do things, and go out. I also have benzos for panic attacks (as needed), and I use a low-dose antipsychotic for my severe insomnia.

Bipolar 1 on lithium. Anyone here welcome to add me.