Depression and eating
Itsjustme86
Posts: 116 Member
Hello!
I am new to the group. My depression makes me over eat. I often feel like I can't control it.
Hoping to make some friends to go on this journey with!
I am new to the group. My depression makes me over eat. I often feel like I can't control it.
Hoping to make some friends to go on this journey with!
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Replies
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Hi! I started (again) recently. I have anxiety and it definitely affects how I eat. I like the quote in your profile pic.
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Hey! I completely agree, I feel like my depression causes me to eat so much, even when I feel sick because I'm so full, I just can't stop. I think we all need to remember that we are worthy of being treated soooo well (especially by ourselves). I'd love to make friends here that are going through the same thing so we can all support and encourage each other 😁❤️4
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Hi. May I please join your group? I have Bipolar mood disorder and my chronic medication keeps me hungry and full of cravings most part of the day.
UglyDucklingmfp2 -
I can definitely relate to the struggle! My anxiety and depression go hand in hand with comfort eating, and that's basically been sabotaging my efforts to change my lifestyle. Even my upcoming wedding hasn't helped get me out of the funk - if anything it makes it worse.
Everyone can feel free to add me if you like. I try to consistently log, even during rough times.0 -
Uncomfortable feelings of any kind that I don't understand will cause me to eat. I have realized that if I can give myself space to identify what I feel, even if it's "confused" then I have taken a step toward feeling my feelings.
Overeating for me happens because I have a hard time allowing myself to feel uncomfortable feelings, like sadness, overwhelm, frustration, fear.
I've started saying aloud things like "I feel upset right now," or "that makes me really angry."
Next I follow with some self compassion. Like, I let myself know that my feelings are ok. It's ok to feel sad, or whatever I feel.
This has helped. And also, it is taking a lot of practice. I am not used to allowing myself to feel and to then comfort myself in this way. I've been working on it for a couple months and I would guess I have a ways to go. But I think I'm moving in the right direction.2 -
My anxiety and depression causes me to over eat. I am hoping this group could help me when I am struggling.2
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Anxiety and depression seem like major reasons for so many of us to overeat or feel out of control. What are some strategies that some of you have found success with concerning this?0
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I posted this as a reply to this thread yesterday: community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10768516/emotional-eater-please-dont-judge/p1
Logging helps me understand the behavior. I have to replace the emotional eating with something else. I still have to "cope"- can't just take away a coping strategy and not replace it with something! My goal is to replace it with a positive coping strategy or at least a neutral one.
My "excellent" positive coping strategies- (work well but take time to learn, can't learn mindfulness in the moment of a panic attack, have to practice it when you're doing well to use it when stressed) edit to add: I learned all of these in counseling
Mindfulness
Self-compassion
Radical acceptance
Cognitive-behavioral therapy techniques
My "good" positive coping strategies
Taking a walk outside (great for stress relief)
Talk to a friend
Journaling
My "neutral" coping strategies
Watch tv
Positive (not-stressful) internet browsing
Emotional eating is my "maladaptive/ negative" coping strategy. It's a last resort but I still have to cope so it is a choice.
I also recommend the books "When Food is Comfort" by Julie M. Simon and "The Mindful Path to Self-Compassion" by Christopher K. Germer
No judgment from me by the way! <hug> Healing takes time, it's ok to get help, you're not alone.2 -
And by the way - I got that book recommendation - when food is comfort- from one of your posts on here and I love it, thanks! @ladyzherra1
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^^this thread. Depression and my relationship with food are definitely entangled. Glad I found this group.1
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Something that I have done when depression and/or anxiety threaten me is to first allow myself space to feel depressed or anxious.
Seriously, you wouldn't believe how much energy I can exert just trying to DENY or COUCH my feelings. That leads to more depression and anxiety!
So, first I let myself BE depressed. How relieving is THAT! I have a good long cry, I allow some self-pity, I let myself feel overwhelmed and lost.
Phew!
THEN, I know I can move on. So I do.
I like to do a ritual. Sometimes this will be a bath. I might choose some crystals or stones that resonnate with me in the moment, light some candles, choose some essential oil. I get in a hot bath and I encourage myself to release what doesn't serve me. I nudge myself to let GO! It is SO HARD to let go of negative feelings because I think that I part of me LIKES them, you know...at least I attribute a VALUE to them.
So, ritual helps me to let go...to know the true nature of negative energy. As much as my society tells me that there is a value to suffering, I DO know better. I just takes some ritual to remind me.1 -
I am sooo depressed. I live with my parents and my mom are very ill. For the past 3 days I have been binge eating like mad. I even drank alcohol, which I almost never do. How am I going to come back to my senses?2
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Are you their caretaker? Can you get some respite care? Counseling? Take a long walk, call a friend? I'm sorry you're having a hard time. @UglyDucklingmfp0
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@UglyDucklingmfp
You're doing work that very few people could handle without some kind of emotional backlash. Caring for our parents is very challenging. First of all, give yourself some credit for what you're doing. Next, acknowledge the difficulty of it. It really is hard!
How can you adapt in a way that will nurture you and your needs? Which steps can you take to move toward that goal?
Adapting to big life changes like caring for your mom is going to take time. During that adjustment period, you are working to discover how to live as a woman caring for a dying parent. Give yourself some space and compassion! ♥️1 -
In the past, I've overeaten to the point of pain, a form of self-harm and relief from anxiety. I don't binge and haven't for years. I do vomit on occasion after I've eaten something I don't need, usually sweets or something without much nutritional value for a meal. I've been getting better about not doing this, but I did vomit last night. My emotional eating now comes in the form of neglecting nutrition. Maybe mistreating myself or punishing myself for mistakes or not wanting to lose weight because it protects me from close relationships. I've been through all of this before. It's not so much a matter of blind faith that I'll be okay this time. Last time I lost weight, I had a bad experience. This time, I have to trust that I'm on a better path but also make a significant effort to maintain stronger boundaries. And a little bit of hoping for the best. We'll see what happens.2
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UglyDucklingmfp wrote: »I am sooo depressed. I live with my parents and my mom are very ill. For the past 3 days I have been binge eating like mad. I even drank alcohol, which I almost never do. How am I going to come back to my senses?
Instead of focusing on the food right now, can you just try to take a walk in a beautiful setting? The more you pull these healthy behaviors into your world, the less you'll feel the need to binge. That underlying stress and anxiety are the culprits, and finding healthier options to address them will help!1 -
My depression influences my eating habits as well. I can feel my depression getting worse again, and with it, my appetite for sweets and junk food. I've been binging for the last week. I'm taking charge today and I'm not going to let myself keep doing it.1
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prissycarrot wrote: »In the past, I've overeaten to the point of pain, a form of self-harm and relief from anxiety. I don't binge and haven't for years. I do vomit on occasion after I've eaten something I don't need, usually sweets or something without much nutritional value for a meal. I've been getting better about not doing this, but I did vomit last night. My emotional eating now comes in the form of neglecting nutrition. Maybe mistreating myself or punishing myself for mistakes or not wanting to lose weight because it protects me from close relationships. I've been through all of this before. It's not so much a matter of blind faith that I'll be okay this time. Last time I lost weight, I had a bad experience. This time, I have to trust that I'm on a better path but also make a significant effort to maintain stronger boundaries. And a little bit of hoping for the best. We'll see what happens.
Have you told a doctor about making yourself vomit? You need to do this.
I'm hoping for the best for you too. Get your circle of support in place- doctor, counselor, caring people you trust!0 -
@prissycarrot I stuggled with bulimia for a few years and then recovered for about twenty years and then, when going through a divorce, it resurfaced and now I have not vomitted in three years. Vomitting is a such an ugly, unabashed, violent form of self-harm. It's like I was just hating on myself, hurting myself with my own hands. Why all the hatred? How can you turn that hate to love? You may need some assitance. I sought out a light worker therapist to support me when I needed love but couldn't give it to myself.
Also, I told myself that under no circumstances would I vomit. That meant I had to DEAL with NOT vomitting, which was so hard, but it also brought about awareness of what was driving my violence and -- with time and compassion -- I was able to heal.
You're not alone!1
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