Weight struggles and Mental Health

BoundaryQueen2020
BoundaryQueen2020 Posts: 19 Member
edited July 2020 in Motivation and Support
Hello everyone,

I thought I would start a thread regarding weight struggles for those dealing with a mental health condition. Whether medicated or not, poor mental health can really impact your eating and exercise habits and can wreak havoc on maintaining a stable weight. There is genuine neuroscience regarding this and you're not just "weak" or "making excuses".

My story is that I overeat to calm my internal states (depression and anxiety) and as a way of creating dopamine (the "reward" neurochemical). I have recently started medication that is treating my depression brilliantly - but it's a known appetite stimulant. So now I'm taking another drug to counteract that effect - yay for mental health disorders!

Food is the cheapest and most readily available self-soothing tool we have - making weight management so very challenging for those of us who struggle with emotional dysregulation on a daily basis.

Please feel free to share your story here and know that you are not alone - over 50% of people will experience an episode of mental health ill health in their lifetime x
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Replies

  • BoundaryQueen2020
    BoundaryQueen2020 Posts: 19 Member
    Hey thanks for sharing your stories. 10EsseeLove, I also have BED - it suuuuucks. mpluna64, food comforts me and gives me a feeling of wellbeing that drugs and alcohol can't touch. skbrodie, I really hope you've found the right mix - it can be a long and exhausting journey to get the right meds and the right dose.
  • Hawwah493
    Hawwah493 Posts: 12 Member
    misstrakky wrote: »
    Hello everyone,

    I thought I would start a thread regarding weight struggles for those dealing with a mental health condition. Whether medicated or not, poor mental health can really impact your eating and exercise habits and can wreak havoc on maintaining a stable weight. There is genuine neuroscience regarding this and you're not just "weak" or "making excuses".

    My story is that I overeat to calm my internal states (depression and anxiety) and as a way of creating dopamine (the "reward" neurochemical). I have recently started medication that is treating my depression brilliantly - but it's a known appetite stimulant. So now I'm taking another drug to counteract that effect - yay for mental health disorders!

    Food is the cheapest and most readily available self-soothing tool we have - making weight management so very challenging for those of us who struggle with emotional dysregulation on a daily basis.

    Please feel free to share your story here and know that you are not alone - over 50% of people will experience an episode of mental health ill health in their lifetime x
    misstrakky wrote: »
    Hello everyone,

    I thought I would start a thread regarding weight struggles for those dealing with a mental health condition. Whether medicated or not, poor mental health can really impact your eating and exercise habits and can wreak havoc on maintaining a stable weight. There is genuine neuroscience regarding this and you're not just "weak" or "making excuses".

    My story is that I overeat to calm my internal states (depression and anxiety) and as a way of creating dopamine (the "reward" neurochemical). I have recently started medication that is treating my depression brilliantly - but it's a known appetite stimulant. So now I'm taking another drug to counteract that effect - yay for mental health disorders!

    Food is the cheapest and most readily available self-soothing tool we have - making weight management so very challenging for those of us who struggle with emotional dysregulation on a daily basis.

    Please feel free to share your story here and know that you are not alone - over 50% of people will experience an episode of mental health ill health in their lifetime x

  • Geneveremfp
    Geneveremfp Posts: 504 Member
    Yeah it sucks. I think it also sucks that a part of successful weight loss is that self belief... I couldn't successfully lose weight until I had some therapy and started getting into a better head space because the negative thoughts and low self esteem sabotaged me every time I had a week where I didn't lose I started thinking I was crap and not worth it.

    You've all got this and should be so proud of pushing through it. A friend once said that food addiction is the worst thing because you can't just give it up and not have it near you - you have to eat every day.
  • jules81
    jules81 Posts: 83 Member
    I suffer with mh issues and bED I find it so hard xxx
  • Skeebee
    Skeebee Posts: 740 Member
    Terytha wrote: »
    If my anxiety is flaring really bad, exercise makes it worse."

    This actually is what I found out with my genetics on anxiety. Exercise stimulates the release of dopamine and I undermethylate dopamine and overproduce cortisol. I have to do lower activity stuff now when I used to enjoy cardio. :neutral: People always seemed to think I didn't want to do the hard work when I had and it caused me to have increased anxiety. ugh..I feel for you.
  • planktonbye
    planktonbye Posts: 58 Member
    Skeebee wrote: »
    Hi, all. I deal with anxiety, PMDD and bipolar-like depression due to a genetic mutation (COMT+/+).

    Whoa, I'm sorry that you're going through this, but it's great that you have a genetic diagnosis! Now at least you have some idea of what to do to feel better.
  • planktonbye
    planktonbye Posts: 58 Member
    edited July 2020
    brendog79 wrote: »
    I'm one dealing with mental health. I am schizoaffective and have depression. I started back taking bupropion at the same time I started dieting on may 20th and have lost 35 lbs in 6 weeks. I am a very big guy starting at 382 lbs. The first two weeks I lost 26 lbs.

    That's crazy! Some of that has GOT to be drug effect. Hopefully it comes as a nice way to jump-start your progress.

    I just turned down an invite to join the "wellness" committee at work. They need to have some events/supports directed specifically at mental illness, but they don't want to! I am sure they do great work, but from a time management perspective, I don't want to get involved if they're not specifically targeting psych difficulties.
  • brendog79
    brendog79 Posts: 60 Member
    My weight dropped so fast because I stopped eating garbage and sugary drinks. I stopped eating pizza every day at work. I work at a pizza place. I did almost no exercise. I did cut my calories way too low the first week averaging around 1400 cal. I'm supposed to be eating 2470 for my weight loss of 2 lbs per week. The bupropion is also used to help people quit smoking and one of the side effects is weight loss. I've gained 40 lbs in 4 or 5 months in the past on other meds like risperdal and invega. I'm averaging 2200 cal a day now.I have just really started going for longer walks and stopped eating frozen meals. I have picked up my weight loss again after it had about plateaued after one month. I have lost 7 lbs this week. I'm also able to get a good night's sleep. I used to wake up every 1hr 1.5 hrs to either go to the bathroom or eat something.