Discouraged but also hopeful

No need to be afraid, you can take control of your health. Every journey starts with a single step.

I would start by getting acquainted with the app and calorie counting. Have you read the 'Most helpful posts' stickied at the top of each subforum?

https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10300331/most-helpful-posts-getting-started-must-reads#latest

https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10300319/most-helpful-posts-health-and-weight-loss-must-reads#latest

If you tell us more about yourself and your goals, we might be able to give more concrete advice.

Read and participate in the forums and you will learn that you are not alone and that there is nothing to be afraid of, everyone struggles with similar issues and many people have great success stories. The success stories all seem to take the long view and be patient and methodical in their approach to weight loss. They don’t jump in with outsize expectations of themselves and burn out prematurely. Take a look around at what has worked for other, start measuring and logging what you are eating by weighing it on a digital scale and then see where you can shave off a few calories and still feel satisfied and go from there. Set short term, achievable and small goals like 10 lbs at a time to work towards, and try to find things that are fun and enjoyable about the cooking and the movement so you can sustain both as lifestyle habits not short term diet changes. You will do fine.