Down in the dumps

It's great that you reached out on the boards and hopefully reading some of the responses will lift your spirits. Sometimes when I get down I make a mental list of 10 things I am grateful for and why I am grateful for them. That allows me to take the focus of my negative thoughts and look at the good things in my life. Going for a walk with a close friend or relative might help you feel better. Whatever you do, know that you are not alone and we are all thinking of you. :-)

I read in the Bible that God makes everything for His purpose. Isaiah 45:7 says that too.
Ask God, in Jesus' Name, how to use this downtime for a good purpose and He will be sure to refresh you and lift you up.

I don't view it as "caving in" to ask your doctor for help, for meds. Has it come to the point where you need a medication temporarily to help you. Does this make you weak? I think not. To admit to oneself that you need help is a strength in and of itself. Please remember that medications for depression do not work rapidly; it may take weeks to notice a change. What can you do in the meantime? Come here and let all of us know that you need help, that you are struggling. Call a friend or family member. Could you simply put some shoes on and go for a walk by yourself? Could you check in the newspaper or online for places/groups where you could get support? Are you involved in any sort or religious or spiritual organization? Can you distract yourself by doing something, no matter how small, for someone else.
Please realize that you are important.

I love this topic and the support and advice it has engendered. Thank you all for touching on something that many of us are reluctant to bring into the light.

Best of success to you all.

I will fully admit that I am not a person that gets depressed. But I do find that when I am facing very emotional problems or things just not going the way I would like that getting out, away from every thing that is causing me strife, and even walking, slowly since I do have knee problems, does help. You also need to find time for yourself during these kind of times. Go get a new haircut, an outfit that you just love, watch a movie that you just HAVE to see. Do what you need to find the peace that you need to handle the situation that is causing all your strife. The problems won't actually go away, but they will seem easier to handle if you take time out and take care of yourself FIRST and FOREMOST. If you don't take care of yourself you can't take care of others. You might want to include seeing your doctor about your meds in the TAKING CARE OF YOURSELF. If your meds are not working right you need to find that out.

Hi LMILTON,

A couple of weeks ago (and continuing still) I had serious child drama. My 20-year-old son ... anywho, I wrote a blog asking for support, and it came pouring in. I can't tell you how much it meant to me to have the support of other SP, many of whom had similar issues.

I made a concerted effort, and it was NOT easy to do so, to continue to eat right, and focus on exercise. I had already met the Stress Busters Challenge, and thank goodness, because the techniques I learned to help manage my stress were invaluable. Even though I'm still really upset about my son's choices, I am managing my reaction to it. I recognize that I cannot choose for him ... Sad, but true.

While I don't have any personal experience with depression, I am happy to see that there is a Spark Team for people who want support with it. Maybe some of their posts will assist you.

I am so glad you shared your story, and I will check in on you on your Spark page.

Just keep doing the best you can! ~~Kim


PS Before you eat out, check the restaurant's website and look for the nutritional value of the foods you'd like to eat. Try to have an idea before you go of what you're going to order and what the value of those foods are. Drink water, manage your portions, but HAVE FUN!!! It's nice to have someone else cook for us every now and again.

I know it's hard to stay on track, especially when your depressed. I wish you all the best and hope things turn around for you.

I cannot offer any advice that hasn't already been given, but I hope you can overcome, or at least manage your situation soon

I got laid off yesterday and now it's after 3 and I can't fall asleep. I'm hoping reading some posts will help settle my mind and let me get some rest.

depression is hard to deal with as everyone is different
you really need to find out what works for you
I do a lot of self talking to myself and then tend to blank my mind and not think of anything
one day at a time

I have been on and off this web site for a year, this is my first post........Loved the topic this am on depression, motivation etc.......Feeling low, depressed etc this morning, you guys got me motivated togo for a walk, I feel much better.........Thank You

Today is a bit better, just not motivated to work today. But things have to get done or I don't get a paycheck! Going out to dinner tonight with hubby and maybe my daughter, I want to go to the new Chinese Buffet by work, it's really good, but I don't know how to track what I eat. Any suggestions?

I'm sorry to hear you are going through a tough time but also glad that you've reached out for help. Is there anyway that you can squeeze in a tiny bit of exercise today? 5 minutes of something is much better than nothing and something for you to focus on and be pleased with yourself about.
And do you know what? Sometimes things happen that are really tough to deal with and we have terrible, terrible days. Maybe today is one of those days and you won't exercise or eat well but you'll manage to get through it somehow and you can focus on food and activity on other days.
Here's hoping that it gets better soon.

I'm sorry you're going through a rough time. I don't have any other advice to add, just commiseration. I hope you can do something for yourself today - a relaxing bath, calling a friend, or just sit a moment to give yourself a mental hug.

I am sorry to hear of your struggles! My days lately have been filled with stress as well . It is so hard not to cave in and binge because it would ---temporarily---- make me feel better. But I have to keep telling myself that, in the long run, it only hurts me to use food as an emotional crutch. It is better for me to feel what I am feeling, and learn other ways to cope.

LMILTON67, I'm so sorry you are struggling through this. I have bouts of depression as well. I am also an emotional eater. When I start on the path of being down on myself, I try to pull myself up by the bootstraps as best as I can to, at the VERY least, exercise for 20-30 minutes. If I do that, then I feel a little better and I have a bit more motivation than before. Then I'm able to exercise the next day. As I build up my activity level, I notice myself feeling better and better and before I know it, I'm out of the dumps and I have a healthy attitude again. I eat better, I exercise more efficiently (not slogging through a workout) and overall I am just much more happy.

Food will not make you feel better. Just try to take a nice walk, if nothing else, do that.

Hi LMILTON67,

While I am not a doctor, if you feel your meds aren't working, you may want to talk with your doctor about this. As for binging on the junk food...food is NEVER a replacement for us having to go through the emotions of life. That being said, exercise, even something as simple as walking, can help boost our serotonin which gives us a feeling of calm. So maybe try going for a walk and see how you feel, but also talk with your doctor.

Coach Nancy

Yesterday was an emotional day, with a family crisis with one of my daughters. Today is likely to be the same. I know that it will be a struggle for me to NOT junk out today. This whole crisis has got me feeling worthless (again) and very unmotivated. I suffer from depression and after years of saying I don't need help, I finally caved in an asked my dr. for meds. But days like today, they don't seem to really help. I need to figure out something to do to get me out of this depression and deal with the stress some way other than eating.