New member: 20s, depression, denial, and weight management

[charlotte375]

Hi, my name is Charlotte and I'm in my 20s, fighting through a depression that struck mid-winter this past year. I think the depression has been a long time coming (almost as if I had put it off, and worsened the "drop" by pretending that I was completely okay and like nothing happened for years after something pretty horrible happened to me). I've started therapy, and am moving back home and switching universities to be closer to my family, but I haven't started medication and am not sure if I really want to (any thoughts..?).

These past few months, I've been compensating with sugar (I'm sure I'm not alone), and I've put on quite some weight, and I think feeling bad in my skin is only making the depression symptoms worse. Any thoughts to cure a sugar / binge addiction?

This is my first time on a social group-- looking forward to chatting with other people in similar situations and being part of a community.

P.S. anyone listen to the podcast "Hilarious world of depression"? I recommend it!

[Hidden]

Hi Charlotte,

Welcome to the group. I struggle with depression and have recently (one week ago) starting taking effexor (75 mg/day). I haven't noticed much difference in mood but I have had some side effects already, namely, drowsiness and loss of appetite. I was reluctant to get on medicine for fear it would interrupt my creative process (I'm a musician) but my mood swings were just so bad, I had to do something.

I have a sweet tooth myself, I find if I eat a few pieces of butterscotch hard candy, tazo vanilla caramel tea or similar things it helps curb the craving. I've also noticed, that without so much constant sugar (through cakes, cola,candy bars etc.) I've started to appreciate the natural sweetness in healthy food like whole wheat bread and plain sweet potatoes.

Good luck to you and good health!

Greta

[Michdau1]

Hi and welcome 🤗 glad to have you here XXX comfort eating is definitely my coping mechanism. Not a good one but it is mine. I've justified it for a long time by saying I don't drink, I don't smoke etc so foodd is my treat but I was just fooling myself. This is something I am currently working on actually. Trying to find a healthy relationship with food (I refuse to use the ford diet!!!) And losing some weight. It will definitely help with my low mood and anxiety too 👍 I don't refer to it as comfort eating now as it's not bringing me much comfort. It does for a brief moment then I feel larthargic, guilty, embarrassed, sad etc. I now label it as self harm eating. I ask myself am I actually hungry or just bored, stressed, craving sugar or whatever. If Ur genuinely hungry, you'll be happy to eat something better line a piece of fruit rather than reaching for the fake sugar and carbs xxx