On my bad days, all I look forward to are eating and sleeping

[Readyforchangenow]

Does anyone else feel like this or is just me?

[Agora1]

Hi Ready...I think we all look for self soothing ways to accommodate our bad days.

Food can have a very relaxing and satisfying feeling (at least while going down)

Sleeping, if used as an escape, I don't really believe that's good. What might be better

is getting physically involved in something that keeps your mind and body busy/distracted.

But the answer is yes, many people do eat and sleep on bad days. Depending on how many

days this happens can be a bad habit. xx

[K8tieB]

Yes! Lately all I want to do is sleep and stay in bed. I don’t have much of an appetite but when I do eat, I choose unhealthy options. Depression is creeping back into my life and it’s very uncomfortable as I notice the change in my temperament. You are not alone!

[mtnee]

I'm spending my days in my robe and eating and just spending all my time on YouTube. I can't really talk to family because they're going through so much themselves. I sleep a lot, also. I joined this site in hopes of finding a connection and to exchange support. Would you be interested?

[Poodie in reply to mtnee]

Hi. How have you been? I have to push myself tomorrow. I have bills due, and lots of other things I need to take of. The first thing I need to do is to take care of my physical needs. I have been living like a slob, just neglecting myself along with everything else. It is awful to live this way.

I am trying to figure out how I can get some help around my house for a while and I must start to clean up a bit myself. I will see how I do tomorrow. Sometimes I feel like it is insurmountable, however I am sure if I make some progress I will feel better.

[mtnee in reply to Poodie]

I found help in a website called Flylady for getting housework done. It's very good. Starts you out with baby steps and eventually you have simple tasks to do each day of the week. It's never overwhelming. My depression tries to get in the way, though. You can PM me and we can encourage each other in our daily routines, if you'd like. I know it would help me!

[Poodie in reply to mtnee]

Thank you for responding ! I managed to get enough done to be able to leave town for a while as planned.

I am sorry I missed your reply to me until now. I also neglected mail !!

Sure let’s help one another. In fact towards this coming weekend I will be returning home after having been away for nearly a month.

It’s a notoriously bad time for me because being gone for one week even makes me feel snowed under. My very bad way of dealing with it is to do nothing and let even more pile up . Right now ( not home yet) I feel rested and well.

I just can not let myself backslide again and get more depressed.

How are you ? I am sorry I was not there for you as soon as you texted.

[Hidden]

All of my days are bad. I literally look forward to nothing every day.

[Readyforchangenow in reply to Hidden]

I’m sorry

[Hidden in reply to Hidden]

Me too....you are not alone. It’s an awful way to ‘live’.

[Hidden in reply to Hidden]

I know exactly. I have to note on the dry erase board when my last shower was. As for eating I'm on the "not hungry" diet. Literally do not feel hungry, and when I do a little yogurt will tide me over. And this has been ongoing since my wife passed in January. The depression I've had (more or less) for many years. That little push took me over the edge. I'm turtled up, down in my hole. Safe and secure in bed I can sleep most of the day. Sleep is the blessed relief from body pain and mental agony. Weeks can pass and my outdoor trip is from the house to the mailbox and back. I will go to the Dollar Store down the road if my supply of canned soup is running low. Yep, we're not the only ones. Lots of us feel just like you my friend. At least when we say we care and know how you feel, trust us. It's true.

[Poodie in reply to Hidden]

That wasn’t just a little push. I am so sorry for your loss. Let yourself grieve and be good to yourself. I’ll be thinking of you.

[Poodie]

Yes I look to food for comfort, I isolate, do not want to leave the house. I make completely unhealthy food choices, stop exercising and all of this makes me feel worse. I am trying to pull out of it now. I’m getting there.

Are you on meds? In therapy? .

[Readyforchangenow in reply to Poodie]

Yes I’m on meds and in therapy. I’m glad to hear you are getting there.

[Poodie in reply to Readyforchangenow]

Let me know how you are doing. I ll follow you.

[Hidden]

Yes, I do too. I think it has to do with food and sleep being "safe places" and "coping mechanisms" for our minds.

Sleeping and food are things we can (hopefully) always rely on. Our minds take comfort in that stability.

There's another layer with sleeping however. Crawling into bed and sleeping our troubles away could be our minds trying to hide and take time to recharge. <3

[enigmaticide]

Given that a lot of people live with too little sleep, the potential for over-eating is the greater concern; that observed, our bodies burn calories less efficiently at rest and oversleep can leave you more exhausted than when you first layed down. When I was younger, I definately fell into the eating-my-emotions camp; I've never known the novelty of owning a flat stomach.

Sometimes, you just have to engage in "mirror activities". Look at yourself in the mirror and say, "Today, I'm going to (insert selected non-sleeping/non-eating activity here) because I'm worth it." Once you've stared yourself in the eye, and made that declaration, you're more inclined to follow through, because lying to yourself is lame. Furthermore, if you DIDN'T want to better yourself, you wouldn't even be on here with us.