Depressed

Hi!  I have just started this probram and am sure that it will help me but!  Today I have PMS  (poor me syndrom).  I have health issues and depression is one of them.  It started that I could not sleep well and then first thing this morning my Cockatoo, Charlie, bit me.  We have had him for almost 2 years now and just recently has started to let us pet him.  He was a negliected bird and had no feathers to speek of.  Very dissapointing that he bit me and this makes me want to eat.  I live in the country with to wheals just food.  what am i to do.??

If it helps, we have had budgies for close to 4 years after a couple of their friends got eaten by a cat at their old home, and they won't even let us near the cage without trying to attack us, or cowering in fear. Give him time, and don't get too upset over it.

Go for a long walk or a jog.. its hard to get yourself out there but once you do, it feels great. Or just watch your favourite movie, or read you favourite book, etc...

Well vicpilon, I cant relate to the bird bite but i can relate to the depression that you feel during PMS. I, too, get that way. I usually start PMS'ing 2 weeks before my actual cycle. My PMS symptoms are crazy. I retain a river and i am so up and down. I get really depressed sometimes to the point where i think about crazy things. Then during/after my cycle..all those things go away. I hate it! This just started happening to me about 7 months ago. I dont know why I get like this. I wonder if its some sort of hormonal balance.

Do you have a project around the house or some crafts or sewing that you can do?  How about reading a book, going for a walk, or phoning a friend?

Do something that has nothing to do with food and that you can't eat while you do it.

Yesterday I cleaned out 3 drawers and when I was done I didn't feel like eating any more.

get yourself outside and go for a long walk... i find that a long walk outside, looking at the trees and sky, help a lot when i'm feeling blue. 

Hello You Guys!

Sarah: it does help to know that I am not the only one out there who sometimes have troubles with pets.  Charlie has been with us for almost two years and I am sure that the only reason he bit me is because he got too excited with my good morning to him. You know Love Bits?  I raise a lot of different kinds of birds and if you are interested in some advice I would be glad to help.

Deelite: My PMS is not the normal type. Post Menstral Syndrom is something that I have not had to deal with for many a year.  My PMS is Poor Me Syndrom,  feeling sorry for myself.  But I do remember when I had the real thing. It was terrible!! and it IS usually do to hormonal imbalances.

Chairelaine: There are a lot of things that I could/should be doing around here.  Just do not know where to start,  WHEN I have the energy.

Gert: Thankyou!  I did go for a walk.  An hours worth.  It is a beautiful, brisk, day today.   I just have to watch I do not overdo it or I will be in bed tomorrow. Not nice to have to watch like this.

To all of you:  A great big thanks.  I am feeling better now.

Vic

Relax. You can get rid of all your issues if you really want to. I was 255 now down to 210 only by eating right. I was (I'm still) a lazy azz when it comes to diet or excercise, in fact, throught my weight loss effort (7 months) I did only excercise once a week but did not walk or run.

What I want to tell you is that you can make it, I did, and believe me, I'm not the best candidate. You  can also get rid of your depression, I have been there, it is pretty bad feeling. I'm still on medication, but soon to quit. Depression can lead to overeat, probably what is happening to you. The problem wasn't Charlie's bite but your reflection of your poor me sindrome which may also derivate from your depression.

(To other readers: Poor me syndrome is not the same thing as the PMS from the menstrual cycle. Poor MS, is a kind of self-blame-auto-critic,  or low selfsteem. You tend to believe you are not good at this or that.)

For many people depression is just feeling sad, but for those who have really gone thought it, it is more than that. Is a huge sensation of emptyness, sadness and pain that does not go away, and you dont feel alive, just like if some spirit have posessed your body.

In you case, you eating habit might be strongly linked to your depression. Here are a few recommendations that helped me out for my depression as well as my weight loss.

1- God is there for you.

Whatever is the concept you have of God, remember he is there for you. Talk to Him/Her, he will give you comfort in those dark moments. I'm not very religious, but the fact that I started to talk to him again, gave the strengt to continue.

2-  Get medical attention.

See a doctor for a medication, even if it is temporally. Just need to combat all areas to get rid of that soon. Many form of depression is nothing more than a chemical inbalance and you need to readjust it back to its normal condition. Something that have help a lot is to get teraphy with a psicology. Most people think thats for crazy people, I believed that too, but when I went there, is just pure talk, no crazy analisis like people see in the movies. For some reason that helps a lot. If you dont have the mean$ talk off your chest to someone who can listen. The diference between a Dr. in psycology and a friend is that the Dr. would not give you opinions that will hurt your or blame you for things you do.

3- Distrack Yourself.

Remember, I'm a lazy azz, but with the support of friends and family I was able to disctrack myself by walking, seeing TV, reading, etc. Now, I do it on my own. Put your earphones and walk, chat on the internet, play playstation with your friends or kids.

4- Don't read all internet information.

One thing that didn't help was me reading all posts regarding depression. All of them are about negative effects! but reality is, this is just the minority and usually people who dont follow instructions properly.

5- Everything that happens in your life has a purpose.

Don't feel sorry, don't blame yourself, things that happens in life are far beyond your control even if it was your own desicion making. Things happens for a reason and most of the time we are not aware of why. Problems are lessons to make us better people. If for some reason you make a mistake or even hurt someone, ask for forgiveness even if they dont forgive you, and forget yourself, people usually dont want to hurt other people, but when the do, most of the time, is not because they want to, is because they do not know better. That is why problems or issues are lessons.

6- Avoid negative situations

Negative situation can hold you down, try to avoid them.

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Now, going to the diet and eating habits, here are things that will help you.

7- Long term goals results.

Many people fail because they want  to do it fast. We are used to get things fast, but the truth is things take a while, even God took 7 days to create the world.

8- Feelings the cravings?

One thing that made fail with many diets is avoiding the things I like. It didn't work. So when I feel the craving, I just have it! of course, not the same amount as before. Sometimes and even get crazy. For example a couple of week ago, I got a pizza and ate 7 slices....BUT! I compensate the following week cutting calories intake. Don't sacrifice yourself.

10- Avoid the bad Things as much as you can

- Bad carbs: Pasta, pizza, white rice, etc.
- Sugar and High Fructose Corn Syrup: Sodas, Pre-made foods, etc.
- Trans Fat: Fried food, chips, etc.
- Saturated Fat

I wish you the best and I'm very confident you will make it at your own pace. Everything that has a begining has an end. Remember that we humans have 3 basic components, mind, body and soul. You need to keep them healthy by giving them their food just  as you put gas, oil and brake fluids to your car. When one of this element is not working properly, it will affect the others or the whole function.

So give enough rest and entertain your mind, excersise and eat proper food to your body and feed your soul with God, nature and good feelings.

Regards.

Definitely talk to your doc about medication if you feel this way for an extended period of time.  I started Wellbutrin 3 weeks ago and I couldn't advocate it enough, despite the fact that I was a long-time medication refuser before that.  I felt a difference the first day - that knot in my stomach that had been there for like 10 years unraveled about an hour after I took my first pill, while I was driving to work.  I'm now starting to see how "everyone else" lives and I wish I hadn't spent 10 years with my brain in a depression haze.  It's easier for me to get motivated now too.

Good luck :)

Forgot to mention here are a couple of intersting books that will give you a better perspective. You will love the reading. I read them in the following order.

Jonathan Livingston Seagull...Richard Bach
Many Lives, Many Masters...Dr. Brian Weiss
The Four Agreements...Don Miguel Ruiz

You will find the way. :)

Good Afternoon!

Thank you for your replys,

Molokay: a lot of your suggestions that you have I already do or am doing.  You also have a lot of good ideas that I did not think about.  ie:  reading the books you suggested for one thing.  I will look them up and see.  I also agree with you about reading information on the Inet.  It gets to be Mind Overload.  Thank you for your help.

Star1020: I have been on about 6 different meds for depression.  The one I am on now (effexor) seam to do the trick, MOST of the time.  I am keeping busy just trying to decide what yummy food I can make so that I can stay on course.  Thank you for your help.

Hope to talk  to all of you again. :)

finally a group of people who will know what it's like to be depressed and try to loose weight .... i suffer from long term depression as well as post partum depression. i have been off and on medication since i was 18 i'm 28 now but i never had a weight problem untill 4 years ago this feb i suffered through a miscarriage and i didn't hadle it very well i was 6 and 1/2 months pregnate and i was suffering from post partum depression but who new you could have post partum with out having a child to speak of. well i started to eat to console my self and i tried walking and exercise to couter the eating but it didn't work so now i've just had a child last june 06 and i want to be healthy mentally and physically for her so that she can see that it's ok to be happy ... because if it's one thing i've learn in my short life time is that it is ok to be happy with yourself you can just be!

vitalas

I'm sorry you're depressed.  Don't let that birdbrain Charley get to you:)  Give him parsley birds love parsley and it has vitimin A in it.  Just clip it on his cage with a clothes pin.  Give him a mirror. 

Keep busy with something you love doing, even if you aren't very good at it.  I love singing, painting, sewing and gardening.  I am fair at best at any of them.

Sometimes when you worry you eat and not know why.  Sometimes a back problem will cause a lot of problems in your life.  Just remember knowing your problem is the first step in solving your problem. 

For the back aches do some stretches and exersises.   Try finding an exersise show on T.V. and follow along the best you can.  Denise Austin is Good.  On PBS there are some yoga shows and there is even one called "Sit and Be Fit" the whole show is excersising while sitting in a chair.

I think all of us have some kind of problems or else we wouldn't be here in search of each other for positive reinforcement.

Best Wishes and Much Success!