One of the many effects of having eating distress
is depression. I used to hate admitting that I used to feel depressed, because of everything that comes with it.
But which came first, the eating distress or the depression? The answer to that I honestly do not know. .
I started off not having any interest in my usual
social outlets (the gym being the first, I have always enjoyed exercise), then started pushing my friends away, isolating
myself. None of my hobbies held any comfort for me, for example, I have always been an avid reader - it came to a point
where even reading was difficult. I just could not focus on the task in hand. Just the mere task of getting
out of bed in the mornings used to be so difficult. Even at weekends, I had a tendancy to stay in bed for
longer than I should. Also, putting on make-up, washing and styling my hair - all these every day tasks were quite difficult
for me to do. At times, I just didn't care!
Feeling wise, I just felt dead and empty, just like
a shell really.
Many people who are depressed (eating disordered or not)
do take medication, to help them get through this rough patch, but I do not. Basically, because I prefer to get through
things on my own. If I have a headache, or toothache for example, I will just suffer on without taking anything.
Besides, my belief is that would be treating the effect and not the cause. They work for some yes, I agree, but at the
end of the day the choice is yours.
There were times, however, where it felt so tempting
to go to my gp, and ask her for something, anything to get me through the rough patch. I am now glad that did not allow
myself do that. At the times I felt that way, my belief was that by doing so would be like admitting defeat, I hence
feeling like a failure. This wouldn't have been the case, as medicatoin is beneficial for some people. The problem
tends to lie when people are over-medicated.
For anyone considering mediction, my advice would be
to go firstly, by your gut instinct, and secondly, ask the advice of your gp and cousellor, or anyone else that would have
some knowledge on this.
