Depression worse on weekends

  • Does anyone else experience more depression on the weekend? All week long I do really well with eatting. I am happy at work. Than the weekend comes. I have so many things to do and it just brings me down so much. I am always looking forward to Monday. On the weekend I binge eat to help with my issues, than durring the week I diet. So in the long run I do not gain or lose weight. By Thursday or Friday I always say to myself that I'm doing really good and if I can just keep it up through the weekend I will be good, but i always fail. i binge eat every weekend. I am on the generic welbutrin (bupropion) I take 150 twice a day. I actually gained weight when my doc briefly switched me to the 300 once a day SR. Once I went back to twice a day the weight gain stopped, but I also have not lost. My doc says it has nothing to do with the pills because weight gain is not a side effect.
  • Hey,
    I find that my depression is worse when I don't have a set "routine". So maybe that's the same for you? During the week when you have work, you have more of a routine - you wake up, eat breakfast, head to work, work, have a lunch break, finish work, come home... etc. etc. But on weekends you have SO many things you have to do and it just seems overwhelming.
    Maybe it would help to sit down on Friday night and plan your weekend (including your meals) so you feel more in control?
    I'd definitely recommend bringing this up with your doc to see what they suggest.
    Take care.
  • That actually makes sense. I will defiantly give it a try. I was thinking about talking to my doctor too. I was wondering if I can up the dose slightly on weekends
  • I've found that I feel worse any time there is a long lull in activity. Even two days can feel "long" sometimes. I have too much time to sit and think, too much time to observe poor behavior, too much time to feel hurt by the actions of others. I feel a lot better when I have a healthy amount of activities to do, especially when they are productive.
  • Definitely agree with lovedancelive - I also get more depressed when I have too much time on my hands. That's why I am always doing half a dozen things at once! And I plan my days meticulously. Boredom is definitely not a good friend when you have depression!

    I've always been told that I suck at relaxing - and I totally agree. I don't really know how to relax, even when watching a movie, I'm doing another 2 or 3 things at the same time!

    As for medication, Jcash, definitely have a chat to your doc. But from my understanding of antidepressants, it doesn't really work that you can up your dosage just on weekends. But no harm in asking. It's great that you've managed to identify when you feel more depressed - that's a really positive thing that most people have trouble with.

    Take care. Be kind to yourself.
  • I love having a routine because I know exactly what I'll be doing that day and how eating will fit in. When I come home, I suddenly have so much to do that it stresses me out and I will start to over eat as well. Not sure if it's worse on weekends/days off, but just seems to be an "at night" issue for me right now.

    When I started purchasing pre-cooked meals that helped me a lot- I could start my day by saying I'm having this, this, and this today. I wouldn't have to worry about having to cook, what did I put in to the meal, did I track everything, maybe I really want to eat this or that, did I eat enough or too much? Boom: everything in one package, I know the nutrition, and I don't have to obsess over the food.

    I love the idea of planning out your weekend too- choose a couple different tasks that you need to do for each day and just focus on taking care of those. Mine for today is to clean up the New Year's Eve party mess in this apartment Everything else can wait until tomorrow!
  • I, too, get more depressed on weekends.

    I'm not looking forward to going back to work on Monday, though.

    I'm depressed because of clinical depression (Welbutrin 100 mg SR twice a day) and because I have no one to do anything with or spend time with.

    Sticking to a routine sometimes helps. Other times, I can't even get out of bed so forget about a routine.