Welcome to the group Cikan!!! We are so happy to have you with us! I originally started this Ups & Downs group but, if you read my few posts for August, you will see that I have had a very stressful year in 2015. But I am back and determined to get this weight off and get my life back in order. Thankfully, Lisa singlehandedly kept this group going in my absence. As she mentioned, the group has few members at this point, but we share all of our ups and downs with each other ~ with weight loss, medication, and life in general. Sorry you have lost so many years to depression. It really does feel lousy a lot of the time. I know that just surviving "numb" feeling you describe very well. It is a tough place to be. Do you talk with a therapist at all? Which meds are you currently taking? I just had a 3 week stay at a psychiatric hospital (against my will) in June to July and they released me on Lithium and Abilify. Yikes!!! I gained over 20 pounds back in a month!!! 😢😢😢 Prior to that, I had lost 45 pounds on a coaching program to end emotional eating which I began in January, so just gaining that weight back so quickly was depressing. I was also diagnosed with breast cancer in February and had surgeries in March and April for that and reconstruction. I have another surgery for reconstruction coming up on September 9th. For anyone reading this that prays, please keep me in your prayers on the 9th and during my recovery. I would really appreciate it. It has been a rough year for me, but I am truly a survivor, so I am still here and going as strong as I can for the moment. Even though I do worry and pray about the future, I am trying hard to take life one day and sometimes one moment at a time. It makes it more manageable for me and keeps me sane. I hope that we can be a source of support for you in your weight loss and depression journeys! You deserve to be happy! So glad you are here! 😊 Keep on posting. It helps!

EasySpirit: Thank you so much for your prayers!!! I swear prayer makes a difference because I have experienced the power of it in my own life. I won't lie..... this year has been a huge challenge for me and I am still not out of the woods in some areas, but prayer is what keeps me going each day. It is what gives me hope even on my darkest days. So I really appreciate you pausing and taking the time to include me in your prayers. That is very generous and sweet of you! 😊 I am sending you hugs and prayers in return! 💖