hey ppl im 25 from northern ireland and ive been going to slimming world for around 5 months now and since i started ive lost around 2 and a half pounds if even

i suffer frm sever depression and ocd i lack self esteem and confidence , i want to go out long walks but i cant cos im scared to go out on my own i am soooo depressed n have been for so long now wat am i meant to do ? i feel there is nothing at all i can do !!! xx

What makes you scared to go out on your own? Is it safety related or because you don't want to be judged by others? If it's safety related, can you find someone to walk with you? If it's about being judged, please just go anyway - most people aren't as mean as we think and the ones that are aren't worth listening to.

I also suffered from major depression, but feel great now after therapy and medication. My psychiatrist also said that exercise is a natural mood lifter, so your idea to go on long walks is a really good one. It's also been shown that people who exercise feel better about themselves in terms of self-esteem and confidence than those who don't even if they weigh the same.

Do you follow your slimming world program to the letter? If you do, then I would have a talk with them to understand why you are not having success. If you don't, what is keeping you from doing so?

Please don't feel like there is nothing you can do - in fact, it's all up to you and all under your control. Depression makes you feel like everything is hopeless, but I swear to you, it's not.

I would highly recommend you consider consulting a therapist and your doctor about your depression if you haven't already. It can be treated and you can feel so much better than you do right now.

hey thnaks so much for ur advice , im scared to go out at night on my own which is safety related and any other time its just cos im paranoid of ppl looking at me cos im so heavy , ive had depression for 8 yrs and ocd all my life i started medication 8 yrs ago and the one im on now doesnt seem to be doing a lot im on the max dose and my phsyciatrist was thinking about changing it but i cudnt go any lower than i was wen i last seen her , my bf is going to walk with me after work a few times a week to help me and himself of course ,,, i dont follow the slimming world plan at all because there is very little on it that i like to eat im a tough one lol but i plucked up a bit of courage there and went for a 20 min walk on my own but its got dark so i rushed home , xx