Depression and intuitive eating

As most of my friends know, I get depressed every winter. I am just coming out the other side of it now, and I have gained about one and a half stone (20 lbs or about 10 kg) in weight and my clothes don't fit. This year it was a totally different experience because of intuitive eating. So how was it different?

1) I was aware of eating for comfort and didn't believe the self-con that it as because of the stress of this or the pressure of that....

2) I forgave myself, even as I sat feeling bloated and sick. I knew I needed to stop doing it, but I didn't hate myself.

3) Although I wasn't 'doing' intuitive eating, I wasn't 'not doing' it either so even in the midst of compulsive eating days, I would often eat intuitively. It wasn't all or nothing, and I never thought "well, I've made a mess of today already so I might as well ....."

4) I didn't make myself promises that I wouldn't keep. I just knew that when the depression eased, I would get back to eating more intuitively and the weight gain would stop.

So, intuitive eating isn't a cure for depression by any means, but it certainly doesn't add drama to the crisis.

:)