There are many reasons why depression occurs, but when it causes you to overeat and gain weight, it becomes a cycle that seems impossible to reverse. There is help.
Depression and weight gain frequently co-occur. It becomes a vicious cycle when you eat out of boredom, loneliness, isolation or any number of emotional reasons and you gain weight. You get depressed about weighing more and not feeling good about your body image and you turn to food for comfort – to bury the feelings.
The more food you eat, the more weight you gain and the worse you feel.
Things That Contribute to Depression and Weight Gain
Stress is a major contributor for both depression and weight gain. When you have too many things to balance and your stress level rises to an unhealthy level, you go into what they call the “fight or flight” mode. When your body struggles with the fight or flight decision, it is also releasing too much cortisol in your bloodstream, which causes an increase in your appetite. So it is not uncommon for people to reach for food as a way to relieve stress when they feel anxious or overworked.
Another side effect of both depression and weight gain is insomnia. When you have trouble getting to sleep at night, wake up frequently, have trouble falling back to sleep and rise long before your alarm is scheduled to go off, you are not getting the sleep your body needs. To lose weight, you need to get plenty of sleep.
Cold weather also affects depression and weight gain. When it is too cold to get outside for exercise and you are parking close to the door to avoid the cold weather and snow, you are burning fewer calories. In addition, a lack of sunlight (over an extended period of time) can cause Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD). When you experience SAD, you tend to sleep more, feel fatigued, crave carbs and have an increased appetite. These things also contribute to your expanding waistline.
Help for Depression and Weight Gain
Exercise helps fight depression and weight gain. Develop a regular routine and stick with it to see lasting results on the scale nad in your mood.
Some depression medication also causes weight gain. Talk to your doctor about your concerns and come to a reasonable solution. Choose a medication that does not list weight gain as a side effect.
Some antidepressants also offer an energy boost. Take advantage of this side effect if it is available to you to help you get moving in the right direction.
Follow up with your doctor regularly to see if your antidepressant dosage needs to be adjusted.
Remember that asking for help isn’t a weakness; but a strength.
Don’t expect weight loss to be immediate, even with the help of antidepressants.
The copyright of the article Depression and Weight Gain in Weight Loss is owned by Tracy Rose. Permission to republish Depression and Weight Gain in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.
What if your weight is what is making you depressed?
May 1, 2009 4:33 AM
Guest :
I agree... I've been depressed about my weight in addition to just having
depression. I feel like weight loss would help a LOT... but i can't seem to
muster the momentum to lose the 20 pounds i know i need to.
Jun 1, 2009 8:08 PM
Guest :
I was on a great work out and eating schedule and them bam! I sunk like a
ship. I certified myself as a spin instructor thinking that would motivate
me but instead I ate more and exercised less!! Now its summer and nothing
fits..I am depressed and cant seem to shake any of this. I am surrounded
by fitness focused and incredible people i just cant seem to find my place
back in the fitness world. The cupcake and icecream world wont let me
out!!
Aug 2, 2009 1:08 PM
Guest :
I have a problem . my wt is suitable for my height, but my face is getting
fat. i have no heart , renal or metabolic problem. my body image is
badly distorted. plz help my if u can
Sep 13, 2009 5:30 PM
Guest :
my life was never a happy place i just pretended it was. my weight was
never the cause of my depression but the truth is i was and still am. know
that im older my boby is starting to gain weght fast. i cant seem to stop
eating. i eat every other hour and big meals. im not that tall so its
hitting me faster than most people. i feel like i want to take an easy way
out of this place. i talk myself out of it because i have too many people
that love me and i cant leave them just yet! i think about it all the time
and i came close to ending my life untill i realized that i am being lured
by my own darkness. please give me some kind of advice on how to battle
myself and my darness. i dont want to be depressed or fat all my life!
Sep 20, 2009 8:36 PM
Guest :
I am miserable. I've had binge eating disorder before, and I overcame that
years ago. I'm just tired, and my obsession with body image and weight is
really destroying me. 95% of my thoughts deal with how fat i possibly look
right now, why I can't just not eat certain foods that I say I'm not going
to eat, and how full and fat my face looks. Theres a hundred more but those
are the main ones. All day long these thoughts run through my head. I have
a problem and I can't figure out what to do and where to start before it's
too late. Everything I look up dealing with body image obsession relates
back to annorexia or bulimia (which I've also had) and I always find myself
wishing I was annorexic. So if anyone is out there like me, then you're not
alone. But I do feel alone.
Sep 26, 2009 8:15 PM
Guest :
Don't feel alone, I know exactly how you feel. I put on a brave happy
face to the outside world but deep down I'm not happy in my own skin. My
weight gain has led me to feeling ashamed and withdraw from most things I
enjoy, which in turn makes me even sadder. This has been going on for over
2 years... BUT TODAY I AM DIFFERENT. I sobbed and opened up for the
first time to my husband, who until now just thought I was lazy and had no
interest in improving myself. It was a revelation to him that his insults
were making me feel even worse and ultimately leading me down a downward
spiral of comfort eating. He has promised to be supportive while I pull
myself out of this and back to being my former self. He can't do it for
me, but he can be there for me while I try. Maybe this is what I've been
wanting to hear for a very long time. So don't be afraid to confide in
someone close to you, they can be a strength. I also realised that I
have to forgive myself for what I have done to my body so that I can focus
on getting better. The past is out of my control but right now the future
is. From today I'm cutting the many excuses I've always used to justify
my bingeing, no exercise, skipping breakfast routine. I am only lying to
myself. And I will take one day at a time. I probably won't end up with a
perfect body & mind, but I owe it to myself to be the best that I can
be. Life's just too short for BS. Sorry if this sounds like a lecture
but it's also helping me to clear my thoughts and affirm to myself what I
need to do now. Wish me luck
Oct 23, 2009 2:01 PM
Guest :
Does Depression affects weight ??? i think i've lost weight coz of
depression how far is it possible, m 27 height 5'7 n i weight 53, my
weight used to b around 58... wha should b my ideal weight at ths age .
