Depression and Weight Gain

Whether depression leads to weight gain or weight gain leads to depression is like a question of the chicken and the egg. It is hard to decide which causes what, but both are interrelated with each other.

There are several reasons why depression occurs, but when it leads you to over eat and gain weight, it turns out to be a cycle which is impossible to reverse.

Depression and weight gain often co-occur. It becomes a vicious cycle when you start eating out of boredom, isolation, loneliness or due to emotional reasons, due to which you gain weight. You get depressed and not feel good about your image of body when you weigh more and you turn to food for feeling better and to hide the feelings. The more you eat, the more you gain weight and the worse you feel.

Things responsible for contributing to depression and weight gain are as follows:

Stress is a main contributor for depression as well as weight gain. When you have many things to balance and your stress level increases to an unhealthy level, you enter into the mode of “fight or flight”. When your body resists with the “fight or flight” decision, it is also discharging excessive cortisol in your bloodstream, which leads to an increase in your appetite. So it is very common for people to crave for food as a means to relieve stress when they feel overworked or anxious.

Another side effect of depression as well as weight gain is insomnia. When you find it difficult to sleep at night, wake-up frequently, have trouble in falling back to sleep and rise before your alarm is set off, you are not able to get sleep which your body needs. For losing weight, it is essential that you get plenty of sleep.

Cold weather also influences depression and weight gain. When it is very cold to get outside for doing exercise and you are exercising near to the door to prevent the cold weather and snow, you are burning some calories. Additionally, lack of sunlight for long period of time can lead toSeasonal Affective Disorder.

The symptoms of this disorder are you will like to sleep more, crave for carbohydrates, have an increased appetite and feel fatigue. These things are also responsible for weight gain.

Help for Depression and Weight Gain:

• Exercise helps to fight against depression and weight gain. Develop a habit of doing exercise which has an immense effect on your mood.
• Ask for support from your friends and family.
• Some medication for depression is also responsible for causing weight gain. Discuss with your doctor regarding your problems and arrive to a responsible solution. Select a medication that does not have weight gain as its side-effect.
• Some antidepressants also provide an energy boost. Take benefit of this side-effect if it is obtainable to you to help you to move in a right direction.
• Regularly visit your doctor to see if your antidepressant dosage is required to be changed or not.
• Get adequate amount of daily sleep.
• Use techniques of relaxation to free your mind from worries.
• Eat a well-balanced and healthy diet which can make you energized and make you feel better.
• Prepare a journal regarding the experience of weight loss, depression and how the antidepressants are making you feel.
• Try to reduce your stress.
• Immediately get the help if your condition is becoming worse.
• Always keep in mind that asking for help is not a weakness but it is strength.
• Don’t expect that weight loss will occur immediately even with the help of antidepressants.

Thus, eating well and by doing proper exercise affects both weight and mood. It is healthy living which makes maintenance and weight loss possible. It is only healthy living which improves confidence and self-esteem and decreases depression.