Weight and depression: What’s the link between them?

Weight and depression: What’s the link between them?

Have you ever wondered why some individuals gain or lose weight when they experience any depressive phase in their life? Depression is a severe form of anxiety and can cause the onset of various other mental issues. If any individual is under persistent stress for a longer period then there is a greater possibility for him or her to put on weight. However, the situation is not always the same as some lose weight due to excessive worry. But we can surely say that depression has a strong connection with weight in individuals. Before moving ahead, you should be first familiar with depression, its causes, and the main facts that can cause weight gain or weight loss. After reading this article, you will also get a deep insight into whether can depression make you lose weight or does depression make you gain weight. So let’s get started.

Depression and its impact on body weight

There can be a situation in your life when you are feeling low or having a disturbed mental condition. In addition, you can also experience the unexpected change in your weight or body mass index at the same time. You might be suffering from anxiety or depression. However, the probability of depression is greater as it is a severe form of anxiety and exhibit more negative effects on both physical and physiological functions of the body. Stress is a body’s natural response but if the situation persists then it transforms into anxiety or depression.

Depression is a common mental illness that affects brain functioning, growth, and developement. Any individual can suffer from a depressive episode in their life and experience multiple negative effects. However, the pronounced weight changes should be considered immediately to get treated. The occurrence of depression is not specific to any age or gender as both males and females at any age can get suffer from depression. However, the body of each individual responds differently to a distressing mind. Some individuals are more susceptible to depression and unable to control their thoughts and emotions get depression even at an early age. While some get adapted and easily cope with their distressing life situations and avoid depression.

Depression manifests in each individual in different ways and also exhibits different symptoms.

Types of depression

There are different types of depression but two are majorly involved in weight fluctuations. Symptoms of both types of depression are varied and also exert distinct effects on the body.

Type 1: Type 1 depression can result in an abnormal sleep-wake cycle, decreased appetite, extreme anger outbursts, occurence of intrusive thoughts, and major weight loss.

Type 2: This type of depression is antagonistic to type 1 as it involves an elevated rate of appetite and gaining weight. Individuals with type 2 depression feel more sleepy even during the daytime.

Which factors link depression and obesity?

Other than stress, some common factors that are responsible for making a strong link between depression and weight gain are as follows:

• Oxidative reactions
• Decreased physical activity
• Abnormal changes in appetite
• Metabolic changes
• Inflammatory responses

Does depression make you gain weight?

When individuals get stressed, they start losing interest in those activities that once they enjoyed. They spend major time thinking about the negative situations which are done in their life or about any undesired memories. The brain receives signals to start any activity that drags the depressed individual away from the depressive thoughts. In this case, if any individual tastes any food then the brain processes that taste and also retains the memory. In addition, the brain also instructs individuals to seek more similar food to get pleasure and avoid stress.

Various factors can direct the mind of individuals to start producing anxious thoughts and continuously take stress. However, bad food choices, personal or financial loss, or a sedentary lifestyle can make you depressed most of the time. In some cases, individuals get stressed even without any apparent reason. If they don’t treat their stressful mind then they can see multiple negative physical and physiological changes with time. Among all changes, weight gain becomes more prominent and can eventually lead to obesity which is known as the mother of all diseases.

Various recent studies have reported the fact that most of the adults diagnosed with depressive disorder are more likely to experience weight gain at any stage of their life.  Likewise, those children who take stress can become obese as compared to those who always keep their minds free from negative thoughts, emotions, and perceptions.

There is a strong connection between mood and food. It’s quite common that when individuals get stressed or feel low, they might reach for a comforting place or open a packet of chips to divert their minds. Most individuals become so lost in their thoughts that they don’t even think about what they are eating and how long they are busy with it. Their lack of motivation restricts them from doing any physical activity and makes them mentally prepared to eat more and gain weight. Due to their disturbed emotions and thoughts, they only think negatively. If they repeat this situation then there is a greater probability that they can become obese in the future.

Impulse control

Different studies have reported the fact that anxiety or depression is also linked with impulse control. Depressed individuals have reduced control over their thoughts as most of the time, they fail to distinguish the good and bad. They get involved in various activities which can harm them such as unsafe sex. Due to cognitive impairments, various abnormal changes occur in the body and allow the individual to eat more and more.

Can depression make you lose weight?

Depression comprises the overwhelming symptoms that affect mood and behavior. The prolonged period of sadness or hopelessness makes the individual utilize their mental energy in thinking about negative thoughts and emotions instead of focusing on their meal plans. They don’t focus that what they are eating is good or bad for them. They avoid doing their daily life activities including taking good meals. If they don’t eat well then they can lose weight by several inches.

When the mental condition is normal, individuals take an interest in food choices and feel pleasure in food selection but this situation gets altered when the person gets depressed. The sense of pleasure vanishes and they start thinking about chasing pleasure and stop eating sufficient and good meals which results the malnutrition and subsequently weight loss.

Physical symptoms

Various physical symptoms can cause weight loss. If the person is feeling a headache or any other body ache then he stops taking food to avoid the triggers. Likewise, the sense of unconsciousness, nausea, or vomiting can also change the mood of eating any food and their emotional disturbance overtakes the hunger feelings. Their physical symptoms only urge them to lie on the bed and rest instead of thinking about their health and the required meals.

Hormonal changes

Due to stress, various alterations also occur in the level of hormones. Especially the stress hormones are activated and released in excess quantity which in turn affects the cycle of hunger to a great extent.

Inflammatory reactions

Stress can also cause the formation of certain inflammatory reactions in the body which can directly affect different body organs and functions. The functioning of the gut is affected which in turn results the reduced appetite and ultimately weight loss.

Unintentional weight loss

As the name indicates, this involves weight loss unexpectedly. Without making any changes in diet patterns, individuals experience sudden and drastic changes in their weight. Different trigger factors can cause unintentional weight loss but stress is the major factor that is responsible for unintentional weight loss. So if you ever find that you have not made any changes in your diet and taking some meals but still noticing weight changes then you should consider your mental state and start finding ways to get rid of stress and and anxiety. Moreover, other than stress, various other factors can lead to unintentional weight loss which includes eating disorders, irritable bowel syndrome, etc.

Can depression occur after weight loss?

Although depression can cause weight loss, weight loss can also induce anxiety or depression. Especially self-obsessed individuals feel more stress after noticing fluctuations in their weight. They become sad, and hopeless and also get fear judgment from society. They prefer to stay alone instead of interacting with others. Moreover, during their depressive phase, they don’t pay attention to their apparent personality which in turn more negatively affects their behavior.

Can antidepressants cause weight gain?

Antidepressants are specialized medications that are used to treat depression. However, the inappropriate use of antidepressants can cause weight gain. However, some people stay protected from the side effects and do not experience any undesired change in weight. Some common antidepressants that cause the elevation of weight include some selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors as well as some atypical and tricyclic antidepressants.

Treatment of depressed weight fluctuations

Depression and weight fluctuations go hand in hand. But depression-leading obesity can be controlled and prevented by effective strategies which include:

Medications

Different antidepressants are recommended to treat depression. If you are taking any antidepressant then follow the expert guidelines. Make sure to stick to the recommended treatment plan to experience rapid recovery from depression and low obesity.

Learn More: The Eye-opening significance of Depression and Overeating

Physical activity

Different studies have reported the efficacy of physical activities in changing mood patterns and ultimately their negative effects on the body. Whenever you feel low energy and sadness, immediately indulge yourself in any kind of physical activity such as a physical workout, yoga as well as meditation exercises. During the exercise, blood flow through the brain gets increased which in turn sends signals to the brain to release stress-relieving hormones such as endorphins.

When the stress level gets reduced, affected individuals focus on their eating patterns to prevent obesity. If you are unable to do any exercise then you can also walk for about 10 to 15 minutes to stay physically and mentally active.

Stay motivated

If you waste your time by sitting free all the time then automatically your brain will start thinking negatively and you will become more susceptible to depression. So if you want the mental liberation the first thing that you should do is to start giving priority to your goals. If you have not specified your goals then do it first and then make a list of them. Start focusing on all one by one and keep your mind diverted towards positive aspects. Work on your goals and also write your progress each day. Within a few days, you will surely feel some positive changes as your mind will start focusing on productive activities instead of taking stress. In this way, you will stay protected from all negative and undesired effects of depression including obesity.

Talk with someone

If you are depressed and want to speak your heart out then you need someone with whom you can share your all inner feelings emotions and thoughts. Always try to find someone close to you so that in front of that person you feel comfortable in sharing your all concerns. You can talk about your depression with your parents, friends, or other loved ones. Moreover, you can also discuss your mental health issues with professional mental health experts. At Solid Foundation Psychiatry, you can find multiple top-skilled, professional, and devoted experts who are devoted to treating your depression and associated weight changes. Initially, they ask certain questions to determine the trigger factors of depression and then they provide support and guidance so you can get rid of your depression and associated weight changes.

Self rewards

Having the self-confidence and courage is essential to stay happy in life. Whenever you think that you have done something good then praise yourself. You can do this by doing different little acts. If you retain a positive attitude you can fight well with any kind of illness and stay stronger and more active. When you do good, admire your traits yourself and when you do any mistake then instead of criticizing your personality, motivate yourself. Don’t lose confidence and leverage the laughter therapy. When you realize that you are feeling stressed then start laughing even at small silly things, This will also release certain happy hormones in your body that will make you calm and happy. Also, prepare your mind to learn more to do better next time.

Sleep patterns

Inadequate sleep is also a major trigger factor that can cause the onset of anxiety or depression. Due to lack of sleep, individuals fail to pay attention to future life activities and face extreme difficulty in achieving excellence in each life phase. However, if you take sufficient sleep then you will feel noticeable changes in your mental state. Your brain will become more active, and productive and you will surely feel more vigilant. You will remain secure from stress, anxiety, or depression and ultimately from weight gain and weight loss.

Food selection

Food choices also contribute significantly to the development of anxiety or depression. If you eat foods rich in cholesterol or high-fat dairy products then you will be more likely to experience stress as compared to other normal individuals. But if you cut down the calories and take only those foods which are rich in protein, carbohydrates, and useful fat then you will experience positive changes in your mood and behavior. Therefore effective food selection is significant to avoiding stress, obesity as well and some other physical and psychological impairments.

Psychotherapy

Therapy is also a good option for treating depression-related weight gain or weight loss. Different types of therapies can control the mind to prevent the development of anxious thoughts and undesirable changes in weight. In addition, each individual is unique in his terms, and therefore also responds differently to each therapy. Only mental health professionals can better identify which therapy will work best for the treatment or managing anxiety or depression. Solid Foundation Psychiatry is one of the reliable and top-notch platforms that provides the best treatment or therapy to treat or prevent depression and the resulting weight alterations. Our mental health experts employ the following therapies to make individuals capable of overcoming depression.

Cognitive behavioral therapy

Cognitive behavioral therapy is a type of talk therapy that helps manage anxiety, depression, or any other common mental condition. The main role of cognitive therapists is to identify the root causes of depression and then reframe the thoughts, concepts, and perceptions. They evaluate all the psychological aspects and then make a plan to treat the mental condition. Individuals learn to focus on preventing the trigger factors instead of remaining stressed. They also get familiar with all preventive or coping strategies and improve their cognitive patterns. Moreover, they start believing in their inner capabilities and then successfully defeat the depression associated with fluctuations.

Acceptance and commitment therapy

As the term indicates, this talk therapy aims to assist individuals in accepting the change and exhibiting commitment towards it. Experts ask the affected individuals to list down all the symptoms or effects of depression and then decide which effects are tolerable and can be voided. Moreover, they also determine those symptoms or effects that they need to change. All individuals get familiar with the healthy strategies that they can adopt to prevent stress more healthily and smartly.

Last thoughts

Stress and anxiety are not paramount to your mental peace and freedom. When individuals get exposed to any distressing situation, they get depressed. Stress is tolerable to the extent that doesn’t cause any harmful effects on the body. However, prolonged stress can affect in different ways. Some individuals experience weight gain while some have to encounter weight reduction.  Both situations are quite anguishing. This thing varies for each individual. Different factors can trigger anxiety, and depression which in turn can cause weight fluctuations.

If you or your loved one is grappling with both depression and weight fluctuation then you immediately need to consider our platform. You do not need to strive for any mental health platform that provides the best treatment or therapy to treat depression and associated weight gain and weight loss. We have a team of professionals who have a deep understanding of all the factors responsible for the development of anxiety, depression, bipolar disorder, and the linked negative physical as well as physiological changes. So what are you waiting for?  Seek our professional assistance and get the best therapy to mend your mind and move forward towards each victorious pathway of life. So don’t struggle anymore and start living and thriving in each phase.