The Weight Of Depression

Just like happiness, depression too is a state of being — a mental condition that can be both, a cause and effect of many things ugly. While emotional imbalance, disturbing behaviour, insomnia, energy loss and fatigue are some of the outcomes of a depressive state; an extreme change in weight, making the person either anorexic or overweight, is a possibility.

It can work both ways: a depressed mind has the ability to create an artificial need to eat, often causing the person to crave for food constantly; likewise, a low self esteem due to one’s discomfort with his/her own weight can be the cause of the disease. Though, often, overeacting due to such an urge is a common case in depression; many-a-times, a loss of interest in eating is also observed. In such situations, weight is lost in significant amounts within short timeframes, which may cause the person to become anorexic.

Taste buds for particular kinds of food, especially those that are high in sugar content or have large amounts of fat in them, are strongly developed at such times. These foods are highly desired because of the chemical reactions they bring about in the body, making one feel momentarily happy and better. While it is this illusionary feeling that stimulates the person to consume more of it, it only lasts a short while.

A depressive way of being is a sign of mental stress; and, the deep link shared between the mind and body is undeniable. A lack of enthusiasm and motivation to do things leads to long phases of passivity and being highly inactive; thereby increasing one’s tendency to gain weight. Usually, antidepressant drugs are prescribed by doctors in order to numb the effects of mental stress. These drugs, though, come along with their own share of side effects. A high dosage of such drugs could turn out to be an additional factor contributing to weight gain. It has been observed that a lot of the extra weight catches onto the abdominal area; this is mainly because of the body’s tendency to hoard calories whenever it is undergoing stress.

With an aim to avoid such impacts of the disease, one needs to ensure that certain disciplinary steps are regularly and obediently followed, so as to keep oneself under check. To start, a therapist may be consulted to monitor one’s mental and physical status at regular intervals. It’s better to get involved in something that you enjoy doing, so that there is neither time nor space to accommodate any kind of negative thoughts. A brief exercise routine, like a medium paced walk after some light stretching, may be made a part of the schedule to keep both, body and mind, fresh and healthy. Meditative techniques and yoga exercises may be of utmost help to remain calm.
Overall, a balanced mind and body are necessary to be healthy physically and mentally. Any kind of disturbance in the mental space will bring about a disruption in physique, often in terms of weight.