Adding weight loss to an already over-taxed mind is like trying to place a boulder on top of a house of cards. Chances are you would not be very successful, and you might just collapse under the pressure.
Weight And Depression
To a person who might not have any mental health issues, the relationship between depression and weight might be foreign to them.
But, the people who might be suffering from these issues, they might always end up in a downward spiral where either they might be gaining weight or losing too much weight.
They would beat themselves about this and might end up hating their body leading to depression.
Weight loss due to depression or not being able to lose weight which in turn might make an individual depressed could be very common if researches are to be looked at.
Weight and depression might follow a positive feedback loop where the depression that we may experience in our life could be causing weight loss and which then might cause more depression which then could increase it at dangerous levels.
During all this, the most frustrating and difficult thing for an individual suffering from weight issues could be that they would walk around thinking that everyone might look at them as an overweight person or could be calling them fat and might feel pity for them so would look at them as not worthy unless they are skinny.
This constant nagging in their minds about their appearance might lead them in a dark place and they could be engulfed with thoughts of body image.
Weight loss or depression, which emerges initially?
A person who might be trying to lose weight could find it more difficult to do that if they might be suffering from depression because it would be an uphill battle and if they are constantly trying to lose weight but suffer failure that could also sometimes lead to depression.
The root problem with depression and weight loss could sometimes be hard to ascertain, similar to the “chicken and the egg” scenario.
Depression symptoms and weight maintenance concerns are interconnected, and indeed the relationship is reciprocal.
This interconnectedness may end up with people getting conscious about their weight and they might begin to keep track of their weight throughout the day.
They would weigh themselves several times in a single day which could be quite harmful as when these individuals do not find themselves at the weight they expect themselves to be, they would stop eating or binge eat. In either case, this cycle might then cause certain eating disorders to develop.
And in many cases frequently weighing oneself might also lead to the path of depression as it could lower self-esteem, lower self-worth; this could then lead to seeking validation from outside sources.
For some, weighing can be the biggest motivation to maintain good health. It might give a sense of accountability. But in many cases this may end up badly for the person suffering from these types of issues.
Changes In Brain
Now we could form a framework that depression and weight loss are related to each other. But in what way?
I might have heard people saying things like, “the size of your waistline goes up, the size and functioning of your brain goes down”.
Our brains might not work on this pattern. A person’s weight might be related to their mind or brain on the fact that the more we take stress it generally leads to weight loss and in some cases weight gain.
It might not affect the functioning of your brain as it might affect the areas which regulate our emotions, moods and feelings.
Area of the brain called the limbic system could be responsible for both, i.e., our appetite and emotions.
Therefore, when your emotions are challenged in any way, it may affect your appetite too.
People experiencing depression often experience either an increase or decrease in their appetite leading to overeating or undereating.
For those who experience an appetite increase, eating might bring momentary comfort or pleasure.
People with depression may especially crave sweet foods, which when consumed trigger a dopamine spike(feel good hormone).
I myself have had periods of time where I just did not feel like weighing myself because I thought of myself as an overweight person and weighing myself just led me to the path of dissappointment. This could be called the first step of weight causing symptoms of depression or in some cases vice versa.
I might have even started noticing an opposite of the desired effect- emotions of depression having followed purposeful weight loss. Perhaps, I have had lost some weight, though not as much as I would have wanted.
This could happen with almost any person who gets obsessed with losing weight, they might feel disappointed, despondent, or disheartened if the purpose of losing weight might have been flatlined. These emotional responses could have a negative impact on mental health and could also affect a person’s brain.
Some people might experience digestive problems such as nausea or constipation when they are depressed which could directly affect their weight.
Coping Tips
Weight might be a sensitive issue and for each individual, every approach is different. Depression could have led people to partly being malnutritioned. Sometimes, it might be good to come to terms with the fact that losing or gaining weight does not cure depression for those who have been suffering from it, it might just make it worse.
Weight maintenance concerns could be dispiriting as a whole. Being overweight could indeed start contributing towards the self-deprecating “I do not really like myself” mind set, which may also lead to depression.
There might be some ways on how you would be able to deal with depression that arises from weight loss or weight loss that could cause depression in the near future.
They could be different for different individuals but may help in the same way and also would make your point of view towards your weight a positive one.
-
Depression Treatment
When multiple approaches perform poorly in decreasing depression symptoms, it could be time to seek out professional assistance.
The treatments for depression could include medications such as antidepressants as prescribed by a psychiatrist, following up on psychotherapeutic treatments from a therapist which may include electroconvulsive therapy and transcranial magnetic stimulation.
Treatment for depression could perhaps improve the entirety of your symptoms, which could include physical ones like- fatigue, decreased appetite and weight loss.
Acceptance could also bring changes in the thinking patterns, be it losing or gaining a few inches or putting on some extra weight, the human body changes throughout the day and therefore this might be normal for it and this acceptance might not be the ultimate cure but could help in taking the first step towards your betterment.
The important factor is that you could accept that change and not beat yourself about it if the changes might not be in your favor.
-
Weight management
Whether it might be doing a light workout or going out for a run. Our body could get help both physically and mentally from keeping it active and indulging in some kind of physical activity.
Weight could also be managed easily if you keep yourself hydrated.
Eating consciously and accountably, which includes paying attention to the foods you eat. Paying any attention to your body’s overall cues to quit consuming you do not really feel like it. Understanding the relationship between your food and mood, the relationship between what you eat and how it affects your overall mood- does it upsets you? Does it make you feel guilty? Does it make you happy?
All these emotions might help you decide how much and what to eat so that it might not affect your emotions towards food and might also help you maintain a good weight and overall mental health.
At last, you should be able to eat your favorite food without the feeling of guilt and enjoy every moment while savoring it.
Conclusion
As humans, we could not avoid eating and at the same time live a healthy life. Nutrition is what fuels us, therefore it might not be avoided.
We could learn to better understand ourselves and our relationship with food and our bodies to fully heal and find our best selves.
Learning that all we got is this body and either we could forcefully change it or start accepting and appreciating its growth and change might totally depend on us.
Incorporating healthy habits and continuing with them with occasional moments of letting loose could not harm anyone. People may lead their life while being happy with their body which is supporting them and protecting them and maintaining it to the fullest rather than being dissatisfied with it causing harm to their own physical and mental health.