Managing Symptoms of Depression
Appetite and Weight Changes
When you are depressed, you may notice changes in your appetite. On the one hand, you may never feel very hungry. You can go long periods of time without wanting to eat anything. You may forget to eat, or if you do eat just a few bites may fill you up. You may even feel that you have to force yourself to eat. For some people, the thought of eating is unpleasant, and having to prepare a meal seems to require too much energy. In such cases, you may lose a significant amount of weight.
On the other hand, you may have an increase in your appetite and gain a lot of weight. You may even find that you crave certain types of food such as sweets or carbohydrates.
What does NOT help with appetite and weight changes:
For those who are losing weight…
- Skipping meals or snacks.
- Eating junk food, fast foods, or other processed foods.
For those who are gaining weight…
- Eating junk food, fast foods, or other processed foods for meals or snacks.
- Purchasing foods that contain a lot of sugar, carbohydrates, or unhealthy ingredients.
What can improve appetite and weight changes:
For those who are losing weight…
- Recognizing that depression causes you to have problems with weight loss. It is not some character flaw or “failure” on your part. When you are not depressed, you may not have such problems with weight loss.
- Eating several small meals throughout the day rather than trying to eat three large meals.
- Sticking with foods that you enjoy and that you may have an appetite for.
- Choosing healthy foods that will provide you proper nutrition and calories. Eating fruits, vegetables, foods with protein and vitamins, and drinking plenty of water.
- Planning ahead what foods you will have, and schedule times for eating. You might write this down on a piece of paper and post it in your kitchen.
- You might introduce meal supplement drinks like Orgain, Boost, or Ensure into your diet. These are nutrient rich and can provide you some of the nutrition you might otherwise be missing. Be sure to consult with your doctor to determine if using a meal supplement is appropriate for your needs.
For those who are gaining weight…
- Recognizing that depression causes you to have problems with weight gain. It is not some character flaw or “failure” on your part. When you are not depressed, you may not have such problems with weight gain.
- Being sure to stick to eating healthy, unprocessed foods, especially if your appetite is increased. Introducing fruits, vegetables, or other healthy snacks into your diet. Drinking plenty of water.
- Don’t go to the grocery store while hungry. This can help you make healthy choices about the foods you purchase rather than giving in to a temptation to buy foods that are high in sugar or carbohydrates.
- Introducing some mild to moderate exercise into your daily routine. Simply taking a brief walk can help burn some calories and manage food cravings.
- Distracting yourself with other enjoyable activities at times when your food cravings might be at their height. This can include mild to moderate exercise, meeting with friends, going shopping, going to the museum or library, etc.
- Some weight gain can be related to the type of antidepressant medication you are taking. If weight gain is causing you distress, be sure to speak with your doctor about this. Don’t stop taking medication without consulting with your doctor. Sometimes, a new medication can be tried.
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