Lifestyle Choices

This is a complicated subject because mild depression can make you fat, severe depression can make you thin, while being thin or fat can make you depressed.

Occasionally, weight gain can be due to a particular medical problem (see, for example, Hypothyroidism, opposite), which also causes a depression. Much more often weight gain results from relative overeating (some people can eat vastly more than others without putting on weight), or lack of care about the body. Eating is very comforting and an easy way to provide yourself with at least some stimulation. If life is dull, or you are mildly depressed, a vicious circle ensues—you feel low and bored, so you eat. As you get fatter you feel worse about yourself and eat more. As you feel worse about yourself, you care less about how your body looks and feels, so you don’t stop yourself from eating even more. As you get still larger you dislike how you look, but since in your depressed state you dislike yourself anyway, eating more makes complete sense. Then, as your excessive weight causes tiredness and inertia that adds to your depressed state . . . and so on.

Losing weight

More severe depression tends to cause a loss of appetite and weight. You simply do not feel like eating or if you do, youcannot be bothered to do anything about it. It is not unusualfor someone in dark-grey or black depression to lose 6 kg (14 lb) fairly rapidly.

Weight loss may also be caused by a number of illnesses. You should always see your doctor if you have lost weight without explanation.

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