The Surprising Facts About Depression And Weight Gain
Depression and weight gain are inter-related and come hand in hand
. Often times, when someone is feeling depressed they look for other ways to make themselves feel better. As studies have proven, food is one method of self-comfort and self-soothing. Sometimes, it is even a method of self punishment, self loathing. Either way, food is often used as a coping mechanism.
Food means different things to different people. When depression and weight gain are coupled together, there is a vicious cycle that ensures. The individual is usually antisocial because of the depression. He or she also feels lonely, bored and unloved so turns to food in an effort to feel better at least temporarily as the relief is not long lasting.
Weight gain in the midst of depression can create a tricky downward spiral. When someone is overweight, or even obese, they being to feel inadequate, ashamed of themselves, have low self-esteem, low sense of self-worth. In which case, food becomes a constant companion. Its a love hate relationship. They use food to feel better then they have themselves because the food makes them even more unlovable. It is a very difficult cycle to break without a professional intervention of some sort.
Stress is also a big contributing factor to weight gain. When someone experiences chronic levels of high stress it can result in stress related depression which can lead to food and lead to weight gain. This is sometimes difficult to recognize and diagnose unless you go to a mental health professional and get a thorough evaluation.
Turning to food in times of need is not uncommon. We all do it from time to time. However, when this happens often, the body struggles to stay healthy, to fight the toxins that are being introduced and to fend off disease.
Foods are equated to comfort. As a result, depression and weight gain become interrelated. When we gain weight, our body releases cortisol which can cause you to feel even hungrier. The weight gain triggers the release of cortisol which, ironically, causes hunger. As a result, it may cause you to eat more than usually compounding the problem exponentially. Again, this is a vicious cycle. One that should not be taken lightly.
While it is a serious issue, there are many ways to treat is successfully. Self help can be employed in milder cases. However, sometimes professional support can render much greater success. Biofeedback is one technique that many use to help with depression, stress and weight gain. This is usually administered by a qualified therapist and is accompanied by cognitive behavioral counseling.
Exercise can also be very beneficial in improving your weight and alleviating the depression. A daily exercise program is important for everyone and especially important if you are struggling with depression and weight gain. Commit to exercise on daily basis, even if its only 20 30 minutes a day. Any exercise is better than none. Consider joining a gym or recruiting a friend to work out with you on a regular basis. Exercise, releases certain mood enhancing endorphins that have been found to elevate the mood.
Other things such as meditation and rest can help you relax better and make you more grounded and connected to yourself. Ultimately this provides so many benefits to your physical, mental and emotional health allowing you to successfully treat depression and weight gain.
by: DanaZ
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