Can Depression Lead You To Obesity?
I have been through depression. I have also been through the turmoil of weight gain. If you thought getting over the two was easy, you are wrong. I mean you couldn’t be more wrong. Although there is no scientific link to depression and weight gain, there is surely a psychological connection. Depression and weight gain thrive on this connection. Let’s see how.
You look for a comfort zone when you are depressed
Anxiety and depression are strong stimulants for body to look for comfort or solace in an activity. Guess what this drives? Food! Yep, otherwise known as ‘comfort eating’ many women turn to food when they are hit by bouts of depression. I am not talking about a one-off trip to the ice cream place after a long day at work. I am talking about eating an ice cream bucket every night while sitting in front of the TV.
Overflow of emotions
Depression is commonly associated with feelings of loneliness, emptiness or hopelessness. The sudden influx of such feelings may hamper the normal thought process. Imagine you are standing in your kitchen, worrying about something. The worrying stops you from coming to the decision “What should I do now?” What would you do in that moment? Go to the fridge and grab a bite? Grab a chocolate bar out of the drawer? Likely so!
Lack of physical activity
If you were suffering from depression, you’d probably not go out for a jog or go to the cafe to meet friends. Right? Yep, it is not unusual for women who are suffering from depression to lack physical activity. Mood swings, anxiety, sleeplessness, sadness – all this is associated with being depressed. And I’m sure that you’d not be your ‘bubbly self’ if you went through all that. I became an absolute couch potato during my down period. That’s not all. I’d sit on the couch all day, thinking about what I could do if I was outside. That made matters even worse. I found solace only in the cozy couch, a lot of food and constant television. Physical activity? None!
