Mental Health Depression and eating habbits

nuttynutskin

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Something I've wondered sometimes is what causes some people to overeat when they're depressed and others to lose their appetite. I'm one of the people that tends to lose interest in food. I'm not anorexic or anything, but when I'm depressed I usually don't have that much of an appetite.

Anyways what are you guys like, and do you have any theories or articles touching on why depression effects people's appetites differently?
 
I'm the same, used to be the opposite and would eat too much but it's a struggle to eat more than a small dinner a day now. I like to make myself go hungry and drink alcohol when feeling especially depressed. I've heard from psychologists that it's my way of trying to remain in control of my life (and pure escapism when it comes to the drink). Don't have any articles but thought I'd share, I'm very interested in this too, cause it feels like a physical thing that I can't bring myself to eat - weed helps sometimes but not always.
 
I too used to have trouble eating enough before Mirtazapine. Mirtazapine makes me have an insatiable appetite, which is honestly really good; but can also get annoying as well. It's good that it keeps me at a healthy weight, I'm a thin guy as it is. I also think that my nighttime bruxism/tmj disorder makes it much harder to eat. This is a very real physical issue with me, and I'm sure it's connected with my anxiety/depression. Makes me wonder If one causes the other. What I really think is that it's all a part of me. In my opinion the eating aspect of depression varies greatly with each individual's body chemistry, unfortunately I don't have any articles to elaborate.
 
Something I've wondered sometimes is what causes some people to overeat when they're depressed and others to lose their appetite. I'm one of the people that tends to lose interest in food. I'm not anorexic or anything, but when I'm depressed I usually don't have that much of an appetite.

Anyways what are you guys like, and do you have any theories or articles touching on why depression effects people's appetites differently?

When I go into a real bad depression state I lose all interest in food. I will drink Boost or Ensure however. I'm not anorexic either, I weigh 169lbs. It's just hard to eat when your body isn't hungry, feel me?
 
not eating food is a way for our body to cleanse itself of toxic accumulation so it could be somewhat instinctual to fast when deeply depressed, similar to animals fasting when they are sick.

i have a mild form of depression these days and my reaction is usually to eat emotionally. i'll crave comfort food to get me a hit of dopamine, sometimes i will be depressed and decide to fast for a while, but it is usually conscious i think, it's not often that i don't feel like eating for an extended period.
 
I don't stop getting hungry when I'm depressed, but I definitely lose interest in flavours. I'll go for ages just eating cereal because everything else is too hard/not worth the effort.
 
When I'm depressed I can easily eat just once a day. It can become like forcing myself to eat. Once I do get hungry, I'm so hungry I start feeling sick, and it makes it hard to eat. I'm 6 feet tall and I've weighed as little as 140 before when I was my sickest. Im around 170 now but I'd like to be 15 lbs heavier or so, I look healthier. If I have a good appetite then that usually means things are going well for me.

Some of it is biochemical/neurological though. When I was on certain medications, I craved sweet food and would get crazy munchies. I put on weight, but a good type of weight for me. Since stopping, I've lost all interest in sweets and I like food that is entirely different, I've lost like 20 lbs. My appetite comes and goes. It's kind of an interesting correlation. I'm sure 5-HT receptors have something to do with it.
 
I am an emotional eater. When I am anxious especially but also when I am depressed I crave mostly sweets and salty snacks and I exhibit every addict behavior there is.8( I've been working on it for years and I have had a lot of success but I'm also always amazed at how deep it goes and how persistent my habits are. I eat a very healthy diet otherwise but when I am anxious or depressed I overeat and then feel guilty.
 
There's a connection between the solar plexus (not the chakra, but the actual nerve group), the vagus nerve, and depression. An over active solar plexus is depleting to the neurochemistry, but in these people appetite is heightened because there is a more stimulatory action happening to the vagus nerve. There's also an underlying nutrient deficiency, but because these people pleasure eat, they seldom eat the right foods to correct the imbalance. It's kind of like how whole grain bread contains 0.002% of your RDA for iron, and if you're iron deficient you'd just eat bread all day to get at that small bit of nutrient. In this group, their depression can be cured with targeted nutrition. Nutrient rich with moderate calories. There's usually also blood sugar imbalances in these people -- livers that don't store sugars properly, so hypoglycemia pushes them toward sugary foods.

The reverse is people who have low solar plexus activity, probably due to depleted neurochemistry, so they have no appetite, and so their mood-lifting neurotransmitters don't get restored as easily. They're sluggish, have poor lymph clearance, are under-active and "just can't". They'll ultimately have nutrient deficiencies but the origin of their condition is endocrine, usually at the onset of puberty. You fix these people by giving them low dose metabolic adaptogens, like ginseng, or digestive bitters.

Pre-cursors to neurotransmitters like serotonin are made in the gut, and the link between appetite and mood is pretty established through this understanding. If your gut isn't healthy, your brain won't be healthy. The solar plexus is also the emotional center... so people with intense experiences or trauma often have down-regulation to that aspect of the body. The solar plexus / brain feedback loop therefore becomes dysfunctional or incomplete.

It's true that fasting detoxes the body. Hippocrates would ask every patient to fast for a time (usually 2-3 days) in order to clear excess from the body, so that the true condition would emerge. Based on what he could see, he would then prescribe appropriate treatments. This method was used all the way until western alchemy was endorsed in the 13th century, which tossed out the Hippocratic system completely. A shame, because it had its uses.

I don't think depressed appetite is a fasting thing though, it's an imbalance in of itself. People with suppressed appetite still eat, just not as often. Their systems are really sluggish and stagnant and motility is a bit of a train wreck. Most of them are de facto fasting, but not by choice, so it's not the same thing. Their bodies have a low basal metabolic rate, the internal organs are sluggish, and the hunger mechanism is suppressed. The organs can't handle any burden, including food itself.
 
Because of the emptiness. Food is a comfort n like a warm comfy blanket on a cold day. When I'm along I can eat so much until I'm fill but I go through phases where I can't eart much when stressed but can binge almost like it's an addiction, even though I know it'll make me put on weight n ruin all the work I've done. Can't speak for anyone else though as experience is subjective.

Evey
 
I am a clinical depressed individual. Sleeping and eating is affected by my disease. I force myself to eat most of the time and only eat to satisfy my hunger. I once went 16 days with no sleep and 21 with out food...(not at the same time), but felt myself slowly slipping into death due to lack of. I'd do anything to eat and sleep without the aid of pharmaceuticals. They all have their side effects and I'd rather live without either. Truth is...in order to LIVE, I must avoid DEATH. Any suggestions?
 
I am an emotional eater. When I am anxious especially but also when I am depressed I crave mostly sweets and salty snacks and I exhibit every addict behavior there is.8( I've been working on it for years and I have had a lot of success but I'm also always amazed at how deep it goes and how persistent my habits are. I eat a very healthy diet otherwise but when I am anxious or depressed I overeat and then feel guilty.


<3
Herbie; I am the same. <3

I have had an eating disorder since the age of 8. I have been through the spectrum of overeater through to bulimia and anorexia - at various points in my life. I also suffer from depression and anxiety; aside.

At the moment I have limited my purging (which is great but incredibly difficult because it is a very addictive behaviour for me) but am still binging and restricting.
It seems never-ending and I don't have control over it. :( However, I am trying to just live for the good days and maintain a semblance of tolerance and compassion for myself - it's the only panacea that, although not ideal, works. <3


I am a clinical depressed individual. Sleeping and eating is affected by my disease. I force myself to eat most of the time and only eat to satisfy my hunger. I once went 16 days with no sleep and 21 with out food...(not at the same time), but felt myself slowly slipping into death due to lack of. I'd do anything to eat and sleep without the aid of pharmaceuticals. They all have their side effects and I'd rather live without either. Truth is...in order to LIVE, I must avoid DEATH. Any suggestions?

Mowhawk,

That massive amount of time and torture you endured without sleep and food...I can't begin to tell you how sorry I am, to hear you had to deal with that. <3
I would consult your doctor/other docters/mental health practitioners with regard to the medication and try to approach the situation with a view to reducing your meds?
Of course these situations are never easy with medical professionals but stick to your guns and do some research on the pros and cons of the various meds - broach the situation with confidence and if you find youre not being heard; perhaps look for other solutions from other semi-professional therapists/avenues. Remember, not to make any rash decisions with re to your meds without help/support but also, take into account that you have rights as a client to have your own input and concerns addressed and catered to in a professional, reasonable and ethical manner by these people.

Also, exercise; especially, Yoga and other more specifically, therapeutic forms of exercise/activity; mindfulness, art-therapy etc are great forms of release and help to ease the mind/body issues of disconnection that go with clinical depression - remember that there is a smorgasbord of non-intense activities that you can flirt with to try to heal your distress and nurture yourself - don't be afraid to try them out, at your convenience and see how they 'fit' with your needs. Group therapies/activities can be a great way to bond with others who are also feeling vulnerable and this also, can have a very real healing impact on your person - again, you may not feel like engaging with people and the prospect may be legitimately terrifying to you at present but you can always make a tentative plan to try these things out; when you feel you have the energy to do so/take on those challenges, in order to support yourself better, during the more prominently, dark times.

Look after yourself. <3
 
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There's a connection between the solar plexus (not the chakra, but the actual nerve group), the vagus nerve, and depression. An over active solar plexus is depleting to the neurochemistry, but in these people appetite is heightened because there is a more stimulatory action happening to the vagus nerve. There's also an underlying nutrient deficiency, but because these people pleasure eat, they seldom eat the right foods to correct the imbalance. It's kind of like how whole grain bread contains 0.002% of your RDA for iron, and if you're iron deficient you'd just eat bread all day to get at that small bit of nutrient. In this group, their depression can be cured with targeted nutrition. Nutrient rich with moderate calories. There's usually also blood sugar imbalances in these people -- livers that don't store sugars properly, so hypoglycemia pushes them toward sugary foods.

The reverse is people who have low solar plexus activity, probably due to depleted neurochemistry, so they have no appetite, and so their mood-lifting neurotransmitters don't get restored as easily. They're sluggish, have poor lymph clearance, are under-active and "just can't". They'll ultimately have nutrient deficiencies but the origin of their condition is endocrine, usually at the onset of puberty. You fix these people by giving them low dose metabolic adaptogens, like ginseng, or digestive bitters.

Pre-cursors to neurotransmitters like serotonin are made in the gut, and the link between appetite and mood is pretty established through this understanding. If your gut isn't healthy, your brain won't be healthy. The solar plexus is also the emotional center... so people with intense experiences or trauma often have down-regulation to that aspect of the body. The solar plexus / brain feedback loop therefore becomes dysfunctional or incomplete.

It's true that fasting detoxes the body. Hippocrates would ask every patient to fast for a time (usually 2-3 days) in order to clear excess from the body, so that the true condition would emerge. Based on what he could see, he would then prescribe appropriate treatments. This method was used all the way until western alchemy was endorsed in the 13th century, which tossed out the Hippocratic system completely. A shame, because it had its uses.

I don't think depressed appetite is a fasting thing though, it's an imbalance in of itself. People with suppressed appetite still eat, just not as often. Their systems are really sluggish and stagnant and motility is a bit of a train wreck. Most of them are de facto fasting, but not by choice, so it's not the same thing. Their bodies have a low basal metabolic rate, the internal organs are sluggish, and the hunger mechanism is suppressed. The organs can't handle any burden, including food itself.
This is a fantastic post!
I totally agree that the solar-plexus region and vagal-nerve (the centre for intuition- the second brain in our system) need close attention and respect when it comes to all manner of issues, relating to emotional regulation and mental/physical health.

Physical stimulation of these areas - through deep-breathing/specific Yoga postures and even exercise like simple stomach flexes have helped me 'feel' better.
Never underestimate the small, or seemingly insignificant things that can help - various nuts and seeds (and vitamin B supplements) help the nervous system and many other nutritionally dense foods can not be ignored as medicine ( oily fish, vegetables and fruit, complex carbs) and if only, possible to shovel them into the system as 'medicine' - despite whether the situation is over/under eating; they will help restore and repair the system.
 
I tend to not eat when I experience depression. My depression is tied to my anxiety. I have gone about a week without eating because I was so nervous that I just couldn't do it. I still sometimes go a day or so when I have a very depressed/anxious day.

I take full spectrum vitamin, turmeric, l-theanine, l-tyrosine, probiotics, milk thistle, cranberry juice. I can't take my iron supplement anymore because of my liver, but this course of vitamins help keep me healthy. I have noticed that my mental health gets worse when I don't take them.

Anyone else take supplements and vitamins to help your diet or to feel better?
 
Yup... I take vitamin d, vitamin e and fish oil. Both the vitamin d and e were recommended by my doctor because I was deficient in vitamin d and vitamin e because I have fatty liver. You have a bad liver to? Most people don't actually need iron. Either way a good diet is of course the most important thing.
 
I have no theories on this, but I will say that when I'm anxious, i have to force myself to eat. If i don't force myself to eat a piece of toast with butter or something my anxiety will get a million times worse as the days progress.

As for the depression, i always over eat when i get depressed. Luckily I have a "fast metabolism ".

I don't mind the over eating. Its the not eating with the anxiousness that really bothers me.

Whenever I would go on dates, i never liked going out to dinner because I always looked like i was starving myself.
 
I am an emotional eater. When I am anxious especially but also when I am depressed I crave mostly sweets and salty snacks and I exhibit every addict behavior there is.8( I've been working on it for years and I have had a lot of success but I'm also always amazed at how deep it goes and how persistent my habits are. I eat a very healthy diet otherwise but when I am anxious or depressed I overeat and then feel guilty.

I'm very much an emotional eater as well. I am generally pretty healthy but when I get into states of depression and extreme anxiety (unfortunately which has been nonstop for the past two months), I eat terrible things and I lose appetite for anything healthy. It is not good for me and certainly doesn't help me feel better about myself when I gain weight and it's not a great circle. I'm hoping that my doctor gets me on some decent meds that help me stop being so depressed/anxious and then I will get a normal appetite back.
 
Sugar, fat and salty snacks... Right now I am cooking pretty much everything myself (=> I spent around 4 dollars a day, well the time for fresh food is over => a lot cheaper than going out). Trying to avoid salt and sugar at all cost... The irony is that I am eating a lot then I spent time at my parents home and my mom cook's and buys all random sweets. Personally I am surprised how healthy I have been eating. It all started after taking shrooms => possible antidepressive effects?
 
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