How Depression Therapy Can Help With Weight Gain Caused By Depression

When we are depressed, our relationship with food can get complicated

One of the most common symptoms of depression is weight change. This has a lot to do with the fact that for most of us, food is a form of pleasure.

If a person is so depressed that they are not enjoying things they used to, they may also lose their appetite. This can lead to unintentional weight loss. Unfortunately, this is not usually a healthy weight loss, because the person may not be getting proper nutrition, which can cause depression to worsen.

For others who are experiencing depression, your brain may be attempting to use food to self-regulate. Food is pleasure so the depressed brain may be screaming for serotonin or dopamine. People who are depressed often find themselves craving foods that are high in sugar, fat, and salt. Sugar, fat, and salt consumption are known to affect our neurotransmitters, especially dopamine and serotonin.

Sugar, salt, and fat, in moderation are parts of a healthy diet, so extreme restriction is not advised. However, overconsumption can cause dysregulation of brain and body chemicals, which can leave you feeling worse physically and mentally. Overconsumption can be both a symptom of, and a cause of depression.

Body shaming adds another layer of negative emotion to weight gain. It is no secret that we live in a society where body shaming is the norm. This happens even as new data is coming out that shows that many bodies, including heavier bodies can be healthy. Unfortunately, it is still the case that many people who gain weight often feel judged by others and struggle with embarrassment.

Depression therapy can help:

If you are struggling with your weight as a symptom of major depression, therapy can help.

First of all, your therapist should not judge you for your size. If you are feeling judged, you are in the wrong place. If weight loss is one of your goals for depression counseling, your therapist can help you focus on taking better care of your mind and body.

Here are some ways therapy can help with weight gain that occurs with depression:

First of all, be patient with yourself: One way of reframing weight gain is realizing that you were temporarily not in a good place mentally, and your body did what it had to so you could get through this tough time.  Weight gain during times of stress is incredibly common. As you start feeling better, you will start taking better care of yourself again.

Depression treatment can help you find better ways to cope: Many people seek therapy during a major depressive episode.Therapy can help you learn more depression coping skills, so you would be as dependent on food as a source of pleasure. As you start to recover, it will become easier to treat your body better

Set realistic goals: If weight loss is one of your goals, make sure your goals are realistic.You’re probably not going to lose 20 pounds when you first start exercising and eating healthier, but you might lose 2 pounds! Although we often crave transformation, true progress usually comes through small gains over time. Your depression therapist can help you learn to celebrate every win, even if it seems small.

Trust the process: Sometimes, you might start exercising and you actually gain weight! While this can be incredibly frustrating, it is really just another indicator that we have been taught to focus on the wrong ways of measuring a healthy body. A body that is moving more is healthier, even if it weighs more. Often the weight gain is muscle gain, which is actually better for your health. As you gain muscle, you will feel stronger and better in your body. Don’t get discouraged and try not to focus too much on what the scale says!

Taking care of yourself should feel good: Crash dieting, restricting major categories of food,  and extreme exercise routines do not feel good and are not sustainable. As much as you might want to change your weight quickly, extreme measures are not usually effective and can actually be dangerous. Your depression therapist can help you make sure that you are choosing self care tools that feel good and are healthy. Finding ways to move your body that reduce stress and feel good is the more sustainable path to improving your mood and losing weight.

You may need to seek the help of a doctor, dietician, or nutritionist: A depression counselor can help you make behavioral changes that will improve your mood. They can also help you track your progress and stay motivated. However, you should always consult with your doctor or a dietician or nutritionist if you are looking to make major changes in the way you eat. These professionals can help you make sure your plan is safe and effective.

Our goal is to help you feel better mentally, physically, and enjoy your life again.

We are not so concerned with how you look on the outside as we are with how you feel on the inside. We also understand that the measures set up to decide what a healthy body should look like are often biased, antiquated, and inaccurate. If you are realizing that a depressive episode has negatively impacted your health, help is available. At Shift Counseling, PC, our depression counselors want to help you find the joy in taking better care of yourself! If you are interested in scheduling an appointment with one of our counselors, you can use the link below, or keep scrolling if you want to know more about the correlation between depression and weight issues.

The neurobiology behind depression and weight changes

Understanding why depression affects weight can help reduce self-blame and shame around body changes. Recent scientific research reveals that depression fundamentally alters brain chemistry in ways that directly impact appetite, metabolism, and food cravings. nature

The hypothalamus, your brain's primary appetite control center, contains specialized neurons that normally regulate hunger and fullness signals. PubMed CentralPubMed Central During depression, these neural circuits become disrupted. Specifically, research has identified the AgRP→MC4R pathway, which connects appetite control with mood regulation. When this circuit is affected by depression, it creates a biological situation where normal appetite regulation becomes impaired. natureNature

Neurotransmitter changes further complicate this process. Serotonin, which acts as your body's natural appetite suppressant, becomes dysregulated in depression. PubMed Central About 95% of serotonin is produced in your gut, while the remaining 5% in your brain plays crucial roles in both mood and appetite control. Simply Psychology +2 During depressive episodes, chronic inflammation can divert the building blocks needed for serotonin production, simultaneously affecting both your emotional wellbeing and hunger signals.

Dopamine, the neurotransmitter associated with reward and motivation, also becomes altered in depression. This creates what researchers call "reward deficiency syndrome," where you may lose interest in activities that once brought pleasure while potentially increasing your response to palatable foods. Simply Psychology +2 This isn't a character flaw—it's a measurable biological change in how your brain processes rewards.

How depression affects your body's relationship with food

The relationship between depression and eating extends far beyond simple willpower. Chronic stress and depression activate your HPA (hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal) axis, leading to sustained elevation of cortisol, your body's primary stress hormone. This biological stress response serves an important protective function in short-term situations, but chronic activation creates significant challenges. Cleveland Clinic

Elevated cortisol affects your body in multiple ways: it can increase appetite for high-calorie foods, promote fat storage particularly around your midsection, and create insulin resistance that further disrupts normal metabolic processes. FrontiersPubMed Central Research shows that 40-60% of people with depression experience HPA axis abnormalities, making these physical changes extremely common rather than exceptional. nih

Depression also triggers chronic low-grade inflammation in about 30% of people experiencing it. Pro-inflammatory markers like IL-6 and TNF-α don't just affect your mood—they directly influence your hypothalamic appetite centers and can promote resistance to leptin, the hormone that normally signals fullness. PubMed CentralAmerican Physiological Society This creates a biological environment where normal hunger and satiety cues become unreliable.

The gut-brain axis adds another layer of complexity. Depression alters your gut microbiota composition, reducing beneficial bacteria that produce mood-supporting compounds while increasing inflammatory species. nihPubMed Central Since your gut produces most of your body's serotonin and communicates directly with your brain through the vagus nerve, these changes can affect both your emotional state and your relationship with food. frontiersinSutter Health

Body positivity and the Health at Any Size movement

The Health at Any Size (HAES) movement offers an evidence-based alternative to weight-focused approaches to wellness. HAES principles, stewarded by the Association for Size Diversity and Health, emphasize that healthcare should be a human right regardless of body size, that wellbeing exists on a continuum that varies with circumstances, and that anti-fat bias and weight stigma are detrimental to health. asdahAsdah

Research consistently supports HAES approaches for improving both mental and physical health outcomes. A systematic review of 20 studies found that HAES interventions improve lifestyle factors, body image, and relationships with food while maintaining weight-neutrality. biomedcentral One study showed 78.6% of participants eliminated binge eating behaviors through HAES-based treatment, while research comparing "health-centered" versus "weight-loss-centered" approaches found the health-centered group had significantly lower dropout rates (8% versus 41%) with similar improvements in metabolic health markers. PubMedPubMed Central

Weight stigma research reveals that discrimination based on body size, rather than body size itself, mediates much of the relationship between weight and depression. Large meta-analyses show moderate to strong associations between weight stigma and mental health symptoms, with internalized weight stigma showing particularly harmful effects. Wiley Online Library +5 This suggests that addressing weight stigma and cultivating body acceptance may be more important for mental health recovery than focusing on weight change.

The psychological impact of weight stigma in depression

Weight stigma functions as a chronic stressor that can significantly worsen depression symptoms. World Obesity Federation The COBWEBS model (Cyclic OBesity/WEight-Based Stigma) describes how stress from weight stigma triggers changes in eating behaviors and cortisol increases that contribute to weight gain, creating a feedback loop where subsequent weight gain increases risk for future stigma. Frontiers +2

For people with depression, this cycle can be particularly harmful. Research shows that perceived weight discrimination explains approximately 40% of the association between obesity and depressive symptoms. The Lancet Healthcare avoidance due to fears of weight-based discrimination can prevent people from accessing the depression treatment they need, while weight bias from healthcare providers can result in suboptimal care even when treatment is accessed.

Depression counseling that explicitly addresses internalized weight stigma has shown remarkable results. Systematic reviews of interventions targeting weight stigma found that 80% of studies showed significant reductions maintained at follow-up, using approaches including CBT, ACT, self-compassion therapy, and mindfulness-based interventions. BioMed Centralbiomedcentral

Sustainable wellness approaches for depression recovery

Rather than focusing on weight loss, evidence-based approaches emphasize sustainable lifestyle changes that support both mental health recovery and physical wellness. Gentle movement represents one of the most powerful tools available. Harvard Health research shows exercise works as well as antidepressants for some people with mild-to-moderate depression, with meta-analyses indicating 22% higher likelihood of depression remission with exercise interventions. frontiersin +2

The key is starting small and focusing on how movement feels rather than performance metrics. A 10-minute daily walk counts as exercise and provides mental health benefits. NHS Dancing to favorite music, gentle stretching, or any movement that gets blood flowing can support recovery. Lightfully +3 The progressive approach involves beginning with 5-10 minutes daily and gradually increasing based on energy levels and enjoyment rather than external expectations. Ai Pono +2

Anti-inflammatory nutrition approaches support both mental and physical health without promoting diet culture. Research on the Mediterranean diet shows 25-35% lower depression risk compared to Western diets, with one study demonstrating a 20.6-point reduction in depression scores over 12 weeks. The focus is on adding nourishing foods—vegetables, fruits, omega-3 rich foods, whole grains—rather than restricting foods or pursuing weight loss. frontiersinAmerican Psychiatric Association

Intuitive eating has shown particular promise for people with depression. Research demonstrates that individuals with higher intuitive eating scores report lower mental distress and greater consumption of nutrient-dense foods. Frontiers The ten principles of intuitive eating, including rejecting diet mentality, honoring hunger, and making peace with food, help rebuild trust with your body's natural cues while supporting mental health recovery. Intuitive Eating

Mind-body practices and holistic support

Mindfulness-based interventions offer powerful tools for depression recovery that also support a healthier relationship with your body. Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT) has proven as effective as medication for preventing depression relapse, while Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) reduces depression, anxiety, and stress symptoms. frontiersin +3

These practices help develop awareness of thoughts and emotions without judgment, including thoughts about your body and weight. Regular mindfulness practice can help you recognize when depression is influencing your self-perception and respond with greater compassion and perspective. UnitedHealthcare

Sleep optimization serves as a foundation for both mental health and metabolic wellbeing. Depression often disrupts sleep patterns, while poor sleep can worsen depression symptoms and affect hormones that regulate appetite and weight. Johns Hopkins Medicine +4 Gentle sleep hygiene approaches—consistent bedtime routines, limiting blue light exposure, creating comfortable sleep environments—support recovery without adding pressure or perfectionism.

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