How to Lose Weight While Treating Depression

It is possible for people who suffer from major depression, a condition which effects approximately 8 percent of the American adult population, to lose weight during treatment of this illness. If you suffer from depression, your first priority should be to treat this condition and worry about weight loss later. However, with your doctor's approval, you may diet while at the same time treating depression. Certain foods might even help your depression by increasing serotonin, which is a neurotransmitter believed to play an important part of the biochemistry of depression.

Things You'll Need

• Therapist, if needed
• Medication, if needed, prescribed by your doctor
• Legumes
• Fruit
• Nuts
• Cereals
• Vegetables
• Fish
• Olive oil
• Exercise equipment, gym membership or an area outdoors to exercise

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Instructions

• 1

  Increase your serotonin levels. Talk to your doctor about taking antidepressants. The Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology conducted a 2005 study which found that "lack of serotonin that is usually inherent in depression also leads individuals to consume excessive amounts of carbohydrate-rich foods in an effort to regulate his or her serotonin levels." Taking antidepressants (which promote increased serotonin in the brain) along with exercise (which also helps increase serotonin) might help your chances of weight loss while treating your depression at the same time.

• 2

  When possible, avoid medications that might cause weight gain. Dr. Robert Danoff, D.O., M.S., explained in a contributing article for MSN Health and Fitness, that some medications have potential for causing weight gain. Some medications cause weight gain in the short term (six months or less) or in the long term (six months or more). Danoff said tricyclic antidepressants, such as amitriptyline and doxepin may cause weight gain. Antdepressants such as nefazodone, venlafaxine and duloxetine are likely to cause about a 7 percent increase in body weight with long-term use. Alternatively, bupropion is unlikely to cause weight gain and might actually cause weight loss in some.

• 3

  Eat a healthy, balanced diet. Many foods are known to help reduce symptoms of depression. The October 2009 issue of General Psychiatry reported that a study conducted by Spanish researchers tested the Mediterranean diet on people with depression. They concluded that depression was reduced in 30 percent of the participants.

  The Mediterranean diet is based on a high ratio of monounsaturated fat to saturated fat, moderate intake of alcohol and dairy products, low intake of meat and high intake of legumes, fruit and nuts, cereals, vegetables and fish.

• 4

  Include an exercise plan along with your diet. Although medication and therapy are most commonly used to treat depression, exercise will do wonders for your psyche, as well as help you lose weight. Psychologist Penny McCullagh, Ph.D., reported in a 1990 meta-analysis--a summary of 80 studies--that exercise helps reduce depression in both the short and long term. Participants who exercised for the longest periods of time during each session experienced the best results.