Weight Gain and Anti-Depressants: Advice?

elphie754

TheVirgoddess wrote: »

I'm on two different anti-d's. I started one when I started losing weight - so no gain. I started the other about a month ago and while I've noticed an increase in hunger, since I'm already watching my intake, I didn't gain any weight. I'm curious if your medication is causing an increase in hunger, causing you to eat more, or if it's something else. There's a chart out there somewhere that I'll try to find that lists the anti-d's least likely to cause weight gain. The one I remember off the top of my head is Wellbutrin.

ChrisManch wrote: »

WALKING. Walking walking walking.

Firstly, don't change your medication without discussing it with your health professional.

I know from personal experience that depression makes it hard to get motivated and get out, but if you can force yourself to start walking, even if you hate it at first. Maybe some of your favourite music on headphones, your favourite radio station or a talking book.

Don't think "I've got to walk 5 miles, I'll never make it", just think, "I'm going to go for a walk, and when I've had enough I'll turn back, no big deal". If you stick at it you'll soon find that walking is enjoyable, it can be better at controlling depression than tablets, you'll feel happier, healthier AND you'll lose weight.

I'm going to address this the nicest way I can.

I've struggled with depression all of my adult life. I'm very active, I'm in therapy and I make self care (sleep, nutrition, etc) a priority. I've been formally diagnosed with moderate to severe depression and generalized anxiety disorder.

Guess what? I'm still depressed. I probably always will be. It is a chemical imbalance in my brain that no amount of walking is going to "control" and I rather resent the implication that I'm simply not doing enough to "fix" it myself.

I'm happy (when I'm medicated). I'm healthy. And I've lost 70 pounds.

I am going to add to this, but I'm not going to be as nice/handle it with kid gloves.

All too often people have this mentality that psychiatric disorders are all "mental". This is archaic thinking, and absolutely wrong. Many disorders stem from chemical inbalances in the brain. They are actual medical conditions that require medical treatment.

Many people seem to have this idea that people just "need to get over it". This is dangerous thinking. Science has shown that people with chronic psychological disorders have medical issues that need to be corrected by medication. Society seems to have a stigma against mental diseases because for so long, so much was unknown about these disorders. Those who suffered from them were ostracized and locked away in institutions so that others didn't have to deal with them. It hasn't been until lately that modern medicine has begun to realize that you need to treat such disorders the same way you would treat any other illness.

Would you tell someone with renal failure to stop going to dialysis and just take care of themselves and they would get better? Would you tell someone who has cancer to stop radiation and chemotherapy, and to exercise/sleep/eat well to recovery? I sure hope the answer is no, and if it isn't, perhaps you should read up on modern medicine. The same thing goes for mental illness. Can things like regular sleep, eating habits and excercize help? Sure it can. It can also alleviate some of the symptoms just like it can help someone with renal disease or cancer. It is NOT a replacement for medication. For those with CHRONIC disorders, medication is the treatment and suggesting otherwise is ignorant and potentially dangerous.