Is Overeating a Part of Depression?

Research has found out that there is a strong connection between overeating and depression. Both stress and bad eating habits are shown to have increased anxiety and depression levels. It is also shown that there is a link between a high-fat diet and depression. Eating a high fat and low nutrient-based diet can make a person eat more than necessary and adopt risky behaviours which can lead to depression. In this article, we will see if there is a link between the two and what kind of treatment is available for treating such a condition.

The research shows that people with some levels of obesity have shown to have mild to severe depression. This leads to another conclusion that there is a strong connection between depression and people who eat an unusually high quantity of fatty foods. Overeating leads to weight gain which leads to depression.

In fact, both conditions can be a cause of the other. Overeating that leads to weight gain can result in depression which in turn triggers the need to eat more. This creates a vicious cycle that is hard to break.

Symptoms

The most common of the symptoms is CED (Compulsive eating disorder). This condition creates the urge to eat more than you need to. Even after eating too much, the person is never satisfied. There are many reasons why such a condition may occur because of depression. First, there is something physically wrong with the metabolism or the nerve receptors. Second, the increase in depression and anxiety levels cause the person to eat more for some kind of emotional relief. In this condition, the person eats not because he is hungry but because he tries to distract himself into eating.

Chronic overeating can have the following symptoms

• Inability to stop eating.
• Having large amounts of food at once.
• Eating too quickly.
• Eating even when you feel full.
• An insatiable appetite.
• Feeling emotionally numb.
• Having all sorts of negative thoughts like guilt, remorse, disgust etc.

Such symptoms are used to identify overeating caused by chronic depression.

How to Prevent Overeating?

If you are diagnosed with depressive overeating, there is nothing to worry about as it is completely treatable with counselling and a little effort on your part. The first step is to seek your therapist who will be able to identify the root cause of depression. Your therapist will be able to make plans to manage your stress levels and eating habits. CBT or cognitive behavioural therapy can also be extremely beneficial in the treatment. Evidence supports this method the most. During this treatment, the therapist figures out what triggers you the most. It can be a specific event in your life, a person or simply your suspicions.

Remember that this treatment is a long term treatment and will require just as much effort on your part as you expect from your therapist. First steps in treatment focus on managing stress levels and neutralizing the symptoms of depression. There can be many causes and your therapist has to dive in with you on a very personal level. For example, things like self-image, uber perfectionism, self-respect, body image, overestimation of your weight may need to be taken into account for your therapist to properly diagnose your condition. During the treatment, you will learn to improve these aspects.

Bottom line

Overeating and depression are interlinked and are treatable with proper therapy. The key is to reduce stress levels and avoid any kind of temptations. If some thoughts trigger obsessive behaviour, do not find distraction in eating. Rather face it and think rationally about it. Add vitamin C to your diet. Here are the best Vitamin C supplements you can buy. Exercising regularly helps in giving you the mental strength to cope up with the symptoms. Just stay calm and don’t dwell on it too much.