Depression Signs or Eating Disorder?
Specifically, depression can have a serious impact on a person's appetite. -Regardless of which came first, many people just don't realize how serious this can really be, believing that any weight loss is a good thing. I mean, how big a deal can depression induced appetite changes really be? Actually, they can be extremely serious, and that's why it should never be overlooked or taken too lightly. -Loss of Appetite Many people may be overweight to begin with, so in the beginning a loss in weight is often welcome, and may even help with the early symptoms of depression. Over time though, with this continued loss of weight, health problems will eventually develop. -A prolonged loss of appetite can cause many serious health problems. A lack of eating can deny the body a number of very important nutrients that are required for a person to remain healthy and strong. Dizziness and fainting can occur due to an actual malnutrition. In addition, this lack of eating can lead to the body's metabolism slowing down. One effect of this is the body may start to consume its own muscle mass in order to preserve the body's fat cells. Eventually, this can lead to low blood pressure and slower heart rates, having harmful effects on the heart muscle and possible heart problems. -Over-eating On the other side of the coin, many people will seek to alleviate their depression by over-eating; in much the same way as those with alcohol or drug addictions are inclined to overdo it. In many ways, over-eating can be drug-like to a degree, as food can affect the pleasure centers in the body in much the same way. -When a person feels down and has depression signs, reaching for a large plate of food (especially sweets) can make the pain and problems go away, at least for a little while. Of course, this strategy will often lead to a number of physical problems for the person down the road. -More often than not, the over-eating will lead to obesity, or at least to a certain gain in weight, which in turn can have a very negative effect on a person's self-esteem. This lack of self-pride further increases a person's depression signs and the cycle repeats, more often than not, with additional weight gain and the deepening depression that is sure to follow. -In Conclusion When depression signs impact a person's desire to eat, a weakening of the immune system may result. This might start out as a simple case of the flu, and escalate into a more serious health condition, such as pneumonia, which can be quite serious, even life threatening. Additionally, a lack of eating (especially in combination with depression) can develop into a major eating disorder, such as anorexia or bulimia, which can also prove to be life threatening. Over-eating, and the obesity that may result, might also be the root cause of future heart attacks and strokes, as well as diabetes. There are many depression warning signs; over-eating and not eating surely make the list. Which problem occurred first is not as important as receiving treatment for both the depression signs, as well as the eating disorder.
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