Cómo puede ayudar la terapia contra la depresión a combatir el aumento de peso causado por la depresión

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

Uno de los síntomas más comunes de la depresión es el cambio de peso. Esto tiene mucho que ver con el hecho de que para la mayoría de nosotros la comida es una forma de placer.

Si una persona está tan deprimida que no disfruta de las cosas que solía hacer, también puede perder el apetito. Esto puede provocar una pérdida de peso involuntaria. Por desgracia, no suele ser una pérdida de peso saludable, porque la persona puede no estar recibiendo una nutrición adecuada, lo que puede hacer que la depresión empeore.

Para otras personas que sufren depresión, su cerebro puede estar intentando utilizar la comida para autorregularse. La comida es placer, así que el cerebro deprimido puede estar pidiendo a gritos serotonina o dopamina. Las personas deprimidas suelen tener antojo de alimentos ricos en azúcar, grasa y sal. Se sabe que el consumo de azúcar, grasa y sal afecta a nuestros neurotransmisores, especialmente a la dopamina y la serotonina.

El azúcar, la sal y las grasas, con moderación, forman parte de una dieta sana, por lo que no se aconseja una restricción extrema. Sin embargo, el consumo excesivo puede provocar una desregulación de las sustancias químicas del cerebro y el cuerpo, lo que puede hacer que te sientas peor física y mentalmente. El consumo excesivo puede ser tanto un síntoma como una causa de depresión.

La vergüenza corporal añade otra capa de emoción negativa al aumento de peso. No es ningún secreto que vivimos en una sociedad en la que avergonzar al cuerpo es la norma. Esto sucede incluso cuando aparecen nuevos datos que demuestran que muchos cuerpos, incluidos los más pesados, pueden ser saludables. Por desgracia, muchas personas que aumentan de peso siguen sintiéndose juzgadas por los demás y luchan contra la vergüenza.

La terapia de la depresión puede ayudar:

Si tiene problemas con su peso como síntoma de una depresión grave, la terapia puede ayudarle.

En primer lugar, tu terapeuta no debe juzgarte por tu talla. Si se siente juzgado, está en el lugar equivocado. Si la pérdida de peso es uno de tus objetivos en la terapia para la depresión, tu terapeuta puede ayudarte a centrarte en cuidar mejor tu mente y tu cuerpo.

He aquí algunas formas en que la terapia puede ayudar con el aumento de peso que se produce con la depresión:

En primer lugar, ten paciencia contigo misma: Una forma de replantearse el aumento de peso es darse cuenta de que temporalmente no se encontraba en una buena situación mental y que su cuerpo hizo lo que tenía que hacer para que pudiera superar ese duro momento. El aumento de peso en épocas de estrés es increíblemente común. Cuando empieces a sentirte mejor, empezarás a cuidarte mejor.

El tratamiento de la depresión puede ayudarle a encontrar mejores formas de afrontarla: Muchas personas acuden a terapia durante un episodio depresivo grave.La terapia puede ayudarle a aprender más habilidades de afrontamiento de la depresión, por lo que sería tan dependiente de los alimentos como fuente de placer. A medida que empieces a recuperarte, te resultará más fácil tratar mejor a tu cuerpo

Fíjate objetivos realistas: Si la pérdida de peso es uno de sus objetivos, asegúrese de que son realistas: probablemente no perderá 9 kilos cuando empiece a hacer ejercicio y a comer de forma más sana, ¡pero puede que pierda un kilo! Aunque a menudo ansiamos la transformación, el verdadero progreso suele venir a través de pequeños avances a lo largo del tiempo. Tu terapeuta para la depresión puede ayudarte a aprender a celebrar cada victoria, aunque parezca pequeña.

Confía en el proceso: A veces, puede que empiece a hacer ejercicio y, de hecho, aumente de peso. Aunque esto puede ser increíblemente frustrante, en realidad no es más que otro indicador de que nos han enseñado a centrarnos en formas erróneas de medir un cuerpo sano. Un cuerpo que se mueve más es más sano, aunque pese más. A menudo, el aumento de peso se debe al aumento de masa muscular, que en realidad es mejor para la salud. A medida que ganes músculo, te sentirás más fuerte y mejor en tu cuerpo. No te desanimes e intenta no fijarte demasiado en lo que dice la báscula.

Cuidarse debe sentar bien: Las dietas de choque, la restricción de las principales categorías de alimentos y las rutinas de ejercicio extremas no sientan bien y no son sostenibles. Por mucho que quieras cambiar de peso rápidamente, las medidas extremas no suelen ser eficaces y, de hecho, pueden ser peligrosas. Tu terapeuta para la depresión puede ayudarte a elegir herramientas de autocuidado que te hagan sentir bien y que sean saludables. Encontrar formas de mover tu cuerpo que reduzcan el estrés y te hagan sentir bien es el camino más sostenible para mejorar tu estado de ánimo y perder peso.

Es posible que necesite la ayuda de un médico, un dietista o un nutricionista: Un asesor en depresión puede ayudarle a hacer cambios de comportamiento que mejoren su estado de ánimo. También pueden ayudarle a seguir sus progresos y a mantenerse motivado. Sin embargo, siempre debe consultar a su médico o a un dietista o nutricionista si desea hacer cambios importantes en su forma de comer. Estos profesionales pueden ayudarle a asegurarse de que su plan es seguro y eficaz.

Nuestro objetivo es ayudarle a sentirse mejor mental y físicamente, y a volver a disfrutar de su vida.

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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