Changes in appetite are one of the key symptoms seen in depression - some lose their appetite and don't eat enough, while others overeat. Watch psychologist Ramani Durvasula, PhD, discuss how a change in appetite is a common symptom of depression.
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Changes in appetite are one of the key symptoms we often see in depression, and it can go one of two ways. A significant subset of people with depression report that their appetite gets worse, that they don't feel like they want to eat as much, and when they do eat, they don't make good choices.
But some people report that when they're depressed they actually eat far more, and it's not unusual in people who are depressed to see either significant weight loss of 10 or more pounds or a significant weight gain of 10 or more pounds. So changes in appetite are hugely related to depression, and many times when we're working up a patient to determine whether or not they're depressed, it's one of the first questions we ask.
And unfortunately because many times depression is associated with the sense of not respecting yourself, not valuing yourself, when you finally are at the table, you'll find that the choices that you do make are not as healthy as they could be.
Ramani Durvasula, PhD, is professor of psychology at California State University, Los Angeles and a licensed clinical psychologist and author of You Are WHY You Eat: Change Your Food Attitude, Change Your Life.
