Images have power—especially the kind that appear unexpectedly on social media feeds. The photo of an extremely thin young woman in a striped bikini, shared widely across Facebook and Instagram stories, is one of those pictures that holds attention for more than a moment. It stops the scroll, not because of shock value alone, but because it taps into something larger: the hidden struggle behind body image, health, and the pressure to meet unrealistic expectations.
While depression primarily affects your mood and emotional mindset, it can also cause physical symptoms. You might notice aches and pains, a drop in your energy levels, difficulty sleeping, unusual stomach and digestion issues, or changes in your appetite.
Some people living with depression end up feeling hungrier than usual or eat more when they feel emotional. Comforting foods can soothe and temporarily ease sadness, emptiness, and other emotional distress, especially during the long dark winter months.
Depression can also cause a decrease in appetite that eventually leads to unintentional weight loss. Some people might consider this a positive side effect, but sudden or extreme weight loss can put your health at risk. It can also leave you with low energy, potentially making it more difficult to cope with other symptoms of depression.
Changes in appetite and weight often directly relate to other depression symptoms.
Mood changes
Depression often involves overwhelming mood changes, like:
- feeling sad without having a clear cause
- feeling hopeless
- persisting sense of numb disinterest
These changes can replace your typical emotions, occupying your mental energy. You’ll have little room to focus on your daily activities, like showering and dressing, tidying your house, or preparing and eating meals.
Other common signs include:
- loss of interest in activities you usually enjoy
- fatigue and decreased energy
- difficulty making decisions
These symptoms can also contribute to weight loss:
- You used to enjoy cooking and planning unique meals, but now you can’t find the energy to do more than eat a banana or have a handful of crackers.
- If you no longer enjoy eating, you may not think much about what you eat or when. Food may no longer be a priority, so you might miss meals without noticing.
- You feel like eating, but nothing sounds good. Your partner gives suggestions, but you can’t decide. Eventually, feeling irritable, you say you aren’t hungry and go to bed instead.
Other physical symptoms
Physical signs of depression can also play a part in weight loss.
Random, unexplained stomach pains or nausea might leave you avoiding all but the blandest of meals. You might even eat less to avoid triggering unpleasant symptoms.
Fatigue and low energy can also overtake feelings of hunger. You might feel so drained at the end of each day that you only want to rest and sleep in bed. You might eat simple things that don’t require preparation but still find it challenging to muster energy to finish even these smaller meals.
Some people with depression also experience psychomotor agitation, including fidgeting and pacing. These activities burn calories, and the combination of restless movement and decreased appetite makes it more likely you’ll lose weight.
Medication side effects
Certain depression medications may cause weight loss during the first several months of use, researchTrusted Source suggests.
The antidepressants fluoxetine (Prozac) and bupropion (Wellbutrin) might also lead to weight lossTrusted Source over a long period.
Weight loss associated with antidepressants could also happen as a result of reduced appetite or gastrointestinal side effects, such as nausea, upset stomach, or diarrhea.
Changes in the brain
One 2016 studyTrusted Source explored potential reasons behind different patterns of appetite and weight gain or loss with depression.
Researchers showed pictures of food and non-food items to three small groups of people:
- people with major depression who noticed an increase in their appetite
- people with major depression who noticed a decrease in their appetite
- people in the control group who did not have depression
Here’s what they found:
- Those with an increased appetite seemed to show the most activity in the regions of the brain associated with reward.
- People with appetite loss seemed to show less activity in the area of their brain associated with interoception, a sense that helps you feel and understand bodily sensations like hunger and thirst.
- The control group didn’t show any extreme activity or inactivity in the brain.
The study authors note that the links between these brain regions may further contribute to loss of appetite, disinterest in food, and weight loss.
When eating doesn’t feel pleasurable or rewarding, you might feel less inclined to eat, particularly when you don’t notice hunger like usual. If you’re eating less overall, it stands to reason you’ll eventually begin to lose weight.