Loss of Appetite in Depression: 7 tips on How to Fight with Appetite loss If you've Depression

Whilst you experience the weight of the world on your shoulders, you also notice your own significantly reducing. But don’t be fooled by a world that glamourizes weight loss, for not all of its kind indicate a healthy mind or body.

Loss of appetite

Sometimes one may find themselves craving certain foods and indulge in overeating. The converse is also true where one does not feel hunger at all and loses all interest in food. This loss of interest in food or absence of hunger for prolonged periods is called loss of appetite.

More often than not, an underlying biological mechanism impacts the part of us which regulates our basic needs and functioning. One of the reasons for our appetite decrease may be due to depression. Depression can lead to differences in one’s relationship to food which can impact dietary habits – like consuming more than usual or not at all. There’s a study from 2019 that found a link between eating when one faces difficult emotions, depression and weight gain.

What is Depression?

The experience of depression can be subjective. However, most people say they feel extremely hollow, like a dark cloud that never leaves their side, and accompanies feelings of hopelessness and helplessness – like an impending doom awaits them. More concretely, a mental health professional can diagnose depression when the following symptoms persist over two weeks:

Constant low mood
Fluctuation in sleep and appetite
Loss of interest in activities once loved
Lethargy or constant tiredness
Low self-esteem and negative thinking

Is the loss of appetite a symptom of depression?

Yes, professionals consider loss of appetite as one of the symptoms of depression. While occasionally eating out or missing a meal is not a red flag, persistently not feeling hungry can indicate ill health and many times a symptom of depression.

Are Appetite loss and depression two different mental health Disorders?

No. While loss of appetite in itself is not a disorder, it can be indicative of certain other physical and mental health conditions. For example, while appetite loss can be a symptom of depression, it is not a mental health disorder of its own.

Why Does Depression Make You Less Hungry and Loss of Appetite?

The link between depression and loss of appetite is a mix of behavioural, psychological and neurobiological changes. One’s systems of reward and motivation are affected by depression can impact our relationship with food:

Low moods and decreased pleasure: When depressed, one is experiencing low moods and a loss of interest in activities which means we feel less pleasure than usual. This could also translate into not getting the same happiness from eating or even not feeling motivated enough to eat. Hence, one may feel less hungry
Fatigue or lethargy: Another noticeable effect of depression is having low energy levels and feeling tired all the time. Feeling fatigued can mean not being able to put in the effort to cook and eat, and a shift to unhealthy dietary habits that feel low effort.
Co-occurring concerns: More often, depression co-occurs with anxiety. The symptoms of anxiety can include nausea, abdominal pain and diarrhoea – all of which can make one feel uneasy and lead to a loss of appetite. Moreover, depression is often marked by low self-esteem which can impact how one views oneself. Negative thoughts about oneself can also contribute to how one perceives their relationship with food and may change dietary habits. Sometimes these habits can be unsustainable or unrealistic leading to further depressed moods and loss of appetite.
Disrupted neurotransmitter balance: Depression has a relationship with dopamine and serotonin - neurotransmitterswhich, i.e., chemicals communicate within the body to facilitate its functioning. These neurotransmitters are also involved in regulating appetite and food intake and can make one feel less hungry.
Increase in stress hormone: Increased cortisol, known as the stress hormone, is often elevated when one experiences depression. The hormone affects one’s physiological response to hunger and may lead to a decreased appetite.
Impaired interoception: Depression affects the brain region involved in sensing the body’s signals for basic needs such as hunger. Hence, this impaired sense of internal signals (interoception) can often disrupt one’s food intake and lead to a loss of appetite.
Disturbances in the sleep cycle: A good night’s sleep is important for self-regulation, however, insomnia or even oversleeping, which occurs with depression can disrupt the body’s normal appetite regulation. To put it simply, a good night’s sleep helps the body do its job of regulating all systems to maintain optimum health.

Blues Clues: How to know you have depression if you are experiencing appetite loss?

As mentioned before, depression is diagnosed when one experiences symptoms of fluctuations in sleep, weight, negative thought patterns, constant low moods, lethargy and a loss of interest in one’s likeable activities. Hence, if you experience appetite loss, alongside these symptoms, a mental health professional may help you get the right diagnosis.

A mental health professional is likely to ask you about your symptoms at length and your relationship with food before and after noticing appetite loss. Sometimes appetite loss can be a symptom of co-occurring conditions such as anxiety or any other mental or physical concerns. Hence, it is best advised to visit a professional to confirm a diagnosis of depression before assuming one for yourself.

7 Tips to work through appetite loss when you have depression

Taking care of depression in itself is a big challenge. For our body to be able to function and work through the same, one needs enough fuel, which comes from food. Here are 7 tips to help you work on your relationship with food as you navigate appetite loss:

Establish a routine: It may feel extremely difficult to create a routine when one is battling their darkest thoughts or yet, a sense of nothingness. However, take help from loved ones including friends and family, or use phone alarms to set meal times. An eating routine, i.e., having some meals at the same times each day helps regulate appetite even when hunger cues are absent.
Make it social: Depression often lies to us and makes us feel unloved. Making meals a social activity where one reaches out to loved ones helps with making meals not only more enjoyable but also challenges your negative thoughts about yourself.
Start small: After experiencing a loss of appetite, it won't be fair to expect from yourself an overnight change in your dietary habits. Allow yourself to plan one meal initially which can be something as small as starting the day with a few dry fruits and nuts. Slowly, you can pick the pace up as you feel better.
Eat what you like: If the food at home doesn't seem appealing, to begin with, order your favourite dish or ask someone to make it for you, or with you. The idea is to begin somewhere - even if it is not the healthiest thing in the world.
Practice self-compassion: Depression often impacts one’s self-worth and you may find yourself being overly critical of yourself. Practising self-compassion can help you develop a better relationship with yourself and by extension with food. For example, if you find yourself saying “I do not need to eat, I eat too much anyway” catch your critic right there and question whether you have eaten anything the entire day. Even if you have, it makes sense to take stock that one needs to eat for energy and not just to look a certain way.
Engage in light exercise: Light exercises have the potential to improve your mood when you have depression. Since depression contributes to loss of appetite, exercise can help boost one’s mood and by extension, improve appetite.
Seek professional help: Depression affects everyone differently and there’s a possibility that you feel a loss of energy to the point it's difficult to do any of the above strategies. In this case, professional help can help to holistically work on symptoms of depression.

Treating poor appetite in depression can look different for different people. There are a few ways to help oneself starting with small dietary changes, inviting support from closed ones, being self-compassionate, trying light exercise and finally seeking professional help.

Consulting a mental health professional

A mental health professional is your go-to person if your symptoms require support and persist for more than 2 weeks. A mental health professional will be listening to your concerns and experiences without any judgment. It is likely s/he will ask more about your weight changes to understand your appetite loss and related concerns. Sometimes negative thought patterns can also contribute to one’s depressive moods, in which case, a mental health professional may suggest going for talk therapy.

We at Mave know how difficult it can be to find a trusted professional. We have connected with over 1500 experts around the country to bring you the best from the field. Book a session here, at Therapy Club, India’s largest mental health platform.

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Conclusion

While loss of appetite is a symptom of depression, it is commonly experienced with other symptoms that affect one’s physiological functioning and views of oneself. Since motivation and pleasure are affected by depression, they can lead to a loss of appetite, or not feeling hungry. Working on depression and its symptoms through the support of loved ones, practising self-compassion and making small lifestyle changes can help in improving symptoms and by extension, one’s appetite. Support is also available through the care of mental health professionals and holistic health programs.

References:

Konttinen, H., Van Strien, T., Männistö, S., Jousilahti, P., & Haukkala, A. (2019). Depression, emotional eating and long-term weight changes: a population-based prospective study. the International Journal of Behavioural Nutrition and Physical Activity, 16(1). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12966-019-0791-8
Mave. (2024, May 6). Major Depressive Disorder [Clinical Depression]: Types, symptoms & treatments in 2024. MAVE HEALTH PRIVATE LIMITED. https://www.mavehealth.com/blogs/major-depressive-disorder-types-symptoms-treatments-clinical-depression
Mave Health | Care Program. (n.d.). MAVE HEALTH PRIVATE LIMITED. https://www.mavehealth.com/program
Simmons, W. K., Burrows, K., Avery, J. A., Kerr, K. L., Bodurka, J., Savage, C. R., & Drevets, W. C. (2016). Depression-Related increases and decreases in appetite: dissociable patterns of aberrant activity in reward and interoceptive neurocircuitry. the American Journal of Psychiatry, 173(4), 418–428. https://doi.org/10.1176/appi.ajp.2015.15020162
Therapy Club. (n.d.). https://therapyclub.mavehealth.com/
Van De Wouw, M., Schellekens, H., Dinan, T. G., & Cryan, J. F. (2017). Microbiota-Gut-Brain axis: modulator of host metabolism and appetite. the Journal of Nutrition/the Journal of Nutrition, 147(5), 727–745. https://doi.org/10.3945/jn.116.240481