Antidepressants and Weight Gain: How Are They Related?

Antidepressant can cause your weight to gain (Image via Vecteezy)
Antidepressants can cause your weight to gain (Image via Vecteezy)

Ever thought about why antidepressant medicines cause weight gain, even when they are so important for beating depression? When looking out for our health, it's necessary to know the side effects of any drugs we take.

Medicines for depression are a game-changer for a lot of people dealing with the blues. They can make the world feel brighter, cheer you up, and put that fire back inside you. But, many people taking these medicines say one downside hits them hard - gaining weight.

What makes this conundrum difficult is the fact that weight gain is not consistent across all antidepressants or all users. To add another layer of complexity, these medications are geared towards managing a mental health issue - depression - that itself can lead to changes in weight.


How do antidepressants increase weight?

What makes antidepressants increase your weight? (Image via Vecteezy)
What makes antidepressants increase your weight? (Image via Vecteezy)

A bunch of things can make these mood-enhancing meds lead to weight gain. For one thing, these drugs can mess with your metabolism, making it relaxed. When your metabolism relaxes, your body burns calories slower, and that can make you add weight.

These medicines can make your hunger level rise, so you end up eating more than you need. When you take in more food than your body can burn off, the extra stuff piles up as fat, and that is why you gain weight.

Also, some people think these mood-boosting medicines might mess with our body’s fullness vibe, letting us eat more. This could make people still feel hungry after eating, leading to more servings and, for real, adding weight. Lastly, there is this idea that these meds make you feel better in your head, and because of that, you just want to eat more.


A complex relationship between medication, depression, and weight

It's necessary to understand the link between Medicines, depression, and weight (Image via Vecteezy)
It's necessary to understand the link between Medicines, depression, and weight (Image via Vecteezy)

When discussing this issue, it is important to remember the complex relationship between depression, weight gain, and medication use. Depression itself can cause weight changes. People battling depression might eat more or under-eat, affecting their weight either way.

After starting on antidepressants, some people might feel better and regain their appetite, leading to weight gain. Other people might lose weight due to reduced appetite associated with the medication.


Handling weight gain: It is not a losing fight

Eating healthy and exercise can keep your weight in check (Image via Vecteezy)
Eating healthy and exercise can keep your weight in check (Image via Vecteezy)

There is a lot you can do to stay in shape while you're on antidepressant medicines. Having clean, healthy food and adding some exercise to your daily kind of things can help you stay in shape.

Also, consult your doctor if you are worrying about gaining weight. They can suggest some practical solutions or suggest different meds that are less likely to add to your weight.


The crucial bit to get here is knowing that while antidepressants might make you put on weight, they are super important for many people battling sadness or depression. If you find yourself putting on extra weight while on an antidepressant, remind yourself that your peace of mind comes first.

Consult a doctor about your worries, and together, you can find ways to deal with the weight gain without affecting your fight against depression.

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