20 Concerns Associated With Dysthymia

3. Undereating

Feelings associated with depression, including extreme sadness and worthlessness can easily affect a person’s eating habits. Lack of pleasure, low energy, and loss of interest in food or cooking can lead to a loss of interest in eating. Nausea can be a cause of loss of appetite if it is a simultaneous symptom. A sudden rapid weight loss can indicate a person is suffering severe depression or dysthymia, as can refusing to eat with others. This is a serious condition for the elderly who may already be frail.

4. Overeating

Some people engage in excessive behavior when dealing with emotional conditions. This includes overeating, which not only instigates the short-term consequences of feelings of guilt and anxiety but long-term effects of obesity and the medical issues associated with carrying extra weight. Emotional eating is associated with a person’s need to eat even when he or she is not hungry. As with undereating, overeating can exacerbate the person’s emotional state, driving them further into a deep depression.