For many people, there’s a direct connection between stress and weight gain: When they feel stressed or under pressure, they turn to food for comfort. That’s bad enough, but it gets worse: When we are stressed out, we tend to choose junk food over healthy food. So the calories can add up quickly. Over time, these extra calories can lead to weight gain.
But is it also possible for stress to make you lose weight? Yes, is the answer.
Unexplained weight loss is something that always deserves a doctor’s visit. Thyroid disorders, HIV, some cancers, and diabetes are all potential causes of weight loss. But weight loss is also common in those with anxiety.
What are the Possible Causes
There are several factors that cause this weight loss to occur:
1. Lack of Eating
The most likely reason that those with anxiety lose weight is a disinterest in food. When you have intense anxiety, you start to lose your appetite. You start to feel as though you are genuinely not hungry, and eat much less than you need to. You may not even realise how little you are eating, but in essence you are starving yourself, and that can cause massive weight loss very quickly.
Unfortunately, it also eats away muscle and slows your metabolism so that if you start eating again, you are more likely to gain weight faster. If you have anxiety, or are under much stress, you need to try to eat.
2. Nervous Movement
Another reason that you might lose weight with anxiety is because many of those suffering from anxiety are constantly moving, and may always find something to do around the house as a way to cope with the anxiety. While some people completely shut down with anxiety, others unintentionally move more, and this can burn calories.
3. Sped Up Body
While long term anxiety leads to weight gain, the initial symptoms of anxiety actually increases your metabolism, at least temporarily. Some people may find out that they burn more calories than others.
It’s important to remember that anxiety itself makes you worry about things that shouldn’t necessarily be worries. Weight loss may also simply occur naturally. Still, the most common reason that people lose weight is not eating. It’s important that you do your best to eat a healthy meal with regularity.
4. Thyroid Conditions
It should be noted that one of the few causes of anxiety that is purely physical is the development of hyperthyroid. With too much thyroid hormone, your body has too strong a metabolism, and this can cause rapid weight loss. Hyperthyroidism is also a cause of anxiety. Recently, Kelly Osborne, an ex co-host on E’s Fashion Police explained that the reason behind her massive weight loss was the result of hyperthyroidism.
That is why, even though anxiety is often the cause of unexplained weight loss in people living with anxiety, it’s still a good idea to check with a doctor. There are many simple tests to rule out hyperthyroidism.
Is There a Treatment?
Treating weight loss isn’t necessarily related to anxiety itself. You simply need to make sure you are eating, talk to a doctor to rule out other symptoms, and keep exercising to ensure that you are promoting good health.
