The Serotonin Power Diet
Antidepressants and Your Brain
Circle yes or no to each question.
If you are on antidepressant medication
for longer than three or four weeks, has it made
you?
| 1. | Increase your consumption of sweet and/or starchy carbohydrates (as meals or as snacks) instead of protein and/or vegetables? | Yes | No |
| 2. | Eat more than you did before starting the medication? | Yes | No |
| 3. | Think about eating all the time, even after finishing a meal? | Yes | No |
| 4. | Feel like eating late at night or wake up at night wanting to eat? | Yes | No |
| 5. | Have an uncontrollable craving for sweet and starchy foods? | Yes | No |
| 6. | Feel more fatigued than before taking the medication? | Yes | No |
| 7. | Gain weight? | Yes | No |
If you answered yes to four out of the seven questions
you may be experiencing antidepressant-induced carbohydrate
cravings. After several weeks of use, many people
find that their appetite changes. Some, for the
first time in their lives, put on weight. Meals
that used to be sufficient no longer "fill" them
up. Even though they eat as much as before they
went on the meds, there doesn't seem to be enough
food to satisfy them. A constant craving for carbohydrates
defines the persistent and bothersome change in
their appetite.
Audrey's comments are typical of the hundreds we've heard from people we have treated who experienced medication-induced weight gain.
"I never ate junk food until six months ago, when I started taking medication for my depression," the 30sh woman explained. "In college, I used to feel superior to my friends who lived on chocolate cupcakes and French fries. I was the health-food queen, a regular at the salad bar. Now I can't stop myself from gorging on packaged cakes and even—I can't believe I'm going to say it—canned frosting. I've packed on 35 pounds—and the cravings won't stop."
Fortunately, it's not necessary to stop taking your antidepressant in order to lose weight. We are able to help people lose pounds effectively on our diet plan even though they are still on the same type and dose of medication that had caused their weight gain to begin with.
