Anxiety And Depression

[guest134]

I was wondering how many of you experienced either or both and had the symptoms resolve once you went gluten free.

[Findin my way]

I can't say that gluten free relieved my depression. Large doses of methyl B12 and methylfolate (MTHF) did.

[shadowicewolf]

It helped a lot.

[rosetapper23]

In meeting people through meetups and at conferences, I've learned that it appears that depression seems to occur more commonly in people with gluten sensitivity than with celiac. Anxiety seems to exist within both groups. Just my observation....

[GF Lover]

I have had both depression and anxiety most of my life. Although all of my digestion issues resolved my depression and anxiety has not.

[guest134]

Interesting... I am wondering if depression and anxiety are a direct result of the disease itself or that they just stem from 1- pre diagnosis you are anxious and depressed over not knowing what is causing all of your symptoms and 2- Once diagnosed the feelings of having to deal with a chronic disease. From what I have read there has been no proven direct correlation and they are still wondering if it is in fact a reaction to gluten. Of course, if you are actually deficient in vitamins from absorption as one poster stated that would cause it, but what about the ones diagnosed with normal levels of everything?

Any insight on this?

[squirmingitch]

I had never, ever, ever been a depressed person nor a person prone to anxiety. I had anxiety only when there was something BIG to have anxiety about such as where the next $ was coming from to buy groceries.

About 8 years ago when my celiac began to manifest, even though I didn't know it, I began to get depressed & anxiety both & they just kept getting worse & worse & worse. Just before I discovered I had celiac I was at the bottom of the barrel in both depts. I came so close to a bullet in my own head that looking back I can't even believe that was me!

YES! Both have almost completely resolved 1 year gluten free. I have no doubt that this year will find my mental state back to what I know to be my normal cheerful self.

[A.savage]

I have not been diagnosed yet, but my doctor told me to try the gluten free diet to see if my symptoms improve. And they have a lot but every now and then I still have some issues, cause I'm not always sure on what I can eat and what I can't. So I think I might be eating something I shouldn't .

[undrznith]

I'm not diagnosed with anything but this is the biggest reason I stay gluten-free. Though I have a great family and a great upbringing I was severely depressed, anxious, moody... It has gotten worse as I've gotten older to where I get full out panic attacks and have problems just getting through each day doing normal daily activities. Random unexplainable bursts of anger. I eliminated gluten because my breastfed son was very constipated and gassy and I one day realized I wasn't a crazy person who couldn't explain or control my emotions and thoughts. I finally felt like a normal person and could think with a clear head. My son's constipation is also no longer an issue these days. Therapists and medications never helped, going gluten free is the only thing that did and it wasn't even on purpose.

[ravenwoodglass]

Interesting... I am wondering if depression and anxiety are a direct result of the disease itself or that they just stem from 1- pre diagnosis you are anxious and depressed over not knowing what is causing all of your symptoms and 2- Once diagnosed the feelings of having to deal with a chronic disease. From what I have read there has been no proven direct correlation and they are still wondering if it is in fact a reaction to gluten. Of course, if you are actually deficient in vitamins from absorption as one poster stated that would cause it, but what about the ones diagnosed with normal levels of everything?

Any insight on this?

In some folks that are affected with mood issues the problem is the vitamin deficiencies. For some it can be simply linked to feeling crappy all the time. Some folks will get depressed and anxious when they first start the diet because it is new and it is tough to adjust to.

For others though it is a direct result of celiac. I had problems with clinical depression off and on from childhood. It did go away completely for me after I went gluten free. Now one of the first symptoms I have that I have been glutened is a deep depression that lifts in ony 24 hours. There have been studies done on the neurological and psychiatric effects of celiac a search should bring up quite a few. PubMed has some great articles but I don't have a link to them anymore.

[guest134]

Interesting raven, as you know I am in the middle of a possible celiac diagnosis but after going through the list of symptoms I only have anxiety, depression and some insomnia, my entire vitamin panel is very high so it can't be related to that. I am going to be shocked if I do in fact have the disease after biopsy and those symptoms go away with gluten, it seems too good to be true.

[amberlee0811]

You should read "Wheat Belly" by William Davis MD. It gives amazing insight into how gluten affects the entire body, it's pretty amazing. Personally, I do believe it affects people, causing anxiety and depression.

[ravenwoodglass]

Interesting raven, as you know I am in the middle of a possible celiac diagnosis but after going through the list of symptoms I only have anxiety, depression and some insomnia, my entire vitamin panel is very high so it can't be related to that. I am going to be shocked if I do in fact have the disease after biopsy and those symptoms go away with gluten, it seems too good to be true.

You do need to keep in mind that for those of us whose primary symptoms are neurological or skin problems the biopsy can be negative. Many doctors forget that celiac is not solely a GI disorder it is an autoimmune disorder and can attack any part of the body. Do give the diet a good strict try for at least a couple of months after all your testing is done even if the biopsy is negative.

[guest134]

You do need to keep in mind that for those of us whose primary symptoms are neurological or skin problems the biopsy can be negative. Many doctors forget that celiac is not solely a GI disorder it is an autoimmune disorder and can attack any part of the body. Do give the diet a good strict try for at least a couple of months after all your testing is done even if the biopsy is negative.

Yeah, I was planning on giving it a try either way, after all my research it really does not sound like a hard diet at all.

[peeptoad]

I was neither depressed nor anxious before going gluten-free, but when I went gluten-free as a trial and then reintroduced gluten for a week I was extremely depressed by the end of the week...