Besides the typical,that is so hard to do sometimes,is diet and exercise,which has a 2-fold benefit for our health,physically and mentally,along with our treatment plan.
It also may be a good idea to have some thyroid function bloodwork.
When the tests finally showed I was hypothyroid, which I knew over the past 10yrs by the symptoms,but docs said tests were always normal,bah,for who?
Well anyway,once put on thyroid meds.the med related weight gain stopped,even lost a few pounds,and my depressive end was less.
Hypothyroid can contribute to or be mistaken for mental a disorder(s) so it can't hurt to check it out.
Approaching menopause or in menopause also adds onto our ability to gain weight quickly, ugh, damn age and hormones,grrrrrrr!
Some people get the opposite side effects of meds too, like weight loss, heck I have never been that fortunate, but prefer being stabilized vs not, soooooooooo I weigh it on the scale (no pun intended) what's more important?
And if exercising,dieting needs to be added, that's beneficial too. When I did experience weight gain with some meds, I was not overweight but considered healthy weight by my docs, and I wasn't chubby,etc. but my perception was, "I'm fat", I was so off at that time that it was almost like having body dysmorphic disorder.
Once stabilized, I saw things clearer,the way things really were.
Okay, now I have become overweight, but not from my meds, I've been on for years, but lack of exercise,poor eating habits,developed thyroid nodules,hypthyroidism has worsened,haven't smoked for a little over a year.
Okay, I must confess this, we have started to go to dinner/clubs on the weekends, Light beers aren't always that light in calories. LOL!!
But hubby and I started to cut that out, we are both obese.
Weight,weight,weight, isn't a bummer?
I do not disagree some mood stabilizers can cause weight,some increase your appetite,some tire you so much or do both,who feels like exercising when they bearly can keep their eyes open? Heck when pdocs were trying me on Depakote, I gained 13 lbs in one month,it made me so tired I couldn't function,not even think of exercise. So I got off of that and pdoc switched me to others.
People respond differently, so they need to do what helps them get stabilized and yet able to function in their daily life.