#Antidepressants #MentalHealth #WeightGain #Depression #HealthNews By Judith J. Wurtman, PhD - Huffington Post The catch-22 of antidepressant therapy is the depression that comes from gaining weight on a drug used to stop the depression. Weight gain is a common side effect of the drugs used to treat depression, fibromyalgia, severe PMS (known as Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder) and hot flushes. As much as physicians tend to minimize the effects, or protest that patients are gaining weight because they are finally happy and going to restaurants, their patients are protesting. Many are halting their use of these drugs because they cannot stand to live in a body blown up by the overeating generated by the medications. Anna typifies this problem. She had major depression that was intensified by PMS and was prescribed Lexapro. This drug has been used effectively to treat major depression and to relieve severe premenstrual mood changes. It worked -- and left Anna almost 50 pounds he...