Psychology Cartoons

Did you ever play Hungry Hungry Hippos? If you can’t remember, then you might have something wrong with your Hippocampus.

According to Wikipedia this “is a major component of the brains of humans and other mammals. It belongs to the limbic system and plays important roles in long-term memory and spatial navigation. Like the cerebral cortex, with which it is closely associated, it is a paired structure, with mirror-image halves in the left and right sides of the brain. In humans and other primates, the hippocampus is located inside the medial temporal lobe, beneath the cortical surface.”

I can remember playing this game with my sister and younger brother and I know I enjoyed it.

psychology cartoon

Caption:

Dealing with Spidey’s FEAR of Heights Took a Wrong Turn when his arachnophobia kicked in!

A comment from “depression survivor” on the post Which Came First — Obesity or Depression?? and [part 2] gave me a lot to think about! I want to say “Thank You!” and answer a question with a couple ‘toons.

“How much do you exercise? For me being active daily, including intense exercise several times a week, is essential for both my depression and weight management. I also take Wellbutrin which helps with weight loss. I swim, walk briskly for several hours at a time, lift weights, and do machines at the gym. I personally believe that exercise is a powerful antidepressant in and of itself and well help you lose weight obviously. (and treat your metabolic syndrome).”

You are so RIGHT about the power of exercise to help reduce Depression!  I am happy to say I’m down 20 lbs… And I’m working on implementing a REAL exercise routine.  Here are a couple cartoons that I’ve drawn about the subject:

Continued from Which Came First — Obesity or Depression?? [Part 1]

Let’s see, before I was depressed I was a big guy…but was that because I was depressed and did not know it?!  Since Ive been taking my meds, I’ve put on weight… In 2001, I weighed in at 230.  I got help late in 2003 and now in 2010, I maxed out at 383lbs.

Yes, I have been treating my depression and yes, I’m also dealing with Metabolic Syndrome. So, could controlling my Depression (by using various medications) in actuality be “causing” Obesity and Obesity-related diseases; not eliminating them?!

Obesity and depression go hand in hand at times. Are they walking hand in hand in your life? What is the connection if any between Depression and Obesity? Which comes first, Obesity or Depression? Does it really matter to you?

A recent article in the LA Times written by Shari Roan highlighted some interesting research on the subject:

“Researchers at the University of Alabama, Birmingham, looked at data from a longitudinal study of more than 5,000 men and women ages 18 to 30. Over the 20 year study, participants’ waist circumference and body mass index were measured and they were asked about symptoms of depression.”

“The study found that that the waist circumference among the people who started the study with depression was about 1 inch larger than those who started the study reporting lower levels of depression. This was true regardless of race, gender, ethnicity, and education level. In contrast, those who started the study with higher body-mass index and waist circumference did not show a change in depression symptoms over time.”