Celiac Disease Symptoms: Depression
What is Depression?
Depression is a common but treatable mental illness that can cause changes in mood, thought, and behavior. Depression causes continuous or long-lasting feelings of sadness, hopelessness, and lack of interest, and these feelings can interfere with everyday life. Depression can run in families, and a person can experience depression at any age. Depression is also twice as common in women as in men. Common signs and symptoms of depression include:
- Sadness
- Anxiety
- Irritability
- Decreased energy
- Trouble concentrating
- Abnormal sleep habits
- Change in appetite
- And more
This condition is often successfully treated with a combination of medication and psychotherapy. However, many individuals with depression do not seek treatment due to judgment and stigma. Depression is not a character flaw or sign of weakness.
If you or someone you know is experiencing depression, we encourage seeking support and help from a medical provider.
What is the Connection between Celiac Disease and Depression?
- According to various studies, malabsorption (the inability to absorb nutrients from food) can potentially influence brain functions.
- When the intestines are damaged, more substances can pass through the gut and into the bloodstream. It has been found that some substances have an impact on brain function.
- The risk for developing depression is 1.8 times more likely for people with celiac disease in comparison to the general population.
- Adopting a gluten-free diet can help alleviate depression symptoms for people with celiac disease.
- Depression can occur in people after diagnosis because of the significant impact on daily life and the challenges and stress that can come with managing a chronic condition and a gluten-free diet.
- Depression has also been linked to non-celiac gluten sensitivity.
Where Can I Learn More?
How Do People with Celiac Disease Experience Depression?
I feel much better now that I’ve been GF for 3 years, but I went through a period of depression after my diagnosis. I once left the grocery store in tears because reading food labels became so overwhelming. I lost my love of cooking, and I started to avoid social situations.
It was very lonely to be sick and see everyone around me eating these amazing foods. I don’t want to go back to feeling the way that I did. Those were days and days filled with pain and depression. Now that I follow a gluten-free diet, I am already seeing an improvement in my quality of life.
I struggled with depression as a symptom of both the illness and the difficulty I had finding gluten-free food that tasted good.
It seemed like overnight I went from a happy-go-lucky, zest-for-life person to a fatigued, depressed, panicked mom who couldn’t keep breakfast down or find the energy to drive her kids to school. It went on for months. I was so scared I would never feel like myself again.
The first six months after diagnosis I spent in self-pity, crying and being depressed because I wasn’t able to eat everything I loved. I began to crave any deep-fried food, cried a lot (still do at times) and always questioned “WHY ME?” It felt like my world had turned upside down.
After diagnosis, my mental health took a dive and I became clinically depressed when I was 17. I still deal with many mental health issues because of celiac disease—you don’t forget the days of crying on the floor in front of your pantry because you have nothing to eat.
How Do You Experience Depression?
At Beyond Celiac, we’re collecting real stories from people living with celiac disease to highlight how symptoms affect everyday life.
Your experience with depression can help others feel seen, understood, and empowered. We only share first names or initials to protect your privacy. These stories raise awareness and help others recognize how celiac disease shows up in different ways.
Use the form below to share your experiences with celiac disease and depression.
