By which means do atypical antipsychotics cause one to gain weight?

Im on seroquel. It makes you hungry after you take it. Very similar to the munchies that happen after smoking pot. You end up raiding the fridge.

From what I have read and observed, they actually increase appetite.

Carbs make you gain weight more than fat does. It all comes back to calories, but if the primary calorie source is carbs and you don’t do a lot of exercise you gain weight very easily. It is a myth that consumed fat automatically becomes body fat – but as it is far less expensive to make a low fat diet product than a low carb product – the food industry pushes low fat as the ideal road to health.

@DarkScribe How does that relate to the question about the effect of antipsycotics on weight gain?

@janbb How does that relate to the question about the effect of antipsycotics on weight gain?

Fat and weight gain was a part of the question.

(or even crave fattier foods)

@thriftymaid
You are correct.
I also read that when our bodies do not know how to metabolize anything it slows the metabolism.
The more junk you put in the lousier you feel.
When you eat whole foods you feel better.

For me, there was no increase in appetite, but the complete inability to lose any weight at all. I was on psychotropics for so long that, after I had my second child, I could not lose the pregnancy weight. I developed thyroid disease for being on them for so many years (almost 2 decades). However, I already had the propensity for hypothyroidism in the first place. That may not be applicable to you, but it’s worth mentioning. I wish it had occured to someone to mention it to me.

Neuroleptics have a lot of side effects. It’s not clear what causes obesity at all, but there is some speculations that hormones have something to do with it, and neurotransmitters, too. There is no reason to suppose that Seroquel, Haldol and other neuroleptics can skew things in such a way that compulsive eating results.

@Phillis
Drugs are not a good thing. Prescription drugs all have side affects.

@philosopher You take the drugs if the benefits outweigh the potential side-effects.

@philosopher I know, my friend. As @janbb stated, it’s not unlike voting. You have to
choose between the lesser of the evils. In my case, I had to be a good mom and wife, so I had more than just myself to consider. Those VIPs have to depend on me to be there for them :)

@phillis or you could just not vote at all…

@WolfFang So true! I gave up chasing that aspect of the American Dream about 8 years ago. I can’t afford to be cavalier with the anti-psychotics, though.

No one knows all there is to know about additives and drugs. I have read a lot. I have taken classes but I am still learning.
My girlfriend who has a Masters in Science scent me this link. It demonstrates that despite that I avoid MSG it is more complex than I new.
http://www.msgtruth.org/
My point is drugs and additives all have side effects.
Scientist form Tgen.org are attempting to create drugs that are less invasive; and are targeted to specific people. science.daily.com also has reports on such things.
In time there will be ways to correct problems without drugs or with less harmful drugs. Research is key.