Hyperphagia is a
symptom of various forms of
depression, as well as
Seasonal Affective Disorder and other
mental and
mood disorders. The
word itself is a
combination of two
Greek words: "
hyper", meaning "over, above,
excessive", and "phagein", meaning "to
eat". Sufferers of hyperphagia show an
increased appetite for
food; this generally leads to
weight gain.
As a person who has SAD, I am in a position to describe what it's like to be hyperphagic. It's a weird feeling when one thinks about it. One simply constantly feels like eating, even though one might be completely full (as after the American tradition of Thanksgiving dinner, after which I usually try to lose myself in a video game to keep my mind off of grazing throught the evening). I imagine the feeling is similar to having the munchies, although I have never been in the position to find out (being allergic to marijuana).
As with most mental and mood disorders, there are medications and chemicals that can suppress the symptoms, even if there is, as yet, no cure. However, in the absence of such medicines, the sufferer can sometimes make do with discipline and conscious effort, a treatment that, while often cheaper, can be quite draining.