Depression is among the common mental health conditions in the US. A depressive illness, such as major depression, affects approximately 9.5% of American adults each year. Major depression is a complicated mental health disorder that affects your mood, and its impact can leave you in a hopeless state. When your negative mental response to a particular trigger goes beyond two weeks, it could signify severe depression.
The impact of depression varies by individual
Depression affects people differently. Here are common symptoms of depression:
- Loss of pleasure in some of the activities you previously enjoyed
- Fatigue
- Intrusive thoughts of suicide
- Depressed moods that go for many days
- Physical agitation
- Insomnia
- Feelings of sluggishness
- Feeling guilty or worthless
If all of these symptoms are present, it’s best to consult a psychiatrist. Here is how depression can affect your health and overall well-being.
8 ways depression can impact your health:
1. Change in body weight
Depression triggers a change in appetite, which to some people, may lead to unintended weight gain. Consult your doctor for advice on the reason for sudden weight gain. In some instances, it could be an underlying problem, such as diabetes or heart disease.
2. Recurring pain
A person with depression will experience headaches from time to time, accompanied by pain. You will start experiencing discomfort in your muscles, joints, breast tenderness, and random headaches. Your depression symptoms may become worse due to chronic pain.
For a more long-term solution for managing aches and tenderness, reach out to your doctor. This professional will know what is best for you.
3. Heart problems
The fact that depression leads to a state of hopelessness, your ability to make positive life changes is affected. You put your heart at risk by consuming a poor diet and living a sedentary lifestyle. Depression, on its own, can be a direct cause of heart failure. That’s a very scary impact of depression.
4. Autoimmune disorders
Chronic depression due to stress may lead to changes in your immune system. Inflammatory conditions due to immune disorders such as type II diabetes, irritable bowel syndrome, and arthritis are common in people with depression.
5. Sexual health problems
Sexual health problems vary from start experiencing low libido, lack of orgasms, having a problem getting aroused, and to some extent, experiencing non-pleasurable orgasms. Your relationship is at risk when going through depression because it will have an impact on sexual activity.
6. Worsens existing health conditions
If you already have some chronic health problems, depression may worsen the symptoms. Treating a long-term chronic illness is already depressing due to the isolation, which, if not handled with care, may exacerbate the existing condition.
For example, adrenal fatigue can cause depression, as well as anxiety, tiredness, irritability, and weight gain. To treat adrenal fatigue, some people take quality supplements Talk with your doctor about how best to address your health issues, making the existing health problems easy to manage.
7. Insomnia
You may experience insomnia (trouble sleeping), leaving you exhausted, and making the management of mental and physical tasks difficult. Lack of sleep is central to the many problems that affect a depressed person. Insomnia can lead to high blood pressure, weight loss, diabetes, and to some extent, some form of cancer.
8. Stomach problems
When in a state of depression, you will most likely report cases of diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, or constipation. Depression changes the way your brain responds to stress by suppressing the pituitary glands, hypothalamus, and adrenal gland leading to all sorts of stomach upsets.
A few last words on the impact of depression
You can fight depression and win. Consult a doctor who may recommend therapy or medication. The right approach will see you bounce back both physically and mentally.
Want to read more on mental health? Here you go.
This post is not meant as medical advice. It is for informational purposes only.