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How does depression affect the body


The Effects of Depression in Your Body

Depression is technically a mental disorder but also affects your physical health. It may impact everything from your heart, kidney, nervous system, and immune system health.

Depression is one of the most common mental health conditions in the United States. At least 6% of U.S. adults had a major depressive episode annually in 2020.

Learn more about some of the most common symptoms of depression and how depression can affect your entire body, especially if left untreated.

Feeling sad or anxious at times is a normal part of life. But if these feelings last more than a few weeks, they could be symptoms of depression.

Clinical depression, especially left untreated, can interrupt your day-to-day life and cause a ripple effect of additional symptoms.

Major depression (a more advanced form of depression) is considered a serious medical condition that may dramatically affect your quality of life.

The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition (DMS-5) says that to qualify for a diagnosis of major depression, a person has to experience at least five symptoms for longer than two weeks.

Learn more about the criteria for major depression. More detail follows below.

Depression can cause a lot of symptoms within the central nervous system, many of which are easy to dismiss or ignore.

Older adults may also have difficulty identifying cognitive changes because it’s easy to dismiss the signs of depression as related to “getting older.”

According to the American Psychological Association, older adults with depression have more difficulties with memory loss and reaction time during everyday activities compared with younger adults with depression.

Symptoms of depression include overwhelming sadness, grief, and a sense of guilt. It may be described as a feeling of emptiness or hopelessness. Some people may find it difficult to put these feelings into words.

It may also be difficult for them to understand as symptoms can manifest and cause physical reactions. Frequent episodes of crying may be a symptom of depression, although not everyone cries if they’re depressed.

You may also feel tired all the time or have trouble sleeping at night. Other symptoms include:

  • irritability
  • anger
  • loss of interest in things that used to bring pleasure
  • headaches

There may also be chronic body aches, and the pain may not respond to medication. This is also sometimes an effect of certain neurological diseases, like Alzheimer’s disease, epilepsy, and multiple sclerosis.

People with depression may have trouble maintaining a typical work schedule or fulfilling social obligations. This could be due to symptoms like an inability to concentrate, memory problems, and difficulty making decisions.

Some people who are depressed may turn to alcohol or substance misuse, which may increase instances of unsafe behavior.

Someone with depression may consciously avoid talking about how they feel or try to mask the problem. People experiencing depression may also find themselves preoccupied with thoughts of death or hurting themselves.

Research shows people that the risk of suicide in people with mental disorders like depression is 5-8%.

Help is out there

If you or someone you know is in crisis and considering suicide or self-harm, please seek support:

  • Call the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline at 988.
  • Text HOME to the Crisis Textline at 741741.
  • Not in the United States? Find a helpline in your country with Befrienders Worldwide.
  • Call 911 or your local emergency services number if you feel safe to do so.

If you’re calling on behalf of someone else, stay with them until help arrives. You may remove weapons or substances that can cause harm if you can do so safely.

If you are not in the same household, stay on the phone with them until help arrives.

While depression is often thought of as a mental health condition, it also plays a heavy role in appetite and nutrition. Some people cope by overeating or bingeing. This can lead to weight gain and obesity-related conditions like type 2 diabetes.

You may even lose your appetite entirely or fail to eat the right amount of nutritious food. A sudden loss of interest in eating in older adults can lead to a condition called geriatric anorexia.

Eating problems can lead to symptoms that include:

  • stomachaches
  • cramps
  • constipation
  • malnutrition

Medication may not improve these symptoms if a person doesn’t eat the correct diet. Sweets and foods high in carbohydrates may provide immediate relief, but the effects are often temporary.

It’s important to maintain a healthy diet when experiencing depression. Nutrients are essential to making sure the body’s neurotransmitters are firing right.

Depression and stress are closely related. Stress hormones speed heart rate and make blood vessels tighten, putting your body in a prolonged state of emergency. Over time, this can lead to heart disease.

Recurrence of cardiovascular problems is linked more closely to depression than to other conditions like:

  • smoking
  • diabetes
  • high blood pressure
  • high cholesterol

People ages 40-79 living with mild-to-major depression have a higher risk of developing atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (CVD) for a period of 10 years. Younger people 20-39 years old have a higher lifetime risk of developing CVD.

Depression and stress may also have a negative impact on the immune system, making you more vulnerable to infections and diseases.

Research shows there may be a relationship between inflammation and depression, although the exact connection is unclear.

Inflammation is linked to many health problems. Some anti-inflammatory agents have been shown to benefit some people with depression.

Depression may be more difficult to detect in children who can’t articulate their symptoms.

You may want to look out for behaviors that include persistent clinginess, worry, and unwillingness to attend school without improvement over time. Children may also be excessively irritable and negative.

In addition, teens are particularly susceptible to depression.

About 4.1 million adolescents ages 12-17 in the U.S. had at least one episode of depression in 2020, which is about 17%. It’s more common in adolescent females and adolescents who self-identified as belonging to two or more races.

Symptoms of depression in teens may include:

  • unusually poor grades
  • excessive use of social media or computer games
  • notable, negative change in behavior at home or at school
  • self-harm

Learn more about depression in teens.

Are sex and gender the same thing?

People often use the terms sex and gender interchangeably, but they have different meanings:

  • “Sex” refers to the physical characteristics that differentiate male, female, and intersex bodies.
  • “Gender” refers to a person’s identity and how they feel inside. Examples include binary, nonbinary, agender, bigender, genderfluid, pangender, and trans. A person’s gender identity may be different from the sex they were assigned at birth.

Learn more about sex and gender.

Here you can find some answers to additional questions about the impact of depression on the body:

Does depression cause permanent brain damage?

Scans of the brain of people living with depression show significant changes in areas of the brain like the frontal lobe, hippocampus, temporal lobe, and amygdala.

Is depression a chemical imbalance?

A chemical imbalance of neurotransmitters in the brain, like serotonin, can play a role in depression, but the causes of the condition are often more complex.

Other factors that play a role are:

  • genetic history of depression
  • hormones
  • substance use disorders (SUD)
  • other medical conditions
  • environmental factors like trauma

Learn more about the causes of depression.

Depression is a mental health disorder that can also have an impact on your physical health. It may affect your cardiovascular and digestive systems and your immune system.

In addition, it can significantly negatively impact your quality of life. If you or someone you’re experiencing symptoms of depression, know that help is available.

It’s good to speak with your doctor and see a counselor or psychologist. If someone is contemplating suicide, call the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline at 988 as soon as possible.

The Effects of Depression in Your Body

Depression is technically a mental disorder but also affects your physical health. It may impact everything from your heart, kidney, nervous system, and immune system health.

Depression is one of the most common mental health conditions in the United States. At least 6% of U.S. adults had a major depressive episode annually in 2020.

Learn more about some of the most common symptoms of depression and how depression can affect your entire body, especially if left untreated.

Feeling sad or anxious at times is a normal part of life. But if these feelings last more than a few weeks, they could be symptoms of depression.

Clinical depression, especially left untreated, can interrupt your day-to-day life and cause a ripple effect of additional symptoms.

Major depression (a more advanced form of depression) is considered a serious medical condition that may dramatically affect your quality of life.

The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition (DMS-5) says that to qualify for a diagnosis of major depression, a person has to experience at least five symptoms for longer than two weeks.

Learn more about the criteria for major depression. More detail follows below.

Depression can cause a lot of symptoms within the central nervous system, many of which are easy to dismiss or ignore.

Older adults may also have difficulty identifying cognitive changes because it’s easy to dismiss the signs of depression as related to “getting older.”

According to the American Psychological Association, older adults with depression have more difficulties with memory loss and reaction time during everyday activities compared with younger adults with depression.

Symptoms of depression include overwhelming sadness, grief, and a sense of guilt. It may be described as a feeling of emptiness or hopelessness. Some people may find it difficult to put these feelings into words.

It may also be difficult for them to understand as symptoms can manifest and cause physical reactions. Frequent episodes of crying may be a symptom of depression, although not everyone cries if they’re depressed.

You may also feel tired all the time or have trouble sleeping at night. Other symptoms include:

  • irritability
  • anger
  • loss of interest in things that used to bring pleasure
  • headaches

There may also be chronic body aches, and the pain may not respond to medication. This is also sometimes an effect of certain neurological diseases, like Alzheimer’s disease, epilepsy, and multiple sclerosis.

People with depression may have trouble maintaining a typical work schedule or fulfilling social obligations. This could be due to symptoms like an inability to concentrate, memory problems, and difficulty making decisions.

Some people who are depressed may turn to alcohol or substance misuse, which may increase instances of unsafe behavior.

Someone with depression may consciously avoid talking about how they feel or try to mask the problem. People experiencing depression may also find themselves preoccupied with thoughts of death or hurting themselves.

Research shows people that the risk of suicide in people with mental disorders like depression is 5-8%.

Help is out there

If you or someone you know is in crisis and considering suicide or self-harm, please seek support:

  • Call the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline at 988.
  • Text HOME to the Crisis Textline at 741741.
  • Not in the United States? Find a helpline in your country with Befrienders Worldwide.
  • Call 911 or your local emergency services number if you feel safe to do so.

If you’re calling on behalf of someone else, stay with them until help arrives. You may remove weapons or substances that can cause harm if you can do so safely.

If you are not in the same household, stay on the phone with them until help arrives.

While depression is often thought of as a mental health condition, it also plays a heavy role in appetite and nutrition. Some people cope by overeating or bingeing. This can lead to weight gain and obesity-related conditions like type 2 diabetes.

You may even lose your appetite entirely or fail to eat the right amount of nutritious food. A sudden loss of interest in eating in older adults can lead to a condition called geriatric anorexia.

Eating problems can lead to symptoms that include:

  • stomachaches
  • cramps
  • constipation
  • malnutrition

Medication may not improve these symptoms if a person doesn’t eat the correct diet. Sweets and foods high in carbohydrates may provide immediate relief, but the effects are often temporary.

It’s important to maintain a healthy diet when experiencing depression. Nutrients are essential to making sure the body’s neurotransmitters are firing right.

Depression and stress are closely related. Stress hormones speed heart rate and make blood vessels tighten, putting your body in a prolonged state of emergency. Over time, this can lead to heart disease.

Recurrence of cardiovascular problems is linked more closely to depression than to other conditions like:

  • smoking
  • diabetes
  • high blood pressure
  • high cholesterol

People ages 40-79 living with mild-to-major depression have a higher risk of developing atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (CVD) for a period of 10 years. Younger people 20-39 years old have a higher lifetime risk of developing CVD.

Depression and stress may also have a negative impact on the immune system, making you more vulnerable to infections and diseases.

Research shows there may be a relationship between inflammation and depression, although the exact connection is unclear.

Inflammation is linked to many health problems. Some anti-inflammatory agents have been shown to benefit some people with depression.

Depression may be more difficult to detect in children who can’t articulate their symptoms.

You may want to look out for behaviors that include persistent clinginess, worry, and unwillingness to attend school without improvement over time. Children may also be excessively irritable and negative.

In addition, teens are particularly susceptible to depression.

About 4.1 million adolescents ages 12-17 in the U.S. had at least one episode of depression in 2020, which is about 17%. It’s more common in adolescent females and adolescents who self-identified as belonging to two or more races.

Symptoms of depression in teens may include:

  • unusually poor grades
  • excessive use of social media or computer games
  • notable, negative change in behavior at home or at school
  • self-harm

Learn more about depression in teens.

Are sex and gender the same thing?

People often use the terms sex and gender interchangeably, but they have different meanings:

  • “Sex” refers to the physical characteristics that differentiate male, female, and intersex bodies.
  • “Gender” refers to a person’s identity and how they feel inside. Examples include binary, nonbinary, agender, bigender, genderfluid, pangender, and trans. A person’s gender identity may be different from the sex they were assigned at birth.

Learn more about sex and gender.

Here you can find some answers to additional questions about the impact of depression on the body:

Does depression cause permanent brain damage?

Scans of the brain of people living with depression show significant changes in areas of the brain like the frontal lobe, hippocampus, temporal lobe, and amygdala.

Is depression a chemical imbalance?

A chemical imbalance of neurotransmitters in the brain, like serotonin, can play a role in depression, but the causes of the condition are often more complex.

Other factors that play a role are:

  • genetic history of depression
  • hormones
  • substance use disorders (SUD)
  • other medical conditions
  • environmental factors like trauma

Learn more about the causes of depression.

Depression is a mental health disorder that can also have an impact on your physical health. It may affect your cardiovascular and digestive systems and your immune system.

In addition, it can significantly negatively impact your quality of life. If you or someone you’re experiencing symptoms of depression, know that help is available.

It’s good to speak with your doctor and see a counselor or psychologist. If someone is contemplating suicide, call the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline at 988 as soon as possible.

How does depression affect your well-being?

Each of us has heard the word "depression". But do we fully understand what it is? Let's try to understand the essence of this disease and how it affects our psychological and physical well-being.

Contents

  • What is depression?
  • Symptoms of depression: psychological state
  • Symptoms of depression: physical condition
  • How can a mental disorder cause pain? nine0008
  • Why does depression occur and who is at risk?
  • How to make a diagnosis?
  • How to treat?

What is depression?

In many people's minds, the word "depression" is synonymous with bad mood and depression. To some extent this corresponds to the truth, but in reality everything is much more complicated.

Depression, or major depressive disorder, is an illness that causes persistent feelings of sadness, loss of interest in life, and a host of other symptoms. It affects how a person feels, thinks and behaves and can lead to a variety of both emotional and physical problems. It is important to understand that depression is a serious mental disorder that requires treatment and observation by a specialist, and not to be confused with other problems. nine0003

For example, constant fatigue and unwillingness to get out of bed in the morning may indicate a lack of vitamins, iron, magnesium or other trace elements.

Although it is possible to take tests for the level of these substances on your own, you should not do this: it will be better if the necessary checks are prescribed and carried out by a doctor - this will save you unnecessary anxiety and expenses.

If you feel bad, experience negative emotions and do not find strength for everyday activities, then this is also not a reason to immediately suspect depression. It is likely that the lowering of mood is a reaction to severe stress or bad events that have occurred in your life. Experts point out the following differences between "natural" negative emotions and depression:

  1. If a strong grief has occurred in a person's life (for example, the death of a loved one), then painful feelings come in waves, often mixed with positive memories. With depression, the mood and interest in life are constantly reduced, for two or more weeks.
  2. In severe sadness or grief, a person's self-esteem is at the same level, and in depression, feelings of worthlessness and self-loathing are common.
  3. In severe grief, thoughts of one's own death may appear sporadically when a person thinks about "joining" with a deceased loved one. In a depressive disorder, such thoughts arise from a sense of the meaninglessness of one's life or from an inability to cope with problems. nine0008

In any case, the symptoms of true depression are not limited to those listed above. They can be divided into psychological and physical.

Symptoms of depression: psychological state

Symptoms of depression affecting the psychological state of a person include:

● Feelings of sadness, hopelessness, emptiness.
● Outbursts of anger and irritability even for minor reasons.
● Loss of interest and pleasure in activities that normally bring joy (sports, hobbies, meeting loved ones). nine0054 ● Attacks of anxiety, agitation, nervousness.
● Feelings of worthlessness or guilt, obsession with past failures.
● Problems with concentration and memory.
● Recurrent thoughts about one's own death, attempts to hurt oneself or otherwise harm oneself.

In children and adolescents, psychological symptoms are generally the same as those listed above, but they may be accompanied by a decrease in school performance, unwillingness to attend classes, avoidance of communication with classmates and friends, tearfulness. nine0003

Symptoms of depression: physical condition

The physical manifestations of depressive disorder include the following symptoms:

● Sleep disorders: insomnia or drowsiness.
● Constant fatigue and lack of energy, due to which even ordinary daily activities (cleaning, showering) require significant physical effort.
● Disorders of appetite: its decrease or, conversely, its increase. The result is weight loss or gain.
● Pain that occurs for no apparent reason. nine0054 ● Convulsions.
● Digestive problems.

How can a mental disorder cause pain?

Experts say that disturbances in the normal functioning of the body and pain of unknown origin - that is, occurring without an apparent physical cause - are often a symptom of depression. Pain can occur in the joints, in the limbs, in the back and head; in addition, a person may experience problems with the gastrointestinal tract, fatigue, sleep and appetite disorders, changes in psychomotor activity. nine0003

Experts say that both types of symptoms are related - the more pain, the more severe the depressive disorder. In addition, pain can be a kind of "indicator" - according to one study, which studied data from more than 1,000 people diagnosed with depression from 14 countries, 69% of patients first came to the doctor because of unclear pain and other physiological problems. This connection between pain and depression can interfere with diagnosis: first, the doctor, of course, will send the patient with a headache or indigestion for further specialized examinations, but if they do not show anything, and the doctor does not have enough knowledge, he may not suspect depression and be in a diagnostic impasse. nine0003

Why is this happening? Physical pain and depression have a deep biological connection. In our body there are biologically active substances called neurotransmitters - they transmit electrochemical impulses from nerve cells and neurons to muscles and other cells of the body. Neurotransmitters that affect both pain and mood include serotonin and norepinephrine.

Changes in the function and effect of these neurotransmitters, and how they interact with neurons and nerve cells involved in maintaining mood stability, may play an important role in depression. nine0033

The reasons why neurotransmitters start to work "wrong" are very complex, and scientists continue to investigate them.

Why does depression occur and who is at risk?

According to experts, women are more susceptible to depression than men, and the median age of onset is 32 years (this means that half of the people who receive a diagnosis of depression in their lifetime will already have their first depressive episode by this age) . However, this is all - experts cannot give a more detailed portrait of a “typical patient”, because anyone can become a victim of the disease. nine0003

However, there are a number of factors that increase the risk of developing a depressive disorder:

  1. Genetics. Depression can be inherited: studies show that genetics can contribute up to about 40% to the development of depression, and the likelihood that the twin of a person suffering from depression will also receive this diagnosis is about 70%. In 2019, scientists conducted a meta-analysis of data on more than 800 thousand people and found 102 genetic variants associated with the development of depression. nine0008
  2. Environmental factors. If a person has experienced severe stress or psychological trauma in his life (for example, a child had a difficult childhood, he was subjected to violence, lived in conditions of extreme poverty), then the likelihood of developing a depressive disorder increases.
  3. Personal qualities of a person. People with low self-esteem, easily succumbed to stress, and prone to pessimism are at greater risk.
  4. Hormonal changes due to pregnancy, postpartum, menopause, and thyroid disorders. nine0008
  5. Other serious health problems: Parkinson's disease, diabetes, heart disease, cancer.

How to make a diagnosis?

Not only the well-being of a person, but also his life can depend on the correct diagnosis and timely treatment. To diagnose a depressive disorder, doctors must conduct a set of tests.

  1. First of all, a psychiatrist should talk to a person about his state of health, thoughts, behavior. The patient may be asked to fill out a special questionnaire that contains various signs of depression. For a diagnosis to be made, the patient must experience a certain amount of these symptoms for two or more weeks over most of the day. nine0008
  2. General medical examination to find out whether the pain or other disturbances of the body - of course, if present - are of a physical nature.

How to treat?

Despite the seriousness of the disease, do not despair when making a diagnosis. Depressive disorder is treated using different methods:

  1. Antidepressants - these drugs affect the biochemical processes in the brain, the work of neurotransmitters. It is important to know that antidepressants may not have an effect for several weeks after the start of treatment - the patient may not notice improvement within 2-3 months. Sometimes the doctor is not immediately able to choose the right dosage or drug, in addition, antidepressants can have side effects, so they should never be taken on their own, without prescription and constant monitoring by the doctor. nine0008
  2. Psychotherapy. In cases of mild depression, psychotherapy can be used as the main treatment, in more severe cases, in addition to antidepressants. Usually, specialists use cognitive behavioral therapy - it is focused on helping a person to focus on the present, solve current problems, recognize thoughts and behavior distorted by depression and correct them. This treatment may take several weeks or months.
  3. Depression is usually treated with medication and psychotherapy. But in extremely severe cases, when the previous treatment has not helped, the method of electroconvulsive (or electroconvulsive) therapy can be used. The patient is under anesthesia, and doctors perform short-term stimulation of his brain with an electric current. nine0008
  4. Another relatively new treatment for depression is transcranial magnetic stimulation (impact on the cerebral cortex using magnetic pulses), but research on its effectiveness has not yet been completed.
  • Mayo Clinic, Depression (major depressive disorder), 2018
  • National Institute of Mental Health, Depression, 2018
  • Mayo Clinic, Pain and depression: Is there a link? 2019
  • Nature Reviews, Major depressive disorder, 2016
  • The Primary Care Companion to The Journal of Clinical Psychiatry, The Link Between Depression and Physical Symptoms, 2004
  • Web MD, Depression and Chronic Pain, 2021
  • The New England Journal of Medicine, An international study of the relation between somatic symptoms and depression, 1999
  • American Psychiatric Association, What Is Depression? 2020

How does depression affect the body?

Depression is a complex mental condition that is accompanied by a decrease in mood, loss of the ability to experience joy and a feeling of hopelessness. nine0003

The influence of depression can extend not only to emotions and the psyche, but also to the physical health of a person.

Symptoms of depression may occur as a temporary reaction to grief or trauma. But if the symptoms continue for more than 2 weeks, it may be a sign of a major depressive disorder. However, the same symptoms can appear as a result of bipolar or post-traumatic stress disorder (post-traumatic stress disorder - PTSD).

Signs of depression include:

  • depressed mood for a long time, including feelings of sadness or emptiness;
  • loss of pleasure from previously performed activities;
  • excessive sleepiness or insomnia;
  • unintentional weight loss or gain or change in appetite;
  • physical agitation or feeling of lethargy;
  • low energy or fatigue;
  • feelings of worthlessness or guilt;
  • trouble concentrating or making decisions; nine0008
  • obsessive thoughts about death or suicide.

Symptoms vary and may change over time. To be diagnosed with depression, there must be more than 5 symptoms that have been present continuously for 2 weeks.

Depression may manifest as the following symptoms:

  • weight gain or loss. People with depression may experience changes in appetite that can cause unintentional weight loss or weight gain;
    • nine0007 chronic pain. People with depression may experience unexplained pain. This can manifest as pain in the joints or muscles, chest and headache. As a result, symptoms of depression may worsen due to chronic pain;
  • diseases of the cardiovascular system. Depression can reduce a person's motivation to maintain an active lifestyle. In addition, since patients in this condition tend to eat "bad" food and move little, the risk of developing diseases of the cardiovascular system increases. Depression may also be an independent risk factor for cardiovascular disease. So, according to the results of a study published in the American Journal of Hypertension in 2015, every 5th person with heart failure or coronary heart disease is prone to depression; nine0008
  • inflammation. Chronic stress and depression are associated with the development of inflammation, as they can affect the functioning of the immune system. Individuals with depression are more likely to develop inflammatory or autoimmune disorders such as irritable bowel syndrome, type 2 diabetes, and arthritis;
  • sexual health problems. Patients with depression may experience a decrease in libido, problems with arousal, a lack of pleasure from intimacy;
  • exacerbation of chronic diseases; nine0008
  • sleep problems. Depression can trigger the development of insomnia and/or sleep problems. As a result, fatigue, lethargy appear;
  • gastrointestinal problems. Diarrhea, vomiting, nausea, or constipation may be symptoms of depression. This may be because depression alters the brain's response to stress by suppressing the activity of the hypothalamus, pituitary, and adrenal glands.

It should be noted that depression, like other diseases, is now successfully treatable.

Learn more