Depression is a medical condition that causes a wide array of symptoms, and while many people are familiar with the emotional and behavioral effects, fewer people realize the extent to which depression can affect the physical body.
However, there are several physical symptoms of depression, including dizziness and feeling lightheaded, aches, sleep disruptions, digestive issues, and exhaustion. Not everyone will experience all the physical effects, but knowing what they are can help make a proper diagnosis, and can help you understand and cope with symptoms that you or a loved one are experiencing.
Aches and Pains
Depression can cause various aches and pains throughout the body, including:
- Headaches
- Backaches
- Joint and muscle pain
- Chest pains
However, there’s often a correlation between the physical pain caused by depression and the emotional and behavioral symptoms. For instance, people with depression who suffer from headaches often experience a form of tension headache, and this could be caused by constantly tensing the muscles around the neck and scalp.
Similarly, the chest pains or breathing difficulties could be caused by anxiety and panic, but it’s still important to seek medical treatment if you experience chest pains. Furthermore, depression is often associated with joint and muscle pain, but this could also be in part because people suffering from depression don’t tend to adhere to a proper diet or get proper exercise, and this can exacerbate muscle aches and joint pain.
Digestive, Appetite, and Weight-Related Symptoms
Another way that depression affects the body is in the stomach, and this includes changes in the appetite, weight gain or loss, and digestive problems. Depression can lead to a loss of appetite that results in weight loss, an increase in appetite, cravings, or binge eating that result in weight gain. It can also cause nausea, queasiness, diarrhea, and constipation, on top of exacerbating the symptoms of colitis, ulcers, and Crohn’s disease.
Insomnia and Exhaustion
Anyone who’s suffered from depression is likely all too aware of the changes in sleeping patterns and energy levels that can occur. Depression is often associated with insomnia, a difficulty sleeping, frequent waking in the night, and hypersomnia, which refers to excessive sleepiness.
These changes in sleep patterns often lead to fatigue, exhaustion, and a total lack of energy, to the point where having to get out of bed in the morning can seem impossible.
The problem with this symptom is that it can cause a dangerous spiral of symptoms because people who don’t get enough sleep don’t function properly or think clearly. This means they may not understand what’s happening may delay treatment, and will avoid certain activities (such as exercise) that could actually improve their mood and physical state.
While many people are aware that depression causes states of severe melancholy, behavioral changes, and feelings of helplessness and hopelessness, the physical symptoms of depression are often less publicized.
However, the physical symptoms of depression are no less real just because they aren’t talked about or understood as well as the emotional, cognitive, and behavioral symptoms. If you or someone you love is suffering from depression, you may be experiencing these symptoms, and understanding that everything is linked can help you understand your disease more clearly.
To learn more about the signs and symptoms of depression or to talk to a therapist, call or contact us today at 202-641-5335.
