Lydia G. Reynolds
Most people view depression as a problem of the soul and believe it is related to the feeling of sadness and hopelessness. However, it’s not the complete truth. Depression, as a biochemical imbalance, is also responsible for making one’s body sick.
When someone tells others they have a physical sickness due to depression, many often believe that this is just a way of drawing attention or getting pity. The fact is that depression is a medical condition that affects both mind and body.
Depression is not just in your head
Depression is no different from the functioning of other diseases like diabetes or heart disease. If a person has diabetes, their blood sugar level is affected. When a person is dealing with depression, however, their brain chemistry is altered. This condition is reflected throughout the whole body.
How depression affects your stomach and digestion
Your brain is constantly communicating with your stomach. Medical professionals call this the gut-brain communication. Your brain’s abnormality due to depression will be followed by the digestive system’s abnormality, too. Thus, it is common to find that stomach problems are suffered by people suffering from depression. This is how most people with depression have the following symptoms:
1. Stomach and digestion issues:
There are certain nerves that connect the brain to the stomach. When depression affects these nerves, the stomach does not work as it should, resulting in:
- Sickness right after meals
- Stomach pain, though there is no obvious reason
- Frequent heartburn
- Bad or irregular bowel movement
- Loss of appetite or eating too much
2. Pain throughout the body:
The brain has different ways of perceiving pain when there is depression present. Regular activities that do not usually cause pain start to be painful, for example:
- Headaches
- Back pain without any cause
- Muscle aches throughout the body
- Joint pain, i.e., palms, knees, or shoulders
- Chest pain
3. Fluctuation of weight and energy:
Many lose weight as they cannot eat. Some people eat when they are feeling sad or stressed, which results in weight gain. These changes are caused by hunger, and energy is one of the components of the brain that is affected by depression.
Additionally, weight differences due to depression are not the same as normal weight changes. They are sudden and occur out of control. Often, a person may not be able to understand the reason why their food intake has changed so much.
4. Problems with sleep:
Depression makes sleeping at night much harder. It makes some people stay awake at night. Others wake up many times or way too early in the morning. Other people may sleep a lot, but not like a restful sleep.
Poor or insufficient sleep can make all other signs of depression get much worse. When the body is not supported with good sleep, it cannot fight off the spread of diseases or work well. This creates a cycle where depression leads to sleep problems, and poor sleep becomes the cause of depression symptoms.
5. Weakened immune system:
It is proven that the body has a harder time fighting off diseases when a person is sick with depression. People with depression experience colds, flus, or other infections more often than other people. Additionally, many may take longer to heal from wounds and injuries. The reason for this is that depression is a stressor for the body. Long-lasting stress is weakening the immune system. When the immune system is not thoroughly operative, any virus can easily attack the human body.
Effectiveness of professional treatment in mental health disorders
Many individuals struggle with their depression. They believe that if they are strong enough, they will be able to cure without help. But depression is the same as other medical conditions. Getting rid of diabetes is not possible without consulting a doctor, nor is it in the case of treating depression without a specialist.
Mental health specialists, such as a depression psychiatrist, are aware of the health issues that occur as a result of depression. They can help figure out what may be causing your symptoms and provide treatment tailored to your condition.
What professionals can do for you:
- Look for health problems associated with depression
- Identify any vitamin deficiencies that may be at the root of the problem
- Recommend medications that alleviate mental and physical symptoms
- Teach you mechanisms for managing disturbing emotions
- Create a treatment plan that suits only you
- Check your progress and adjust treatment if needed
The treatments for depression are:
- Medications bring the brain chemical balance back
- Therapy imparts skills that teach how to reduce stress
- Lifestyle imbalances support the overall body’s healing
Thus, if you think depression is making you sick, looking for professional help is brave because weakness is not your nature. Expert help can help you understand the processes in your body and give you the possibility to feel more comfortable both physically and mentally.
Depression, which also includes physical symptoms, is one of the reasons for not seeking professional help. This is where online mental health services like GABA Telepsychiatry have come into the homes of many families as a big game-changer. You can now seek clarity with an expert from the comfort of your home without commuting. So take advantage of online psychiatric care from a board-certified online psychiatrist to keep up a healthy mind.
