Depression is a mental health disorder that may be described as a feeling of hopelessness and affects the physical health of a person. A person with depression suffers from a persistent feeling of sadness and exhibits a lack of interest in things around them although not everyone who is depressed cries all the time. One goes through episodes where they feel low and empty and most people undergoing it are not even aware of the adverse effects it can cause on the body. Their mental health can further worsen the symptoms of several health issues and also increase the risk of certain diseases. It affects not only your mental health, but can affect your physical health in a number of ways. 

Depression symptoms can include a sense of sadness, frequent episodes of crying, chronic fatigue and trouble sleeping. Some people also have a decreased appetite, anger, irritability and a loss of interest in things around them. Some suffer from headaches, chronic body aches and pain that may not respond to medication. They may also have trouble in maintaining a normal work schedule or in fulfilling social obligations and an inability to concentrate on things, along with memory problems and difficulty in making decisions.

Some people suffer from a persistent form of depression, also known as chronic depression, wherein they lose interest in everyday activities. A feeling of hopelessness, lack of productivity, low self-esteem and a feeling of inadequacy are some of chronic depression effects, which reflects in a person’s daily life and effects one’s relationships. If an individual suffers from a chronic depressive disorder, they may find it difficult to stay optimistic and may be described as having a gloomy personality, which due to chronic depression effects. 

In some people, depression and memory lapse happens together, which makes it difficult for them to focus on work and make decisions or even think clearly. Some individuals may suffer from chronic fatigue and decreased appetite, which makes them weak and can have a serious effect on their quality of life. Research suggests that in some people, memory can be diminished as a result of depression and it has also been suggested that depression may lead to short-term memory loss in some people.

 

Effects of depression in your body 

Depression can cause a lot of damage on your body. A few effects of depression in your body include:

  • Change in sleep patterns: In some people, depression may lead to altered sleep patterns, making some sleepy while in some cases, people may suffer from sleeplessness. This type of altered sleep patterns in individuals starts affecting the day to day activities and gradually shows its negative impact on the overall health.
  • Eating related problems: People suffering from depression may also witness a change in their eating patterns, which ultimately affects their body. Some people may eat more, thereby gaining weight and becoming obese and getting susceptible to chronic lifestyle diseases in future. In others, they may not eat well, getting low intake of nutrients that can worsen their health and lead to problems like constipation, malnutrition, among others.
  • Poor concentration: A person suffering from depression suffers from poor concentration in conducting the simplest of tasks. They also low concentration and if they suffer from chronic depression, their focus is severely affected and they start having troubles in work and even in their social life. 
  • Exhaustion: Individuals suffering from depression tend to feel very tired and fatigued, which is one of the most common effects of depression. This can make simple everyday tasks appear complicated and while some may mistake this as a result of less sleep, but it is a side effect of depression.
  • Addiction: In some cases, when an individual is severely depressed, they tend to get addicted to certain destructive habits like alcoholism, smoking, drug abuse, among others. All this can affect the body and make them suffer even more. In some cases, people afflicted by alcohol abuse can even get suicidal thoughts and even try taking their life. In such a case, providing immediate medical attention is of the utmost importance.
  • Losing interest in life: People suffering from depression gradually lose interest in life and things that they enjoyed previously. They stop doing activities that earlier brought them joy and hesitate from interacting with people and making friends. This change in behaviour can be due to the fatigue caused by depression. Depressed individuals also start feeling worthless and have no interest in life and in people. 

 

Treatment of depression 

In the present times that we live in, no one is far removed from facing the consequences of depression as it can hit any of us at some point in life. While in most cases, depression can be resolved with time, but in cases where it is severe, it can affect your health in a variety of ways. The first way to treat depression is recognizing that it is a health issue that has can cause problems in the physical health. It is treatable and a doctor may recommend medicines, therapy or a combined approach along with lifestyle changes. With the right support, a person can manage both physical and mental health effects of depression.