How Depression Impacts Your Body: Understanding the Physical Effects

While depression is primarily recognized as a mental health condition, its influence extends deeply into your physical well-being. It can affect vital organs such as the heart, kidneys, the nervous system, and your immune defenses.

Depression is among the most prevalent mental health disorders in the United States, with over 6% of adults experiencing a major depressive episode each year as of 2020.

Delve into the common signs of depression and learn how it can affect your entire body, especially when left unaddressed.

Understanding Depression

Feeling sad or anxious occasionally is a natural part of life. However, when these emotions persist beyond a few weeks, they might signal depression.

Clinical depression, if untreated, can disrupt everyday activities and trigger a cascade of additional symptoms.

Major depression is a serious medical condition that can profoundly diminish your quality of life.

According to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition (DSM-5), a diagnosis of major depression requires experiencing at least five symptoms for more than two weeks.

Below, we explore the diagnostic criteria in more detail.

Depression’s Impact on the Central Nervous System

Depression manifests numerous symptoms affecting the central nervous system, many of which can be overlooked or misunderstood.

Older adults may find it challenging to recognize cognitive changes, often attributing them to aging rather than depression.

The American Psychological Association notes that older adults with depression often experience greater difficulties with memory and reaction times compared to younger individuals.

Common symptoms include intense sadness, grief, and feelings of guilt, often described as emptiness or hopelessness. Some may struggle to express these emotions.

Physical reactions such as frequent crying can occur, though not everyone exhibits this.

Other symptoms include persistent fatigue, insomnia, irritability, anger, loss of interest in previously enjoyable activities, and headaches.

Chronic body aches resistant to medication may also be present, sometimes overlapping with neurological disorders like Alzheimer's, epilepsy, or multiple sclerosis.

Depression can impair daily functioning, making it difficult to maintain work or social responsibilities due to concentration issues, memory lapses, and indecisiveness.

Some individuals may resort to alcohol or substance misuse, increasing the risk of unsafe behaviors.

Those affected might avoid discussing their feelings or attempt to hide their struggles, while some may experience persistent thoughts of death or self-harm.

Research indicates that the suicide risk among individuals with mental disorders such as depression ranges between 5-8%.

Support Is Available

If you or someone you know is in crisis, contemplating suicide or self-harm, immediate help is crucial:

• Contact the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline by calling or texting 988, or chat online at 988lifeline.org for free, confidential support 24/7.
• Text HOME to 741741 to connect with a volunteer counselor through the Crisis Text Line anytime.
• If outside the U.S., locate a helpline via Befrienders Worldwide.
• Call 911 or your local emergency number if it is safe to do so.

When assisting someone else, stay with them until professional help arrives, and if safe, remove any harmful items.

If not in the same location, maintain phone contact until help is available.

How Depression Affects the Digestive System

Depression significantly influences appetite and nutrition. Some individuals cope by overeating or binge eating, leading to weight gain and conditions like type 2 diabetes.

Conversely, others may lose appetite entirely, risking malnutrition and, in older adults, a condition known as geriatric anorexia.

Digestive symptoms can include stomach pain, cramps, constipation, and nutritional deficiencies.

Medications alone may not alleviate these issues if a balanced diet is not maintained. While sugary and carbohydrate-rich foods may provide short-term comfort, their benefits are fleeting.

Maintaining proper nutrition is vital during depression, as nutrients support the brain's neurotransmitter functions.

Depression’s Effects on Cardiovascular and Immune Health

Stress and depression are closely linked, with stress hormones elevating heart rate and constricting blood vessels, placing the body in a prolonged state of alert. This can increase the risk of heart disease over time.

Depression is more strongly associated with recurring cardiovascular issues than traditional risk factors such as smoking, diabetes, hypertension, or high cholesterol.

Adults aged 40-79 with mild to severe depression have an elevated 10-year risk of developing atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease, while younger adults (20-39) face higher lifetime risks.

Depression and stress may also weaken the immune system, heightening susceptibility to infections.

Emerging research suggests a link between inflammation and depression, though the exact mechanisms remain unclear. Some anti-inflammatory treatments have shown promise in alleviating depressive symptoms.

Depression in Children and Adolescents

Detecting depression in children can be challenging since they may struggle to communicate their feelings.

Watch for persistent clinginess, excessive worry, reluctance to attend school, irritability, and negativity that do not improve over time.

Teenagers are particularly vulnerable, with approximately 4.1 million U.S. adolescents (ages 12-17) experiencing at least one depressive episode in 2020, representing about 17%. This is more common among females and those identifying with multiple races.

Signs in teens include declining academic performance, excessive use of digital media, noticeable behavioral changes, and self-harm.

Learn more about depression in teens.

Clarifying Sex and Gender

Though often used interchangeably, 'sex' and 'gender' have distinct meanings:

• Sex refers to biological differences such as male, female, or intersex physical traits.
• Gender relates to personal identity and internal experience, including identities such as binary, nonbinary, agender, bigender, genderfluid, pangender, and transgender. Gender identity may differ from assigned sex at birth.

Discover more about the differences between sex and gender.

Common Questions About Depression and the Body

Here are answers to some frequently asked questions regarding depression's impact on physical health:

Can depression cause lasting brain damage?

Brain imaging studies reveal notable changes in regions such as the frontal lobe, hippocampus, temporal lobe, and amygdala among individuals with depression.

Is depression caused by a chemical imbalance?

Depression often involves neurotransmitter imbalances, like serotonin, but its causes are multifaceted, including:

• Family history of depression
• Hormonal fluctuations
• Substance use disorders
• Other medical conditions
• Environmental factors such as trauma

Learn more about what causes depression.

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Key Takeaways

Depression is a complex mental health disorder that also profoundly affects your physical health, impacting cardiovascular, digestive, and immune systems.

Its presence can significantly reduce quality of life, but effective help is available. If you or someone you know is experiencing depression, consulting healthcare professionals and mental health counselors is crucial.

In cases of suicidal thoughts or self-harm, immediate support from resources like the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline is vital.

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