Side Effects of Depression: The Physical and Emotional Toll No One Talks About

How Side Effects of Depression Harm the Body: Exploring Beyond the Brain

Depression is a serious mental health condition that is characterized by low mood and feelings of emptiness. On top of affecting the mind, depression can also affect the body physically, causing aches and pains with no explainable injury. If left untreated, depression and its side effects can also cause harm to other areas of the body.

Digestive System Health and Depression

Those living with depression will probably say at some point in their lives, they have experienced gastric distress related to poor mood and mood shifts. The correlation between both has been the topic of recent studies. The enteric nervous system (ENS) consists of two layers of over 100 million nerve cells that line the complete gastrointestinal tract – from the esophagus to the rectum. It is responsible for swallowing, enzyme release for food breakdown, and blood flow control for nutrient absorption.

In the past, researchers saw a connection between anxiety and depression causing worsening symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). New studies suggest that the opposite is true – the irritation in the intestine lining can cause signals to the brain triggering mood changes. The studies have indicated a higher number of people with IBS and functional bowel issues have depression and/or anxiety.

Depression Connections with Cardiovascular Health

There are many studies surrounding depression and cardiovascular health such as developing heart diseases. However, depression does not necessarily cause heart disease to occur. The side effects of depression including substance use, poor eating habits, and limited physical activity, increase the risk of developing problems with the heart. On the other hand, those living with heart disease can develop depression after the diagnosis. Chronic illnesses of the heart require many lifestyle changes at once, which can lead to feeling down and guilty that the condition is present.

Does Depression Weaken the Immune System?

The immune system is responsible for fighting off infections and illnesses to protect our bodies. The side effects of depression can result in a weakening of this system because of different side effects. These include:

Sleep pattern disturbances: Sleep is where the body and mind rest and rejuvenate. Toxins in the brain are filtered out, nerve cells reorganize, and cells are repaired within the body. Depression interrupts sleep patterns, causing you to sleep too much or too little. Without proper sleep, the body cannot successfully engage in these processes, which can lead to the weakening of the immune system.

Eating habits: It is well-known that depression can cause eating habits to change. Eating too little will not fuel the body with enough vitamins and minerals, which the immune system needs to keep functioning. Eating too much can result in weight gain and lead to cravings for unhealthy foods, which also do not nourish the body. The immune system requires a balanced diet to keep working properly and fight off infections.

Stress: Increased stress from missing work or strained relationships as a result of depression can cause immune system concerns. Cortisol is released during times of high stress, and having too much in the body can cause inflammation. Normal levels can reduce inflammation and help the immune system, but constant, long-term high cortisol levels weaken the immune system and flare inflammation.

Depression Side Effects and the Mind: The Emotional Tolls of Depression

Depression largely impacts mood and emotions, causing difficulties in relationships, work, and daily tasks. When depression is left untreated, these side effects can worsen further, leading to even deeper plaguing of depression symptoms.

The Impact of Depression on Mood

As a mood disorder, depression can cause mild to severe impacts on daily mood and emotions. The brain releases neurotransmitters regularly including dopamine and serotonin. These are reward chemicals that create good feelings after pleasurable activities such as eating a good meal or exercising. Depression disrupts the release of these chemicals, depleting their abundance. This results in mood changes associated with depression, including sadness and irritability.

How Depression Silently Steals Motivation

Cognitive function in the brain includes motivation, and depression directly impacts this process. Those with depression have a longer processing time when handling negative situations, as well as difficulties in shifting attention and suppressing thoughts that are irrelevant. Focusing on these thoughts and negativities makes it challenging to stay motivated on the tasks at hand. It takes more physical energy to handle the stress and emotions when in this state, further taking motivation away.

Depression and Relationships: How Bonds Become Strained

Depression can cause relationship strain for both the person living with the condition and their partner. As we mentioned above, mood and motivation can fluctuate, ranging in severity and frequency of changes. One day you may feel productive and level, like you can accomplish anything. The next day, it becomes so hard to get out of bed that you feel your progress meant nothing the day before.

Your partner may not understand what is going on, especially if they do not know you live with depression. If you hide your depression symptoms and try to stay high-functioning, your partner may become confused and not understand when depression becomes overwhelming. This causes strain as they try to help but don’t know what is going on. Even if your depression is being treated, it is best to be honest with your partner to keep the relationship healthy. However, if your partner is not supportive and ends up bringing you down further, it may be better to end the relationship. Your mental health is important, and surrounding yourself with supportive loved ones is key to keeping depression in check.

Get Help for Depression Today in Hillsborough County, FL

The side effects of depression are detrimental physically and emotionally, but they don’t have to last forever. Depression treatment will provide a safe space to begin the healing process through therapy and medications. There is no set combination of treatment techniques that fits everyone. Your care team will help you find what works best for you and what coping skills are the most beneficial. You will have the confidence to get through stressful situations and move forward into a brighter future managing your depression.

Don’t let depression side effects take over your life, help is available today. Clean Recovery Centers offers a full spectrum depression program through our unique, three-phase approach. Our team will help you incorporate wellness techniques into your regular therapies, helping you find what works best for you and addressing your triggers. Even if you are managing a co-occurring substance use disorder, our team can treat both conditions at the same time. Call us today at (888) 330-2532 to learn more about our program offerings.

Get clean. Live clean. Stay clean.

FAQs

Can depression lower life expectancy?

Yes, depression can lower life expectancy significantly, especially when left untreated for a long time.

Does depression cause permanent brain damage?

When left untreated, depression can cause changes in the brain that can be damaging. Some damage can be healed after receiving the proper treatment, but other areas can be permanently affected. Specifically, the hippocampus can shrink and the nerve connections between areas in the brain can be lost.

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