Physical Symptoms of Depression

There are obvious signs of depression, like feelings of sadness, hopelessness, and anxiety–but depression can also cause unexplained physical symptoms. Physical pain and depression are closely related. Simply put, pain can be depressing, and depression causes and intensifies pain. Some research shows that pain and depression share common pathways in the limbic (emotional) region of the brain. In fact, the same chemical messengers control pain and mood. According to an article published by the Harvard Medical School, people with chronic pain have three times the average risk of developing psychiatric symptoms–usually mood or anxiety disorders–and depressed patients have three times the average risk of developing chronic pain.

Many people suffering from depression never get help because they don’t realize that pain may be a symptom of depression. The importance of understanding the physical symptoms of depression is that treating depression can help with the pain–and treating pain can help with depression.

The 10 most common physical symptoms of depression are:

Headaches: 

Most people get headaches every now and then but a persistent thumping headache or a migraine is a very common sign that you might be depressed. Even if you are already prone to headaches, a depressive episode can make it worse.

Digestive problems:

 Remember being a kid and feeling sick in your stomach before an exam or when you felt you were in trouble? It can still happen now, when you’re depressed. Vomiting, nausea and diarrhea can all be present. Other digestive problems such as stomach ulcers and irritable bowel syndrome might become worse.

Mysterious aches and pains: 

There is a strong link between depression and physical aches and pains. This may be down to a combination of factors such as not sleeping too well, not eating right, not getting proper nutrition and a higher presence of cortisol, the stress hormone.

Tiredness: 

If you have depression, tiredness, exhaustion and fatigue are probably a part of your daily experience. You may feel lethargic and generally just drained of energy. Or indeed, you may feel the opposite and feel...

Excessive energy: 

It’s very possible that rather than feeling drained, you feel a very restless energy which makes it difficult for you sit down or relax or stay in one place for very long. This is a surprisingly common physical symptom of depression. You may feel the constant need to do something and keep yourself busy as much as possible.

Chest pains: 

Chest pains should always be taken seriously. Stabbing pains or a tightness in the chest is very common in depressed people whose stress levels are much higher than normal.

Back pains:

 Depression and back pain is a bit of a chicken or the egg scenario. Back pain is a common symptoms of depression but people with chronic back pain are also 4 times more likely to end up suffering from depression than those who don’t.

Changes in the menstrual cycle: 

This is a very common physical symptoms of depression in women. Periods tend to become irregular or can be heavier or lighter than before and its not uncommon for them to stop completely for a while. If this has happened to you and you are sure there is no other reason for it such as pregnancy, you might want to see a doctor about it. Once your depression is gone, your cycle should return to normal.

Weight loss or gain: 

Depression causes a change of appetite in many people. Some lose their appetite completely while others take refuge in comfort foods. A corresponding noticeable weight loss or gain results from this, along with other problems caused by bad nutrition such as dull hair, bad skin and weak nails.

Changes in speech patterns: 

This one is often overlooked but still a common physical symptom of depression. It might not be so obvious to you if you’re feeling depressed but you may notice it in others who are. Their speech tends to be either very slow and spoken in a very low voice you need to strain to hear or they might talk at top speed, each word tripping over the other. Whether the speech is fast or slow should be compared to the person’s normal speech patterns.

As well as visiting a professional if you notice any of the above, there’s also a wide range of natural products you can take to help relieve the physical symptoms of depression. Again, you should talk to a professional before trying any of them. The good news is once your depression fades, any of these physical problems should disappear along with it.