Pervasive and life-impacting, depression can affect many levels of normal functioning. According to Depression-Guide.com, for over 20 percent of those suffering clinical depression, even routine activity is unattainable. Physical health, which is intrinsically linked to our emotional well-being, is often negatively impacted by depressed feelings. How does this mood disorder affect health? In addition to causing a variety of physical symptoms, depression is considered a risk factor for a surprising range of illnesses and conditions.
Immune System
American novelist Judith Guest once stated, "Depression is not sobbing and crying and giving vent, it is plain and simple reduction of feeling." Emotional responses, however, aren't the only thing that may be reduced by depression. The immune system can be greatly diminished, as well. "Depression," says ABC News, "can cause increases in a variety of stress hormones such as cortisol and adrenaline and various other inflammatory substances such as interleukin-6." Overabundance of these substances minimizes immune response, making you susceptible to infections and inflammatory diseases.
Sleep Disturbance
The sleep changes caused by depression can have serious, detrimental effects on your health. Insomnia, which is common in depressed patients, can increase general body aches and pains, lower concentration and inhibit mental functioning. Those who suffer from depression often feel caught in a vicious cycle. While depression can cause insomnia, developing insomnia only adds to the depressed physical and mental condition. "Seventy percent of people undergoing treatment for depression report symptoms of insomnia," says Sleep Deprivation.com.
Obesity and Heart Disease
That "beer belly" fat you've been accumulating might be due to your depressed mood, according to a study conducted by researchers from the University of Alabama at Birmingham and published in the June 2010 "American Journal of Public Health." The long-term study, which extended over 15 years, offers strong evidence of the body's response to depression. Increased abdominal weight gain was observed in depressed subjects, reports Medline Plus. Cardiovascular disease, which is also linked to depression, is prevalent in individuals with fatty midsections.
Oral Health
Even your oral health is affected by depression, which can contribute to periodontal problems and cavities. Factors which might jeopardize favorable periodontal management include diminished immune response and poor mental outlook, according to the American Academy of Periodontology. Commonly linked to depression are cravings for comfort foods, like carbohydrates or sugars. When coupled with poor dental hygiene, these depression-related eating habits only exacerbate oral bacteria and plaque, upping the threat for developing cavities.
Theories/Speculation
While somatic--or physical manifestations--of many mental health issues are not uncommon, the list of possible conditions associated with depression continually grows. Correlations between strokes, diabetes and even cancer have been proposed by medical professionals and researchers. The Uplift Program, an education and wellness website, also cites links to eye disease and osteoporosis due to depression. Widely considered a "whole-body" illness, the significance of depression in physical ailments and overall health is only just being understood.
