People who have depression, a mood disorder, can feel low and have a hard time functioning. Multiple types of depression exist. MedlinePlus notes that the main types of depression include major depression, which involves five or more symptoms of at least two weeks' duration; dysthymia, a mild but chronic form of depression; and atypical depression, which affects one-third of depression patients. Patients with depression may take medications to improve symptoms. The University of Maryland Medical Center points out that one type of medication, tricyclic antidepressants, causes dizziness.
Lack of Energy
Both depression and dizziness affect patients' level of energy. For example, patients with depression can experience fatigue, feeling like they have little or no energy. MedlinePlus explains that patients may have slowed physical movements. People suffering from dizziness can also have fatigue, which can occur along with weakness. MayoClinic.com adds that dizziness can also result in wooziness and lightheadedness.
Balance Problems
When people feel dizzy, they can have problems with balance. MayoClinic.com explains that dizziness symptoms include vertigo, a sensation that the surroundings are spinning. This may occur together with blurred vision and nausea. This sense of spinning surroundings can make people feel unsteady or that they may fall. Some people may have a loss of balance.
Mood Changes
Patients with depression can have drastic changes in their mood. While many depression patients have a consistently low mood, MedlinePlus points out that some patients may become irritable instead. Patients with extremely low moods may have thoughts of death, which can lead to suicide attempts. Depression can cause people to lose interest in activities they once enjoyed. Feelings of hopelessness can accompany the sadness from depression. Some patients may experience self-hate and inappropriate guilt, blaming themselves for situations that were not their fault.
Behavioral Symptoms
Depression and dizziness can also cause some behavioral symptoms. For example, MayoClinic.com notes that while dizzy, people can have a hard time concentrating. This concentration problem can occur during depression as well, which can impair memory and thinking ability. MedlinePlus explains that the loss of interest in activities and the deep sadness can cause patients to become inactive and pull away from other people. Appetite changes can occur with depression, resulting either in weight gain or weight loss. The University of Maryland Medical Center adds that 90 percent of depression patients have sleep problems, which include insomnia and hypersomnia, or oversleeping.
