The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention states that depression is a major cause of illness and death in the United States, as it results in a "reduced quality of life, social functioning and excess disability." Many depression patients have other diseases at the same time, thus lowering their quality of health. Depression symptoms also affect the patients' well-being and cause them to use unhealthy habits to cope.
Co-existing Diseases
The National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) notes that depression is often seen with other illnesses. Some of them are neurological, such as Parkinson's disease and strokes, while others are related to lifestyle, such as heart disease and diabetes. Depression can also occur in patients with fatal diseases, such as cancer and HIV or AIDS. Patients who suffer from depression and another disease have worse symptoms of both diseases when compared with non-depression patients. These patients also have higher medical costs, because they are treating two illnesses, and may have more trouble adapting to their symptoms.
Suicide Risk
MedlinePlus states that a serious health risk of depression is suicide. Depression patients who are suicidal seriously contemplate death and make efforts to plan their deaths and "wrap up" things in their lives. Suicidal thoughts are often accompanied by other symptoms of depression, such as self-hate, inappropriate guilt, feeling worthless and hopeless, and social withdrawal.
Substance Abuse
The NIMH references the study published in the article "Lifetime Comorbidity of DSM-IV Mood and Anxiety Disorders and Specific Drug Use Disorders: Results from the National Epidemiologic Survey on Alcohol and Related Conditions," which states that a large number of depressed patients also used substances such as drugs and alcohol. Substance abuse becomes a coping mechanism, in which the patient attempts to self-medicate. However, alcohol and drugs do not treat the underlying cause of the depression, can worsen symptoms and may lead to further health problems, such as liver damage.
