Depression is a mood disorder that mostly affects our emotions and mental capabilities. However, the signs and symptoms of depression impact more than just our psychological; there are plenty of physical symptoms of depression that are sometimes overlooked.
Addressing the physical symptoms of depression is as important as treating the mental issues that result from the illness. Signs like physical pain, problems with eyesight and digestive issues can make dealing with depression a lot harder, especially if these symptoms are left untreated.
Following are the common overlooked physical symptoms of depression:
Tiredness And Low Energy
A constant feeling of tiredness and having low levels of energy that even affect the ability to carry out daily tasks is a very common physical symptom of depression. The fatigue caused by depression is more severe and persistent than the kind of tiredness we may experience when we are completely healthy.
The feeling of tiredness also influences our mood and may manifest as increased irritability and a lack of focus and motivation.
Muscular Pain
People suffering from depression also often complain about muscular aches and pains all over, especially in the back, shoulders and neck. Various studies carried in the recent past have proven the link between physical pain and psychological issues. Another study established that depression could lower down the pain tolerance, which means if you are suffering from depression, everything probably hurts more, and you are not exaggerating.
Headache
Persistent and frequent headaches are common physical symptoms of depression. We all suffer from stress-induced headaches every once in a while, but tension headaches in depression occur more often than usual.
Problems With Vision
Blurry vision and issue with eyesight is a lesser-known symptom of depression. As study conduct in 2010 showed that people suffering from clinical depression had issues with contrast perception, which made it harder for them to distinguish specific colors and made their vision fuzzy.
Bowel Issues
A study conducted by the Harvard Medical School suggested that stomach issues and discomfort are linked to mental issues. The same study also found that depression could also cause disturbances in the bowel system, which is similar to irritable bowel syndrome.
Other Common Signs And Symptoms Of Depression
The symptoms of clinical depression can manifest slightly differently in men, women and children. It is also important to note that depression symptoms are different from one person to another. Depression symptoms are persistent, remain the same for a period longer than least two weeks, and are present for the majority of the day. Following are the common symptoms of depressive episodes:
- Sadness, hopelessness, or emptiness
- Frustration, irritability, and sudden outbursts of anger
- Lack of interest in normal day-to-day activities
- Disturbed sleep cycles, including sleeping too little or too much
- Loss of appetite or overeating, fluctuations in weight
- Feeling worried or anxiousness
- Low self-confidence or feeling worthless
- Issues with memory, lack of focus and trouble concentrating
- Suicidal thoughts or suicide attempts
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