Tuesday, February 10, 2009

Experiencing the Physical Symptoms of Depression

Many depressed individuals don't know that they are depressed because they are not aware of the physical symptoms of depression. Even doctors may miss out on these symptoms as well.

Physical symptoms of depression are not just in your head or imagined. They can make your body experience real changes.

Somehow, there is a connection between depression and an imbalance of certain chemicals in the brain. They play a vital role in how a person feels pain. According to experts, depression can make you feel pain differently than other people.

The physical symptoms of depression include:

Headache - This condition is common in depressed people. Those who already had migraine headaches may experience worse episodes when depressed.

Back pain - Just like a headache, individuals suffering from back pain may experience more pain when depressed.

Muscle aches and joint pain - Depression can make any kind of chronic pain worse.

Chest pain - While it can be a sign of serious heart conditions, chest pain is also linked to depression.

Digestive problems - Depression can give a person diarrhea or chronic constipation.

Fatigue - Depressed people may feel tired even after a long sleep that they find it hard to get up from bed.

Sleeping problems - Depression ruins a person sleep-wake cycle, causing different sleeping problems.

Appetite and weight problems - While losing appetite and weight are the usual manifestations of depression, others may find themselves craving for certain foods like carbohydrates, thus increasing in weight.

Dizziness or lightheadedness.

The physical symptoms of depression can be treated as a person goes through therapy or medication. Anti anxiety medications can treat insomnia while antidepressants can help with chronic pain. However, depressed people must not assume that the physical symptoms will just disappear on their own. It is necessary for the patient to inform the doctor about the physical symptoms for proper diagnosis and treatment.

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