Depression can cause other serious ailments
Depression can cause other serious ailments
lDepression is one of the most common mental health problems among people, affecting 15-20 percent of the population. Despite being a psychological disorder, depression is linked to other physical diseases and the overall well-being of a person.
Ranging from mild to severe, mental illness that should not be overlooked and go untreated.
Even children can have depression, which is even more problematic to detect as they can’t articulate their symptoms. To find out whether children are afflicted by depression, one should observe signs like persistent clinginess, aversion to attending school, worry, excessive irritability, and feeling negative most of the time.
Depression is intrinsically associated with stress and it changes the way our brain functions. It also increases the risk of various other physical health problems, some of which can be very serious.
Due to depression, levels of stress hormones like cortisol and adrenaline shoot up considerably affecting the immune system in an adverse manner. As a result, the chances of getting diseases like heart problems, stroke, diabetes, cancer, kidney disease, and Parkinson’s disease go up manifold.
Stress is one of the prime reasons that lead to depression. Stress needs to be addressed just like any other serious health condition. When left untreated, stress can cause numerous mental and physical health problems—including depression and hypertension (high blood pressure), and diabetes.
Untreated stress can lead to various mental and physical health problems, most notably, depression and hypertension (high blood pressure) and diabetes. Experts say that depression can also cause or exacerbate existing physical health conditions of people.
Hence, it is important to identify and treat depression as early as possible so that chances of recovery are higher and at the same time obliterate any possibilities of other physical health problems.
Depression can trigger a range of physical problems in people, some of which can be serious, including:
- Heart diseases: Getting heart disease is one of the most prominent fallouts Due to stress hormones like adrenaline, heart rate speeds up and the blood vessels get tightened. As a result, the body is perennially put in a state of emergency. Over time this invariably leads to heart complications. When stress is left untreated, it increases the chances of getting a heart attack and people dying subsequently, as proven by studies. On the other hand, data reveals that 15 percent people with heart disease develops depression.
- Cancer: Certain types of cancer, especially of the intestine are common in those who grapple with stress. Although the exact reason is not yet known, experts believe that it seems to be related to the inflammatory pathway and its toxins. Patients who are depressed, develop unhealthy lifestyles, and indulge in excessive smoking and drinking alcohol. They put themselves at a higher risk of other cancers such as stomach, pancreas, esophagus, lungs, and kidney.
- Auto-immune diseases: Depression and related stress cause irreparable damage to the immune system. Thereby it increases the chances of infections and auto-immune diseases. Several studies have found that there seems to be a relationship between inflammation and depression, despite not being able to zero in to the exact reasons. Inflammation is connected to several diseases and some anti-inflammatory agents have also been shown to benefit some people with depression.
- Obesity and type 2 diabetes: Although depression is primarily a psychological disorder, it also directly affects appetite and nutrition in people. Some people with depression find solace in overeating and take it as a means to cope. This is called ‘comfort eating’ in common parlance. So, this can lead to weight gain and obesity-related illnesses in them apart from a fair chance to develop type 2 diabetes. Depression can also bring in changes in the bowel movements and symptoms of Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS).
- Memory loss: Depression causes a lot of upheavals in the central nervous system, many of which are easy to dismiss or ignore. Older adults with depression face immense problems with their memory and reaction time during everyday chores than younger adults who have depression. Due to depression the risk for stroke and Alzheimer’s dementia also goes up tremendously.
In extreme conditions, when left untreated for long, menta also leads to harboring suicidal thoughts in patients. This is one area, which the near and ones should take very seriously. People showing an inclination towards self-harm due to prolonged depression should not be left alone.
Get help
The best way to deal with behavioral health problem is to seek immediate treatment from experts. Whether it is ruling out other physical health problems that depression can lead to, or exacerbating symptoms of the mental health condition itself, treatment intervention at the earliest can save the lives of people.
If you or a loved one is suffering from any mental health condition, reach out to Athena Behavioral Health for help. We, at Athena, are among the top providers of mental health treatment in India.
As the best mental Health Treatment Centre in India, we offer customized treatment programs to our patients after a thorough assessment and provide the utmost luxurious and safe environment to undergo treatment.
To know more call us today at our 24/7 helpline number 9289086193 and get immediate assistance.
Make a lasting impact on your health.
Take the next step toward recovery.