Most people think of depression in terms of the ways that this common mental health condition affects your mood and emotions. If you’re depressed, you likely experience persistent low mood and low energy, and deal with emotional stresses like recurring feelings of sadness or low self-esteem.
However, depression affects more than just your emotions. Your physical depression symptoms may help you to recognize that you’re living with a mental health condition that needs treatment.
At Greater Lowell Psychiatric Associates, LLC, of North Chelmsford, Massachusetts, Dr. Ronald P. Winfield takes both your mind and your body into account when diagnosing and treating depression. He uses a holistic, integrative approach that focuses on both physical and mental health.
In addition to emotions of sorrow, worthlessness, or hopelessness, depression often causes physical symptoms that negatively affect your body. Ignoring your symptoms, or incorrectly attributing them to another health condition, means you may not receive the right treatment to alleviate your depression and restore your quality of life.
Depression often affects your appetite and the way you eat. You may notice that you aren’t very hungry, and aren’t eating very much, during a depression. Depression can also trigger emotional eating, binge eating, and weight gain. You may also suffer from indigestion or stomach aches.
Your sleep may be impacted by depression. As with food, sleep during a depression can be “all or nothing.” You may struggle to get to sleep, or may find yourself sleeping excessively. Persistent fatigue that doesn’t improve with rest can also signal an underlying depression.
Depression causes tension, both in your life and in your body. Chronic pain often goes hand-in-hand with this mental health condition. People with depression often experience frequent headaches and backaches.
Depression may bring on brain fog, making it hard for you to make good decisions in your day-to-day life. Your memory and concentration may suffer. Mood swings and easily activated emotions of agitation, anxiety, and irritability pose challenges for many people during depressive episodes. Your libido is also likely to decline while you remain depressed.
Do any of these issues impact you in your daily life? If so, you might be depressed.
When you’re already struggling with low mood and brain fog, it can be difficult to grasp that your physical symptoms could indicate a mental health condition in need of treatment. However, if you listen to your body, and don’t ignore your physical symptoms, you’re more likely to receive the care you need to find relief and improve your quality of life.
For many individuals, depression needs treatment for symptom relief. Depression often responds very well to the right interventions and therapies. But, without treatment, your physical and mental health may continue to spiral downwards. People who are depressed have a heightened risk of self-harming behaviors and suicidal thoughts. Reach out for help and support instead of trying to recover alone.
You don’t have to keep struggling with the physical and mental debilitation of depression. Contact Dr. Winfield and find out if you could benefit from treatment options including psychotherapy or counseling, medication management, or positive lifestyle changes. The team at Greater Lowell Psychiatric Associates also offers depression treatment with nonpharmacological transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS).
For depression treatment and symptom relief, schedule your initial consultation appointment online or over the phone now.
