9 Physical Signs of Depression
In this article, we list the nine most common physical signs of depression. Read on to know more about recognizing the symptoms and start with the treatment.
1. Fatigue
Fatigue is defined as the inability to maintain normal muscle strength and energy levels throughout your day. This can lead to feelings of exhaustion and decreased motivation, which can make it difficult to get through even simple tasks like getting out of bed in the morning or making it through an average workday at your job without feeling as though you need a nap halfway through each day.
If you feel constantly exhausted, even after getting plenty of sleep or taking naps during the day, this could be one of the first signs that you're suffering from depression. Many people with depression describe feeling like their batteries have been drained or “wiped out” all the time. You may have trouble waking up in the morning or staying awake during meetings at work or school. Your energy level might also fluctuate throughout the day — sometimes high and sometimes low — which can make it difficult for someone suffering from fatigue to know when they'll feel better again.
2. Sleep problems
Sleep problems can be one of the symptoms of someone suffering from depression. When someone has depression, it can be difficult to get proper rest, even when they desperately need it. These sleep disorders include insomnia, restless legs syndrome and sleep apnea, which are all manifested in different ways.
The most common sleep disorder associated with depression is insomnia. Insomnia is defined as trouble falling asleep or staying asleep through the night. This can be caused by a number of factors including an irregular schedule or lack of exercise. Restless legs syndrome is another type of sleep disorder that people with depression may experience. It causes uncomfortable sensations in the legs that often keep them moving during rest periods; this can also interfere with getting quality sleep at night time hours due to constant physical discomfort throughout their entire body system from head to toe!
3. Change in appetite
It is common for people with depression to have an increased appetite. But if your appetite changes and there is no other explanation for it, such as overeating or drinking too much alcohol, then you may have depression.
Some people have reported feeling hungrier when they are depressed than when they aren't. Researchers think this might be due to the fact that their brains are sending signals to eat more in order to help them cope with their negative emotions. It could also be that they feel less motivated to exercise so they don't burn off calories as quickly as they normally would.
Other people report having no appetite at all when they are depressed — even when they are hungry! This may not seem like a big deal at first but it can lead to weight loss over time if it isn't treated properly.
4. Chest pain
Chest pain is one of those signs that may indicate you need to see a doctor or mental health professional.
This is often mistaken for heartburn or indigestion, but it can actually be caused by depression. The stress and anxiety that accompany depression can lead to muscle tension in your chest wall, which causes you to feel like you're having a heart attack when really you're just stressed out about something.
The most common cause of chest pain from depression is called “stress cardiomyopathy,” which occurs when extreme emotional stress causes heart muscles to become weak and unable to pump blood properly. This leads to chest pain and other symptoms like shortness of breath and dizziness.
5. Headaches and stomach aches
Headaches can be a symptom of depression because of the way that stress affects your body. Stress hormones are released when you're stressed, which can cause your blood vessels to constrict and make it harder for blood to flow through them. This makes your head hurt. In addition to that, headaches can also be caused by dehydration or lack of sleep, both common symptoms of depression.
Stomach aches are another physical symptom of depression that can make you feel like something is wrong with your body. Stomach aches are often caused by anxiety and tension in the digestive tract. When these feelings get too intense for too long, they can cause actual physical discomfort in your gut that feels like pain or nausea.
6. Cravings for alcohol or drugs
If you have been feeling depressed, it is important to know that these cravings are not just in your head. It is a physical sign of depression. When you are depressed, your brain releases chemicals that make you feel good—like endorphins and dopamine. However, these chemicals are naturally produced by your body and do not provide the same long-term benefits as drugs like marijuana or cocaine.
When you use these substances over time, they can cause changes in your brain chemistry that make you feel better for a short time. This is why people who suffer from depression often turn to drugs or alcohol to relieve their symptoms. They think that using these substances will help them feel better without realizing that they are actually doing more harm than good.
In reality, abusing drugs or alcohol only makes things worse because they interfere with the natural production of these chemicals in your brain and body. In addition, people who use addictive substances often become dependent on them—meaning they need them just to feel normal again—and this can lead to serious problems like addiction and overdose deaths if left untreated!
7. Muscle tension and aches
Muscle tension and aches can be caused by a range of factors, but oftentimes, they're a result of stress. When you're stressed, your body releases chemicals that cause your muscles to tense up. This is called the fight-or-flight response—your body does this to prepare itself for action when it senses danger or threat.
During depression, it's common for your mind to feel like it's under attack. You might even feel like you're being constantly criticized or judged by others, or you may even feel like the whole world is against you. This feeling can cause your body to react with anxiety and stress—which in turn can cause muscle tension and aches.
8. Changes in moods
While this symptom is often overlooked when it comes to diagnosing depression, it's a very important sign that something is wrong. Changes in mood can be subtle and difficult to notice, but they're an indication that your brain chemistry has been thrown off balance.
When you experience a change in mood, it means you are experiencing abnormal shifts in neurotransmitter levels. Neurotransmitters are chemicals that allow neurons in your brain to communicate with each other. When neurotransmitters become unbalanced, they can lead to feelings of sadness or anxiety—and even suicidal thoughts. The good news is that these chemical imbalances can be treated with medication and psychotherapy if they're caught early enough!
9. Sexual problems
Depression can affect sexual desire, arousal, performance, and satisfaction. It can also lead to erectile dysfunction in men and sexual anorgasmia in women.
Sexual problems are more common in women than men, but men may also experience them. The effects of depression on sex vary from person to person. Some people don't notice any changes in their sex lives while they're depressed, while others notice an increase in desire or interest in sex with a partner or a decrease in sexual thoughts or fantasies.
In addition to affecting your sex life, depression can also have a negative impact on intimacy with your partner or close friends and family members. People who are depressed may feel less connected to other people and feel like they have less to offer them emotionally and physically
When depression is not treated, it can be a disorder that lasts for years. Having these symptoms from time to time is completely natural and nothing to feel ashamed of, but if they last a while, or get more frequent, talk to your doctor. Depressed people are more likely to become physically ill and die prematurely than others. If you fear you may be suffering from depression, please reach out and seek help before it's too late.
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