Hello World!   Hope all is well in your world today, despite the crappy weather in most of the country.  I hate this weather. It makes me feel like a trapped animal. Woke up to the mid 30’s & NASTY NASTY NASTY! It is raining & cold outside so I’m probably staying in all day. Well, at least, I get to write earlier than usual… I won’t go on & on about this weather that I hate. I’m sure many of you have worse weather than we have here in southeast Texas.  The next few days will be cold (below freezing), but the sun will come out tomorrow.  I can live with the cold when the sun is shining. I need sunshine!   I found an article about the physical symptoms of depression that I found appropriate for today, considering this weather makes me feel crummy.

Physical Symptoms of Depression

There are obvious signs of depression, like feelings of sadness,  hopelessness, & anxiety–but depression can also cause unexplained physical symptoms. Physical pain & depression are closely related. Simply put, pain can be depressing, & depression causes & intensifies pain. Some research shows that pain & depression share common pathways in the limbic (emotional) region of the brain. In fact, the same chemical messengers control pain & mood. According to an article published by the Harvard Medical School, people with chronic pain have 3 times the average risk of developing psychiatric symptoms–usually mood or anxiety disorders–& depressed patients have 3 times the average risk of developing chronic pain.

Many people suffering from depression never get help because they don’t realize that pain may be a symptom of depression. The importance of understanding the physical symptoms of depression is that treating depression can help with the pain–& treating pain can help with depression.

Headaches. Headaches & migraine headaches are fairly common in people

with depression. If you already had migraine headaches, they may become worse if you’re depressed. The relationship between depression & migraine headaches, which affect more than 10 percent of Americans, is especially close. One study found that over a 2 year period, a person with a history of major depression was 3 times more likely than average to have a first migraine attack, & a person with a history of migraine was 5 times more likely than average to have a first episode of depression.

Back pain. If you already suffer with back pain, it may get worse if you become depressed. A study from the University of Alberta followed a random sample of nearly 800 adults without neck & low back pain & found that people who suffer from depression are 4 times as likely to develop intense or disabling neck & low back pain than those who aren’t depressed.

Muscle aches & joint pain. Depression can make any kind of chronic pain worse. According to research published in the Journal of General Internal Medicine, arthritis-like physical symptoms may improve if the depression is treated with medication.

Chest pain. It’s very important to get chest pain checked out by an expert right away. It can be a sign of serious heart problems, but chest pain is also associated with depression. A study from the University of Gothenburg, Sweden, indicates several common factors among those affected by chest pain not linked to biomedical factors such as heart disease or some other illness–depression was one of the significant common factors.

Digestive problems. Queasiness, nausea, diarrhea & chronic constipation  can all stem from depression. Studies show that up to 60 percent of people with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) also have a psychological disorder, most commonly depression or anxiety. According to one study published in General Hospital Psychiatry, those who reported symptoms of nausea were more than 3 times as likely to also have an anxiety disorder, & nearly one & a half times more likely to suffer from depression. Depression is a possible cause for digestive disorders, & should be investigated before aggressive treatments are begun.

Exhaustion & fatigue. No matter how much you sleep, do you still feel tired & exhausted? Fatigue & depression are not a surprising pair. Depression & fatigue feed off each other in a vicious cycle that makes it hard to know where one begins & the other ends. Researchers have found people who are depressed are more than 4 times as likely to develop unexplained fatigue, & those who suffer from fatigue are nearly 3 times as likely to become depressed.

Sleep disturbances. People with depression often have difficulty falling asleep, or awaken in the early hours of morning & find themselves unable to get back to sleep. While around 15 percent of people suffering from depression sleep too much. Lack of sleep alone doesn’t cause depression, but it can contribute–& lack of sleep caused by other illness or anxiety can make depression worse.

Change in appetite or weight. Several studies have found excess weight to be linked with depression symptoms, a history of depression, & other measures of psychological distress (e.g. anxiety). Earlier studies also suggest a stronger link in women compared to men. However, this may be changing. According to 2006 study published in the Archives of General Psychiatry, the depression-obesity link was found to be the same in both men & women. Others suffering from depression experience a reduction in appetite & thus, weight loss.

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This is a good article. So many physical symptoms related to depression seem to be circular & symptoms feed off each other, thus making it difficult to determine cause. I’ve dealt with depression at times & I’m affected with sleep (too little), digestive issues (which I control now with natural supplements) & my appetite decreases, but I am aware of these issues now. I tend to find that when I eat healthier, I can control it better.  I hope this information helps you. Please leave a comment & tell me what you think…

Well, had to get out of the house for a bit so I went to buy soup. A great comfort food in this weather…

If you feel like shopping & it’s just too nasty to go outside, please check out my website & see if there’s anything you like: http://www.bonanza.com/booths/allix999

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