Depression can cause headaches, chronic body aches, and pain that may not respond to medication . It’s also sometimes an effect of certain neurological diseases, such as Alzheimer’s disease, epilepsy, and multiple sclerosis.
How does mental health issues affect physical health?
Poor psychological health can disrupt your ability to think clearly, make healthy decisions, and fight off chronic diseases . Over time, neglecting your mental well-being can lead to severe health conditions and health problems such as: High blood pressure and/or heart rate. Heart disease.
Does depression cause physical weakness?
Fatigue is a common symptom of depression . Occasionally we all experience lower energy levels and can feel sluggish in the morning, hoping to stay in bed and watch TV instead of going to work. While we often believe exhaustion stems from stress, depression can also cause fatigue.
How does depression affect the brain and body?
As depression starts to affect the brain’s chemical balances, neurons in the hippocampus shrink, which can cause difficulty concentrating and memory loss . A shrunken hippocampus can also make completing familiar tasks difficult, which can lead to hopelessness, guilt, and anxiety.
Why physical health is important as mental health?
Why is mental health important for overall health? Mental and physical health are equally important components of overall health. For example, depression increases the risk for many types of physical health problems, particularly long-lasting conditions like diabetes, heart disease, and stroke .
Wide-ranging research suggests that strong social ties are linked to a longer life. In contrast, loneliness and social isolation are linked to poorer health, depression, and increased risk of early death . Studies have found that having a variety of social relationships may help reduce stress and heart-related risks.
Can mental health cause physical pain?
Some psychological factors that might cause physical pain include anxiety disorders, bipolar disorder, depression, and stress . What Types of Pain Does It Cause? Just like pain caused by a physical stimulus, psychogenic pain can be acute or chronic. Acute pain is sharp but brief, and usually doesn’t require treatment.
Can depression cause breathing problems?
A common symptom of respiratory depression is taking breaths that are slower and shallower than normal . In most cases, breathing rates are as low as 8–10 breaths per minute.
Can emotions make you physically sick?
Poor emotional health can weaken your body’s immune system. This makes you more likely to get colds and other infections during emotionally difficult times . Also, when you are feeling stressed, anxious, or upset, you may not take care of your health as well as you should.
How does depression affect human behavior?
Individuals suffering from depression may become reclusive and uninterested in activities that typically bring pleasure . They may have overwhelming feelings of sadness, guilt, or hopelessness, and chronic fatigue that lead them to push friends and family away.
Can depression make your body feel heavy?
However, atypical depression — also called depression with atypical features — means that your depressed mood can brighten in response to positive events. Other key symptoms include increased appetite, sleeping too much, feeling that your arms or legs are heavy , and feeling rejected.
How does depression affect thinking?
It can impair your attention and memory, as well as your information processing and decision-making skills . It can also lower your cognitive flexibility (the ability to adapt your goals and strategies to changing situations) and executive functioning (the ability to take all the steps to get something done).
What are examples of physical health?
- Alcohol.
- Flu and Colds Prevention.
- Illness Prevention.
- Nutrition.
- Physical Activity and Body Movement.
- Sexual Health.
- Sleep.
- Stress.
A study found that positive psychological well-being can reduce the risks of heart attacks and strokes . On the other hand, poor mental health can lead to poor physical health or harmful behaviors. Chronic diseases. Depression has been linked to many chronic illnesses.
What are 3 things that affect physical health?
Regular exercise, a balanced diet, proper sleep, and cutting down smoking, alcohol, and drug use are vital to physical health and mental wellbeing.
How physical and mental health are connected?
The associations between mental and physical health are: Poor mental health is a risk factor for chronic physical conditions . People with serious mental health conditions are at high risk of experiencing chronic physical conditions. People with chronic physical conditions are at risk of developing poor mental health.
How can physical and mental health be improved?
- Be physically active. Most people are aware of the physical benefits of exercise. ...
- Find a sense of purpose. ...
- Eat for good health. ...
- Deal with mental health problems. ...
- Maintain an active social life. ...
- Make time for relaxation.
What are the 5 signs of emotional suffering?
- Personality change in a way that seems different for that person.
- Agitation or displaying anger, anxiety or moodiness.
- Withdrawal or isolation from others.
- Poor self-care and perhaps engaging in risky behavior.
- Hopelessness, or feelings of being overwhelmed and worthless.
Can depression damage nerves?
Several of these symptoms are associated with mental health conditions including depression and anxiety disorders. Numbness and tingling can be signs of nerve damage .
Why does depression make my chest hurt?
When you experience depression, anxiety or stress your heart rate and blood pressure rise, there’s reduced blood flow to the heart and your body produces higher levels of cortisol, a stress hormone . Over time, these effects can lead to heart disease.
Can depression low oxygen?
Depression has been linked to reduced oxygen in the body . Reduced oxygen levels may be due to changes in breathing caused by depression — but which comes first and causes the other remains unknown.
Why do I need to yawn to take a deep breath?
Taking a deep breath when you yawn moves hot blood from the brain and brings cooler air up from the lungs .
Why do I feel like I can’t breathe properly?
You might describe it as having a tight feeling in your chest or not being able to breathe deeply. Shortness of breath is often a symptom of heart and lung problems . But it can also be a sign of other conditions like asthma, allergies or anxiety. Intense exercise or having a cold can also make you feel breathless.
