There are wounds that never show on the body that are deeper and more hurtful than anything that bleeds ― Laurell K. Hamilton
Depression is a condition that impacted more than 600,000 Arizona residents in 2023 alone. Its side effects can include everything from isolation, self-harm, declining self-care, and much more. To truly understand the wide range of side effects that can come from depression, it’s important to understand what it does to your body in the first place.
At Pinnacle Peak Recovery, we’ve seen how depression can make someone feel trapped or worthless. It can be difficult to climb out of a hole when you feel like you deserve to be down there, but our team of experts can help you. Let’s talk more about the side effects of depression so you can spot when you or a loved one may need support and care.
Depression is a mood disorder that impacts how a person can live their day-to-day life. It can happen due to stress, illness, substance use, trauma, and much more. It can also impact any race, gender, or age– it doesn’t discriminate.
When people think about depression, they often think about the common behavioral side effects that come with it, such as:
But these are just a few of the ways that depression impacts an individual. It can also affect the way your organs function, leading to physical side effects, too.
Our mood has a larger impact on our physical health than you may realize. Our bodies are incredibly attuned to how we perceive the world. If you’re experiencing high stress, for example, you may have more headaches than normal or notice new or worsening stomach cramps.
Depression can have the same effect. These symptoms can compound, too, only adding to the mental strain that’s felt when someone’s living with depression.
To better understand how this works, we’ll talk about the most common systems that are impacted by untreated depression.
Our central nervous system is pivotal to how we experience the world around us. When someone is living with untreated depression, their perception of the world can be altered.
With untreated depression, your central nervous system can become unusually active, whether overactive or underactive. For some, this means feeling disconnected from the world around them, while others experience more aches and pains than normal.
Our “appetite” is not innate. It can be altered, even at times when your body needs nutrition. If you’ve ever been so sad that you didn’t want to eat, or that you wanted to eat much more than usual, then you’ve already experienced this yourself.
This is the primary impact depression has on your digestive tract. People living with depression frequently experience either an increased or decreased appetite. Both come with negative effects. Sudden weight gain can further impact a person’s self-worth and contribute to changes in energy levels. Sudden weight loss can increase the risk of brain fog and dissociation.
Studies are still being done to fully understand how the immune system reacts to mental health, but the link between the two is undeniable. Depression itself can lead to a decrease in immune system effectiveness, leading to an increased risk of illness. On top of this, the behavioral changes associated with depression, like decreases in appetite and sleep, can further worsen your immune system’s responsiveness.
The way that depression impacts your cardiovascular system is multi-faceted. Depression itself can cause your blood vessels to constrict. It can also lead to an irregular heart rate or an increased heart rate.
On top of this, if you’re not taking care of your physical health through proper hydration, nutrition, and sleep, you also put a strain on your heart. This will only increase your risk of heart attack, stroke, and other conditions.
When we talk about depression’s impact on the brain, we want to primarily focus on its impact on how the brain functions. Many people understand that depression leads to sadness, hopelessness, and other emotions, but it goes beyond that.
Depression has been shown to have an impact on memory. It can decrease your brain’s ability to process short-term memory. This means that for some, looking back on times when they experienced intense depression can come back empty– they simply don’t remember it.
On top of that, depression also alters the decision-making part of your brain. It can make even the simplest of choices feel debilitating, leading to spiraling emotions such as shame and worthlessness.
No mental health condition is truly isolated to the individual living with it. Depression will also impact loved ones, friends, and even co-workers.
How does this work? We’ve touched on multiple components of this throughout the piece, so let’s tie it all together.
On top of this, those who care about you will notice when you’re hurting. They’ll want to help. They may be unsure of how to best support you, but this doesn’t mean that they don’t want to.
Depression is a condition known for its compounding issues. When we don’t take care of ourselves, we feel worse. Depression makes it harder to take care of yourself due to low motivation, lower self-esteem, and dissociation, to name a few things. This then makes it that much harder to have the ability to shower regularly, eat 3 meals a day, and clean your room.
But when those things go unmet, it only worsens the condition. This is not the fault of someone living with depression, but it becomes a cycle they’re endlessly stuck in.
This is one of the ways that depression can influence self-worth. Someone living with depression isn’t unaware of the standards they’ve held themselves to in the past, or the standards others hold themselves to. When they’re then unable to reach those standards, it makes them feel worse about themselves. This, combined with feelings of hopelessness and guilt, can lead to an increased risk of self-harm, suicidal ideation, and attempted suicide.
There is a way out of depression, it doesn’t have to be in your life forever. No matter how long you’ve lived with depression or any other condition that you’re seeking healing from, there are treatment options available for you. Finding a quality depression treatment program is the first step towards your long-term happiness.
A good depression program will provide you with long-term support and varying support options. From inpatient treatment, where you can focus solely on your healing, to outpatient support that gives you continued access to peers, therapists, and more.
You’re not alone in this. Others have found healing, and you will too.
You deserve support from a staff that understands your condition. Our master’s-level clinicians are here to provide that compassionate care backed by evidence-based treatment. We work closely with you to craft a personalized treatment program tailored to your unique needs. At Pinnacle Peak, we’re committed to ensuring your long-term success in recovery. Learn more by calling us today at 866-377-4761.
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