When Depression Gets Physical

Depression isn’t all in our head. It can manifest itself in our back, stomach and muscles. Some experience migraines, while others suffer from nausea.

But the real kick in the teeth? The vicious cycle: Depression causes pain and pain causes depression. As if emotional pain isn’t bad enough, the physical symptoms make it that much more difficult to function. If you’re experiencing pain, don’t assume your mind is playing tricks on you. Your body is telling you something.

Unexplained Physical Pain

Long before I received an official depression diagnosis, I spent about a month suffering from intense numbness in my lower leg. The frequency increased and the ache persisted before I finally went to my primary care doctor. She tested my thyroid function and the tests came back all-clear. Next up was an MRI scan to check for MS.

Fortunately, those tests came back negative. Unfortunately, I still didn’t have a diagnosis for the numbness and I lived with it for several more weeks. When it didn’t fully subside, I went back to my doctor.

She asked about my stress levels (through the roof) and inquired about the times I didn’t experience numbness. A pattern emerged: The pain appeared on particularly stressful days but disappeared when I worked out or got a full night’s sleep.

I didn’t confess that I was dealing with bouts of extreme sadness and anxiety. I was new to this whole depression thing and I never considered the physical pain might be related. Then, I started feeling nauseous and nervous all the time. It was becoming difficult to recover because I was too tired and ill to take care of my mind.

Listen to Your Mind and Body

Maintaining our overall health is paramount, no matter if the depression caused the pain or chronic pain caused the depression. Doctors recognize the mind-body connection now more than ever, so speak up if you suspect your pain may be connected to depression and anxiety.

In my case, regular exercise helped fend off numbness in my leg, but I needed to alleviate the full-blown depression and associated nausea with a combination of treatments. A low dose of antidepressants gave me enough clarity and energy to take better care of myself (antidepressants are also believed to have some pain-reducing qualities). With the help of medication, my sleep improved and the nausea disappeared. Meanwhile, talk therapy taught me coping skills to handle stress and beat down negative thinking.

What I didn’t know back then was my body was screaming at me to get help. I didn’t want to acknowledge the depression at first, but my body had other ideas. Pay attention to what you’re feeling, especially because letting depression go unchecked may lead to severe illnesses in the long run.

Depression and Heart Disease

Depression and heart disease have been linked for some time, and the research is eye-opening. One study found depression can increase the risk of heart failure by 40 percent.

Poor lifestyle choices often associated with depression – not exercising, bad diet, drinking and smoking – increase the odds of both experiencing a heart attack and dying after a heart attack. Stress, which goes hand-in-hand with depression, is believed to cause inflammation leading to build-up in the arteries.

Studies have also linked depression with other illnesses, including osteoporosis and cancer, but the research is still ongoing.

Bottom line: Don’t ignore the pain. Seek help to feel better now and later.