Affecting approximately 10% of U.S. adults in a given year directly, there is no getting around the fact that depression hurts. Those who have never experienced clinical depression often do not understand the strength of its grip over a person’s mind, emotions, and body, or the severity of pain that it can cause. The causes and symptoms of depression are often intertwined until it is hard to determine which is which. Ultimately, depression affects everyone that the sufferer meets. Family and friends may notice a change in behavior and attitude that can be hard for them to define. The first symptoms are often passed off as minor inconveniences that must be tolerated, especially when they occur after an unexpected trauma. However, it soon becomes apparent that their loved-one is not getting any better and as symptoms begin to snowball, the cycle becomes more difficult to break.
Depression symptoms can seem harmless at first, be hard to read, and are easily misinterpreted. Feelings of sadness and emptiness that last for weeks are the hallmark symptoms of depression. A depressed person often has a hard time articulating what they are sad about or may insist nothing is wrong. Often they will close themselves off from all others including a sudden drop of activities they used to enjoy. It may become increasingly difficult to remember things, such as when to pick up the kids from school; a great example of when depression hurts more than just the individual. A lack of motivation can become apparent showing up as changes in grooming habits and decision making. When questioned about these changes they will often respond with some form of “I just don’t care”. Changes in sleep patterns are common, with the majority experiencing insomnia despite constant fatigue, and others overcome with sleepiness, regularly sleeping for 16-20 hour intervals. Also common are changes in appetite, usually experienced as a disinterest in eating but sometimes manifesting as eating binges. Physical pains are often overlooked or passed off as ‘all in your head’ because many don’t understand that pain can be both caused by, as well as keep a person locked into, depression.
There is scientific evidence, however, to explain why depression hurts the individual physically even though nothing appears wrong. It has been found that depressed individuals may experience sensations from normal bodily functions that are usually suppressed, causing them to experience pain when their body is otherwise functioning correctly. Seratonin and nor-epinephrine are the hormones that manage this task in the body, as well as boosting feelings of pleasure. Many drugs often used to self-medicate for years against sadness or to manage pain exploit these pathways. Prolonged exposure, however, can damage the body’s ability to produce and respond to these hormones opening the classic ‘which came first’ discussion. If left to escalate, thoughts of suicide and other abnormal thoughts multiply and too often end with an abrupt end to life.
Fortunately, the medical community has come a long way in acknowledging just how much depression hurts individuals and families. A doctor’s consultation can provide much relief once the individual realizes they have never really been alone. Nutritional advice as well as supplements and sometimes pharmaceuticals can relieve symptoms long enough to provide a clearer mind and healing of the body and emotions. Help for depression is more accessible and effective than ever now that it no longer carries the stigma that was once associated with the disease. There is no reason to delay when you realize that the hurting can end today.