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Those who have never experienced depression may think of it as no more than a bad case of the blues. We picture someone who is constantly sad or who attempts suicide. But this is merely the tip of the iceberg when it comes to depression symptoms.

Science has proven that this is a mental disorder that can also include physical symptoms that wreak havoc on the body as well as the mind.

Depression and the Immune System: A Close Connection

One of the places we see depression's physical symptoms is the body's immune system. It's still unclear whether malfunctions in the immune system cause depression or depression causes the immune system to malfunction. But one thing is certain: there is a very close tie between the two.

When you think about it, this makes perfect sense. We've known for a long time that sleep, stress, diet, and social factors can have a huge impact on our immune system's ability to function. And we've also been aware that excess stress, changes in sleep, changes in appetite, and social isolation are classic symptoms of depression. Is it so much of a leap then to understand that these are closely linked?

One recent study on mice suggests a connection between stress, depression, and immune function. In this study, mice who were repeatedly exposed to stress developed an immune response that released inflammatory proteins into the system. This inflammation caused atrophy and impaired responses in part of the brain, which in turn lead to common depressive behaviors. This chain reaction is highly suggestive of a cause-and-effect relationship linking stress, immune function, and depression.

When considering cause and effect, there are three possibilities that may explain the tie.

1. Depression may weaken the immune system and cause increased susceptibility to illness.

2. Major or long term illnesses may cause mood disorders such as depression.

3. In some cases, illnesses or conditions may be caused by the same triggers as depression.

Each of these possibilities is equally likely, and there currently isn't enough evidence to clearly discern which is most common. But what does the connection mean for those who struggle with depression or illness?

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Most Common Illnesses Related to Depression

Because of this close tie, those who suffer from depression may be more prone to illness than most people. They may be more susceptible to a contagious disease, but there are also noncommunicable conditions to consider as well.

Heart Disease

Depression is commonly known to cause a lack of energy. It can also lead individuals to make poor life choices, especially when related to long-term outcomes. Problems such as poor diet, lack of exercise, and poor sleep habits can all lead to an increased risk for heart health problems including , high blood pressure stroke and heart attack.

Infections

According to an article published in

JAMA Psychiatry , those hospitalized with severe infections were 62 percent more likely than average to also have a mood disorder.

Autoimmune Diseases

The same JAMA article found that hospital visits due to autoimmune disease were a marker for a 45% greater risk of mood disorders such as depression. Disorders such as Graves' disease, inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), lupus, multiple sclerosis (MS), psoriasis, rheumatoid arthritis (RA), and others can cause abnormally low or high immune system activity. They can also cause long-term pain or disability, which has been shown to lead to depression in some cases.

Home Treatment for Urgent Injuries and Illnesses

When facing mental health problems, seeking treatment for a severe illness or injury can be more difficult than many realize. Just the simple act of getting dressed and leaving the house is more than some can manage. Fortunately, there's a better option.

DispatchHealth is the home care alternative that will bring medical care to your living room. In addition to treating acute health problems, DispatchHealth can prescribe medications, take blood tests and suture wounds. Each medical kit brought on-site contains nearly all of the tools and technologies found in an ER, allowing the medical team to perform a variety of advanced tests and lab treatments, including a 12-lead EKG, IV fluids, placing catheters and more.

Imagine a caring team of ER-trained medical staff who come to you to help you feel better! The best part? The medical cost for a DispatchHealth visit is about one-tenth of the medical cost for an emergency room visit. And since they meet you in your home, they're uniquely situated to assess more than just physical health . So the next time you need medical care, why not get it delivered?

DispatchHealth relies only on authoritative sources, including medical associations, research institutions, and peer-reviewed medical studies.

Sources referenced in this article:

1. https://www.healthline.com/health/mental-health/physical-symptoms-of-depression

2. https://www.healthline.com/health/depression/effects-on-body#7

3. https://www.cell.com/neuron/fulltext/S0896-6273(18)30531-2

4. https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamapsychiatry/fullarticle/1696348

5. https://www.healthline.com/health/can-depression-make-you-sick

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How Depression Affects Your Immune System

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Those who have never experienced depression may think of it as no more than a bad case of the blues. We picture someone who is constantly sad or who attempts suicide.

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Mental and Behavioral Health Anxiety Disorders Heart and Vascular

Featured Expert:

The association between anxiety and heart disease has not been as fully studied as the relationship between depression and heart disease.

However, Una D McCann, M.D., director of the Anxiety Disorders Program at Johns Hopkins Bayview Medical Center, believes the connection is strong.

Anxiety and the Development of Heart Disease

"It's my view and my personal clinical experience that anxiety disorders can play a major role in heart disease," says McCann. "I believe that a really careful look at anxiety would reveal the ways it can severely impact heart disease, both as a contributing factor and as an obstacle in recovery."

A natural reaction to a sudden heart attack can be similar to post-traumatic stress disorder:

You're likely to be shocked by your near-death experience and extremely hesitant to do the things you used to do.

You might constantly relive the life-threatening event, and avoid the activity or place associated with the heart attack.

Recurring anxious thoughts may impede your ability to get regular sleep.

Your thoughts about what lies ahead may be extremely negative and cause a drastically foreshortened outlook of the future.

The Effect of Anxiety on the Heart

When someone is anxious, their body reacts in ways that can put an extra strain on their heart. The physical symptoms of anxiety can be especially damaging among individuals with existing cardiac disease.

Anxiety may have an association with the following heart disorders and cardiac risk factors:

Rapid heart rate (tachycardia) - In serious cases, can interfere with normal heart function and increase the risk of sudden cardiac arrest.

Increased blood pressure - If chronic, can lead to coronary disease, weakening of the heart muscle, and heart failure.

Decreased heart rate variability - May result in higher incidence of death after an acute heart attack.

Anxiety and Heart Attack Recovery

Anxiety disorders come with a high degree of fear and uncertainty. When this fear and certainty keeps the heart attack or heart disease patient from following the advice and treatment plan of their cardiologist, it can have a major impact on recovery. Anxiety can interfere with:

Sticking to prescribed exercise regimens

Taking prescribed medications

Following through with a healthy diet

Getting a proper amount of quality sleep

Reconnecting with friends and family

Confidently resuming job career and family responsibilities

Different Types of Anxiety Disorder

Anxiety disorders fall into several categories. Here are a few of them:

Panic disorder - can be associated with cardiac disease or mistaken for heart attack. Feelings of extreme agitation and terror are often accompanied by dizziness, chest pains, stomach discomfort, shortness of breath, and rapid heart rate.

Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) - a condition that can follow a shocking or frightening incident or sudden, life-threatening event such as a violent crime, major accident, or heart attack. A person suffering from PTSD often has trouble dealing with anything associated with the incident that caused their condition, and experiences feelings of jitteriness and detachment.

Obsessive-Compulsive disorder - People with OCD will manage unreasonable thoughts and worries by performing the same actions over and over. For example, an individual obsessed with perceived cardiovascular symptoms that have been checked and cleared by a physician may compulsively research them or find new ones for hours on end.

Distinguishing a Panic Attack from a Heart Attack

Panic attacks and heart attacks can share similar if not identical symptoms. Anyone suffering from sudden and severe chest pain-whether being treated for anxiety disorder or not- should go to the emergency room. The physician will test the patient's blood for specific heart muscle enzymes. If none are found, it's usually not a heart attack.

A cardiologist sensitive to the issues of anxiety and depression will know how to sort out panic attack symptoms from heart attack symptoms, and will be able to refer the patient for treatment for panic disorder or any other type of anxiety.

Diagnosing and Treating Anxiety

It's important to differentiate normal anxiety from the more severe type. Does the anxiety interfere with your family life or keep you from being productive in your professional life? Does it restrict you from engaging in the activities you like? If the answer is yes, then it's the kind of anxiety that may require some degree of therapy or medical attention.

Depending on the duration, severity, and type of anxiety, treatment can include therapy, medication, or a combination of both. A common and effective method of treatment is cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), which involves three main components:

Anxiety management - The goal is to keep the patient from placing too much concentration on anxieties about the future that are impossible to control, and helpthe patient focus on the present. Anxiety management may encompass relaxation exercises, sensory focusing, and yoga techniques.

Cognitive restructuring - People with anxiety disorders tend to "catastrophize," or put too much weight in the possibility of disastrous or apocalyptic events. Cognitive restructuring-through patient-therapist give and take-presents a series of logical steps that aims to prove that distorting events and situations is not a healthy thing.

Exposure therapy - Seeks to gradually and repeatedly expose the patient to the activity or environment that causes the anxiety. The successful result is reached when the individual can effectively manage the anxiety. Examples include overcoming a fear of crossing a bridge, successfully navigating a cross-country plane trip, or spending time in a location associated with an accident or crime.

Anxiety in Women

Women are about twice as likely as men to experience panic disorder, generalized anxiety disorder (PTSD), social phobia, and anxiety disorders when taken as a whole. Women are also more likely than men to get post-traumatic stress disorder, even though men are more likely to be exposed to violent and dangerous situations.

One reason may be that the types of traumas that women experience most-sexual trauma and rape-are more likely to lead to post-traumatic stress disorder. PTSD is one of the many types of anxiety that can put stress on the heart.

The Role of Genes in Anxiety Disorder

"Just like a major heart attack, a burn is a horrible thing, says McCann. "About 33% of patients who have really severe burns develop post-traumatic stress disorder. Which makes us wonder about the 66% who do not get PTSD. We think genes are a huge part of it. We're currently researching whether this same genetic vulnerability holds true for cardiac disease."

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Mental and Behavioral Health Anxiety Disorders Heart and Vascular Featured Expert: The association between anxiety and heart disease has not been as fully studied as the relationship between depression and heart disease. However, Una D McCann, M.D., director of the Anxiety Disorders Program at Johns Hopkins Bayview Medical Center, believes the connection is strong.

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Stress And Chronic Pain: How Stress Relates To Pain Perception

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The American Psychological Association notes that most Americans experience moderate to high-stress levels. Half of APA's 2010 Stress in America survey partic

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Opioid Addiction - Pain Relief - Signs of Addiction | familydoctor.org

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An opioid addiction is a powerful urge to use opioids. These are medicines that are used to relieve pain, such as from a toothache, injury, or surgery.

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How are depression and fatigue linked?

Depression and chronic fatigue syndrome are two conditions that can make someone feel extremely tired, even after a good night's rest. It's possible to have both conditions at the same time. It's also easy to mistake feelings of fatigue for depression and vice-versa.

Depression occurs when a person feels sad, anxious, or hopeless for an extended period of time. People who are depressed often have sleep problems. They may sleep too much or not sleep at all.

Chronic fatigue syndrome is a condition that causes a person to have continuous feelings of fatigue without any underlying cause. Sometimes chronic fatigue syndrome is misdiagnosed as depression.

The main difference between these conditions is that chronic fatigue syndrome is primarily a physical disorder while depression is a mental health disorder. There can be some overlap between the two.

Symptoms of depression can include:

continuous feelings of sadness, anxiety, or emptiness

feelings of hopelessness, helplessness, or worthlessness

disinterest in hobbies you once enjoyed

eating too much or too little

trouble concentrating and making decisions

Physical symptoms can also occur with depression. People may have frequent:

They may also have trouble going to sleep or sleeping through the night, which can lead to exhaustion.

People with chronic fatigue syndrome often have physical symptoms that aren't commonly associated with depression. These include:

Depression and chronic fatigue syndrome also affect people differently when it comes to their daily activities. People with depression often feel very tired and aren't interested in doing any activity, regardless of the task or the required amount of effort. Meanwhile, those with chronic fatigue syndrome usually want to engage in activities but just feel too tired to do so.

To diagnose either condition, your doctor will try to rule out other disorders that can cause similar symptoms. If your doctor thinks you have depression, they may refer you to a mental health expert for evaluation.

Unfortunately, people who have chronic fatigue syndrome may become depressed. And while depression doesn't cause chronic fatigue syndrome, it can certainly cause increased fatigue.

Many people with chronic fatigue syndrome have sleep disorders, such as insomnia or sleep apnea. These conditions often make fatigue worse because they prevent people from getting a good night's rest. When people feel tired, they may not have the motivation or energy to do their daily activities. Even walking to the mailbox can feel like a marathon. The lack of desire to do anything can put them at risk for developing depression.

Fatigue may also fuel depression. People with depression often feel very tired and don't want to take part in any activities.

To make a depression diagnosis, your doctor will ask you about your medical history and give you a questionnaire that assesses depression. They may use other methods, such as blood tests or X-rays, to make sure another disorder isn't causing your symptoms.

Before diagnosing you with chronic fatigue syndrome, your doctor will run several tests to rule out other conditions that can cause similar symptoms. These may include restless leg syndrome, diabetes, or depression.

Therapy or counseling can help treat depression. It can also be treated with certain medications. These include antidepressants, antipsychotics, and mood stabilizers.

Taking antidepressants can sometimes make symptoms of chronic fatigue syndrome worse. That's why your doctor should screen you for depression and chronic fatigue syndrome before prescribing any medication.

Several treatments can help people with chronic fatigue syndrome, depression, or both. These include:

People with depression and chronic fatigue syndrome should also try to develop good sleeping habits. Taking the following steps can help you sleep longer and more deeply:

go to bed at the same time every night

create an environment that promotes sleep (such as a dark, silent, or cool room)

avoid taking long naps (limit them to 20 minutes)

avoid foods and drinks that can prevent you from sleeping well (such as caffeine, alcohol, and tobacco)

avoid exercising at least 4 hours before bedtime

Talk to your doctor if you're struggling with prolonged fatigue or think you have depression. Both chronic fatigue syndrome and depression cause changes that can negatively affect your personal and work life. The good news is that both conditions can improve with the right treatment.

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Depression and Fatigue: An Unfortunate Connection

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How are depression and fatigue linked? Depression and chronic fatigue syndrome are two conditions that can make someone feel extremely tired, even after a good night's rest. It's possible to have both conditions at the same time. It's also easy to mistake feelings of fatigue for depression and vice-versa.

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3 things about stress an pain

1. Stress-induced analgesis
2.general adaption syndrome

3.Stress-induced hyperalgesia

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People who have chronic fatigue syndrome may develop depression, but depression doesn't always lead to chronic fatigue symptoms. People who have chronic fatigue syndrome also have sleep disorders like insomnia or sleep apnea, which may make it difficult to get a full night of sleep. Chronic fatigue syndrome may make it difficult for the person to have motivation for daily activities.

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Stress is a human response to physical, emotional, or mental changes in one’s body or living environment. Almost everyone deals with stress and anxeity from one point to another. Stress influences pain in two main ways. Stress-induced analgesia is influenced by gender, age, and encounters with pain, and stress that activate a system and suppresses pain. Stress-induced hyperalgesia , when stress, anxiety, and fear are around, it angers pain and influences its intensity, duration, and cause. You may experience a figth or flight reaction ( alarm reaction), resistance, and exhaustion.

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1. opioids are commonly prescribed for minor operations
2. The effect how your brain produce endorphins
3. opioid addiction is treatable and is unique to each derived drug

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Opioid addictions can be formed though regular use, generally over the period of a month. Opioid addictions are formed when the drugs you're taking produce so much artificial endorphins that your body stops producing them on its own, leaving you dependent on the drug. This can cause severe depression and mood swings, leaving the user unable to function when not high off of opioids.

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- Anxious thoughts can cause lack of sleep

- May have higher risk of death after a heart attack

- Anxiety can cause you to be distant from friends and family

- Tasi Faulafo

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What Stress Causes
Stress-Induced analgesia
Stress-Induced Hyperalgesia
General Adaption Syndrome (GAS)

-Kylie

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- stress is a human response to physical, emotional, or mental changes in your body.
- Stress-induced analgesia
- stress-induced hyperalgesia

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Having stress can influence and cause more pain.

It happens in three stages: Alarm Reaction, Resistance, Exhaustion.

The stress system and nervous system are very close, which causes the stress system to stimulate pain perception.

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- Those who suffer from depression have a higher chance of getting an illness.
- Depression can lead to a higher chance of high blood pressure, stroke and heart attack.
- When dealing with depression, even just getting out of bed can be difficult. So, they came up with DispatchHealth. DispatchHealth is the home care alternative that will bring medical care to your living room. In addition to treating acute health problems, DispatchHealth can prescribe medications, take blood tests and suture wounds.

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*Stress is a human response to physical, emotional, or mental changes.

*Some causes of stress can be death of a loved one, getting fired from a job, and a test for school.

*Stress influences pain perception in two primary ways. Stress-induced analgesia and Stress-induced hyperalgesia.

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When you have chronic fatigue syndrome you also might develop depression but it doesn't always work the other way around some of the symptoms overlap between the two and chronic fatigue syndrome can be diagnosed as depression even when the person doesnt have depression when some one has chronic fatigue syndrome they have trouble going to sleep, trouble staying asleep or wanting to get out of bed

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stress can change the way we feel pain in two different ways. one is stress-induced anaglesia which means you start feeling less pain even if the amount of pain it still there. two is stress-induced hyperalgesia  which causes the body to have increased pain even if the amount of pain hasnt changed. stress and pain can also cause people to have a change in there psyche. Most people start out in the fight or flight stage. If the stress doesnt stop there people move on to resistance. which is being alert but trying to push it away. If the stress kept persisting people would go into a state of exhaustion from trying to push and fight the stress and pain. that would cause them to become fatigued, irritable, and even depressed.

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People with chronic fatige syndrome my develop into depression, but depression doesn't turn into chronic fatigue syndrome always. Chronic fatigue syndrome can make it hard for someone to get motivation to do daily tasks. Chronic fatigue syndrome can also cause people to have sleep disorders like insomnia or sleep apnea.

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depression is like the case of the blues and it can effect your immune system, it gets you distracted

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-Women are more likely to experience panic disorders than men.

-Anxiety can cause a lot of stress on the heart.

-Anxiety can make you feel like something is wrong with your body, but it's your mind playing tricks.