Depression is a mental disorder that affects people of all ages. Although this is a mental disease, we may not know how interconnected the mind and body are.

Feeling sad or anxious at times is a normal part of life. But if these feelings last more than a few weeks, they could be symptoms of depression. Depression can cause a lot of issues within the central nervous system, many of which are easy to dismiss or ignore.

Many people do not realise how it can affect their body and cause more damage to their health in the short or long-run.

Depression affects physical health negatively and causes vitally damaging physical illnesses. Here are some of the possible physical consequences of depression.

Heart problems

High blood pressure and an increased heart rate, both can be caused by depression. People who suffer from depression are susceptible to all kinds of heart disease.

Weight gain or loss

People with depression may experience appetite changes, which can cause unintended weight loss or gain. Medical experts have associated excessive weight gain with many health issues, including diabetes and heart disease. Being underweight can harm the heart, affect fertility, and cause fatigue.

Headache and memory loss

A throbbing headache, which can be chronic, can be caused by depression. This is also called a tension headache. When it happens, people also feel a mild pulsation mainly around the eyebrows. Depression can also cause confusion and short-term memory loss. This condition hampers the ability to concentrate and makes people forgetful.

Diabetes

One of the things depression increases is the level of stress hormones. Stress hormones can affect insulin resistance and the level of blood sugar. Since it works both ways, people who already have diabetes are more likely to suffer from depression and vice versa.

Kidney problems

Whether the person suffering from depression has healthy kidneys or has chronic kidney disease, depression affects them regardless. If you are, unfortunately, developing the illness, depression speeds it up. Depression increases the inflammatory protein which triggers an autoimmune response. This could be one of the possible reasons why depression increases the chances of kidney diseases.

Digestive disorders

Depression can literally make you sick to your stomach, causing abdominal cramps or ongoing digestive issues that lead to gas pains, diarrhoea, or constipation. That’s because depression’s physical response has a direct impact on your nervous system, and your nervous system has a direct impact on your bowels.

Chronic pain

Chronic pain is both a physical sensation and an emotional condition that’s very similar to depression in that it can have a far-reaching impact on your mood, thoughts, and behaviour. In fact, the relationship between depression and pain is a tight one—depression can cause and intensify physical pain, and chronic pain is depressing.

Arthritis

Depression and arthritis can cause each other. Both conditions are connected, very closely, to each other. The inflammation caused by these diseases can trigger depression. On the other hand, depression can also worsen arthritis. People with all types of arthritis are in the vicinity of high risk of developing depression and anxiety.

Healthline states that older adults may also have difficulty identifying cognitive changes because it’s easy to dismiss the signs of depression as related to "getting older.”

According to the American Psychological Association, older adults with depression have more difficulties with memory loss and reaction time during everyday activities compared with younger adults with depression.

Symptoms of depression include overwhelming sadness, grief, and a sense of guilt. It may be described as a feeling of emptiness or hopelessness. Some people may find it difficult to put these feelings into words.

It may also be difficult for them to understand as symptoms can manifest and cause physical reactions. Frequent episodes of crying may be a symptom of depression, although not everyone cries if they’re depressed.

You may also feel tired all the time or have trouble sleeping at night. Other symptoms include:

• irritability

• anger

• loss of interest in things that used to bring pleasure

• headaches

There may also be chronic body aches, and the pain may not respond to medication. This is also sometimes an effect of certain neurological diseases, like Alzheimer’s disease, epilepsy, and multiple sclerosis, Healthline notes.