Does Depression Have A Physical Cause?
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Depression is classed as a psychiatric illness, and rightly so. For the majority of sufferers, chronic depression is caused by an imbalance of chemicals in their brain. This causes a mood disorder, with the most common symptom being a persistently low mood and feelings of anhedonia.
While depression awareness has risen over the past few years, it’s still a relatively misunderstood and misused term. Perhaps the biggest misconception is that depression is only caused by a few wonky hormones and unbalanced brain chemistry - when it can actually have a very physical root.
Depression As A Physical Ailment
The reason that depression is so often treated as a purely mental thing is that its primary symptoms are mental. That’s what makes it a mental illness, after all. While there are occasionally physical symptoms of depression, these tend to be found in more advanced cases, and are often overridden by the impact the illness has on mood.
So it’s easy to see why the physical causes of depression are overlooked. If you were to immediately jump to looking for physical causes of depression, then it’s akin to hearing hoofbeats and immediately assuming it’s zebras rather than the far-more-likely horses.
But sometimes, it might just be zebras after all.
Depression As A Symptom
Depression is not always an illness that is self-contained and in and of itself; it can sometimes be a symptom of physical health conditions. Most commonly, depression is a symptom of deficiency.
This makes sense. If your system is deficient in something, then it’s not going to be able to run on full power. Something has to give; and it’s far easier for your body to prioritize physical health over mental health, so depression is the end result.
There are a variety of different deficiencies that can lead to depression. Vitamin B12 deficiency is often associated with the condition; the same is true of Vitamin D. Then there are minerals such as calcium, with hypocalcemia listing depression as one of its most common symptoms.
These deficiencies are relatively easy to treat when you know you have them. A calcium supplement can change your life for the better in a variety of ways with very little in exchange; AlgaeCal side effects are next to non-existent, and it’s a great boost of calcium. The same is true of B12 and D vitamin supplements; next to no side effects, but plenty to be gained from taking them.
How Do You Find Out If You Have A Deficiency
If you suspect a physical cause for your depressive issues, then the only way to be sure if this is the case is through a blood test to ensure you’re getting what you need from your diet. Express your concern to your doctor and they should order one for you.
Depression is a terrible illness that can blight lives, which is why investigating potential physical causes should be part of the diagnostic process. However, it’s often overlooked, despite the fact the medical link is well known and established. There is no harm in having a blood test just to check and see if something is amiss, so press your doctor until you are furnished with the information you need.
Now that we have talked about some of the symptoms and onsets to depression, there are many ways for you to get started on the road to recovery. The first step would be speaking with a clinician who is a specialist in helping people suffering from the many symptoms depression can cause. You can learn more about depression at thrivetalk.com.
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