What is the connection between depression and physical health?
The intersection between physical and mental health is a topic that is often overlooked. The relationship between the two is far from simple, and there are many factors to consider when looking at the relationship between chronic health conditions and mental health. However, the two are inevitably intertwined and have a bidirectional relationship. Depression has consistently been connected to physical health conditions, which this blog post will explore.
What is Depression?
According to the World Health Organization (2023), roughly 5% of the population face depression. While depression is typically thought of as feeling sad, other common and often overlooked symptoms include decreased interest or satisfaction in things previously enjoyed, weight and appetite fluctuation, changes to sleep patterns, fatigue and lethargy, difficulty with concentration, experiencing decreased self-esteem and guilt, and potential suicidal thoughts (WHO, 2023).
A diagnosis of depression requires an interference with one’s daily functioning, meaning that aspects of one’s daily life are negatively impacted because of their depressive symptoms (WHO, 2023). For example, decreased work performance due to concentration difficulties or relationship problems due to diminished pleasure and motivation can each result from depression.
How is depression related to physical health conditions?
Around 54% of individuals between the ages of 18-34 currently face a chronic health condition; 22% have more than one current chronic health condition (Akif et al., 2024). Research supports a clear connection between chronic physical health conditions and mental health. Depression occurs frequently in individuals with chronic illness; individuals who experience this comorbidity are also reported to have worsened health outcomes and decreased quality of life (Gold et al., 2020). Additionally, individuals experiencing conditions including cancer, diabetes, chronic pain, heart disease, and autoimmune diseases not only have an increased risk of developing depression but also have higher rates of currently existing depression (NIMH, 2024; Akif et al., 2024). However, the relationship between physical health and depression is complex, given that depression can be an underlying cause of physical illness, while having a physical illness can inherently lead to depression (Gold et al., 2020).
What influences physical and mental health?
The combination of one’s biological and genetic makeup, physical habits, and interactions with the environment contribute to overall mental and physical well-being. Certain vulnerabilities can make one more or less likely to develop specific health conditions. For example, lifestyle choices like smoking, having a poor diet, or lack of exercise can increase the likelihood of developing chronic diseases over time. Similarly, individuals who are less physically active have a higher rate of developing depression and individuals who are depressed tend to participate less in exercise, which puts them at risk for developing disease over time (Gold et al., 2020).
Depressive symptoms can make it difficult to pursue healthy habits that may prevent chronic health conditions from developing or worsening. Since people with depression often lack motivation and interest in things/activities they once enjoyed and often have decreased energy, it is difficult for them to engage in pursuing healthy behaviors such as exercising or eating healthy, which are protective factors against developing physical health conditions (Gold et al., 2020; Akif et al., 2024). On the other hand, individuals experiencing health conditions such as cancer or chronic pain, make someone feel physically weak and typically unable to engage in physical activities, seeing friends and family, or eating healthy.
Understanding the connection between physical and mental health is crucial in evaluating one’s own experience. It can allow for prevention and early recognition of either depression or a chronic health condition. Ultimately the goal is to improve quality of life and reduce suffering. Raising self-awareness is a good first step to achieve these goals.
If you are currently experiencing symptoms or depression or comorbid chronic illness, you do not have to experience this difficulty alone. If you are worried about yourself or someone you know that is struggling with these symptoms, you can schedule a call here, with one of our trained professionals. We are here to help.
