Depression can lead to heart disease, osteoporosis, diabetes, Parkinson and even cancer. Most affected by depression are people between 25 and 50 years, especially women, a percentage three times higher than men. According to studies, depression is more harmful to health than angina, asthma, arthritis or diabetes.
Here’s how depression can affect health…
Cardiovascular diseases:
Recent studies show that depressed persons heart is subjected to chronic inflammation. Over time, this can lead to arrhythmias and coronary artery disease. The disease affects the cardiovascular system in healthy people. Severe forms of depression increase the risk of sudden cardiac death. Also, the disease worsens chronic cardiovascular diseases, including hypertension and prognosis in patients undergoing cardiac surgery.
Osteoporosis:
Depression increases the risk of loss of bone density, while leading to osteoporosis. Regular assessment of bone density and the administration of prophylactic treatment with vitamin D, are a necessity.
Diabetes:
Diabetes can occur in elderly people suffering from depression. Studies have shown that high levels of cortisol stress hormone are found in higher quantities in the body of depressed people, the body decreases sensitivity to insulin. Thus, people affected by depression and weight gain are at risk of diabetes.
Parkinson’s disease:
Experts have noticed that in case of depression, neurons are damaged and dopamine decreases. These changes are also associated with the development of Parkinson’s disease.
What is depression?
Depression has biological causes, social and psychological. The presence of depression cases in family, drastic diets, which decreases serotonin levels in the blood, some antidepressants and some contraceptives predispose to depression.
Social and psychological factors increase the incidence of this disease. Thus, the pace of life, stress and lack of real communication between individuals may lead to various problems. People affected by depression lacks energy, are sad and discouraged. They have negative thoughts and difficulty concentrating. Sense of loss of self-worth and loss of interest in things that previously was liked, are other symptoms of depression.