What first comes to mind when you hear the word “depression”? Chances are that it’s the emotional aspects of depression – the mood changes, hopelessness and deep sadness. However, depression often has significant physical symptoms too.

For some people, the physical symptoms are much more apparent than having a low mood. Research has shown that many people with depression seek out help for physical ailments but not for depression. Some people may only be aware of their physical symptoms. One wide-scale study screened over 1100 medical patients in 14 countries for depression, and 69% of the patients who met the criteria had come only to treat physical symptoms. Unfortunately, depression may be overlooked by both sufferers and their physicians when the focus is on physical symptoms.

Often people suffering from depression will have several physical symptoms, the most common of which are listed below. In many cases, the severity of physical symptoms matches the severity of depression.

Common physical symptoms

o  Headaches
o  Back pain
o  Muscle aches or joint pain (depression can cause these, and also tends to make chronic pain much worse)
o  Abdominal pain or cramping
o  Chest pain (also associated with anxiety)
o  Digestive problems (e.g. nausea, diarrhea or constipation)
o  Change in appetite or weight (eating much more or much less than usual, significant weight gain or loss)
o  Exhaustion or fatigue
o  Feeling “slowed down” in your movements
o  Sleeping problems (about 80% of people with depression wake up early or can’t fall asleep; 15% sleep much more than usual)
o  Decrease in sex drive

There are other physical effects of depression too, such as an increased risk of heart disease and accelerated loss of bone mass leading to osteoporosis.

Recognizing when physical symptoms are due to depression is essential to treating both the depression itself and the physical symptoms. If only the physical aspects are attended to, they’re unlikely to get better until the underlying mood issues are addressed. You may find yourself getting frustrated that your aches and pains won’t go away, or that nothing helps improve your sleep for very long. If that’s the case, it’s possible that something more is happening for you than physical ailments alone.

Of course, not everyone experiencing the above symptoms is suffering from depression; it is still a good idea to consult a physician to rule out other possible causes. If no other clear cause is found, depression could be the culprit.