When depression is portrayed in movies and television shows, it’s often a lot of crying, sadness, sometimes suicidal thoughts and feelings, all of the classic things that we think of when we think about the mood disorder.
That’s fine. A lot of the time, that is what depression looks like. However, the symptoms can also be a lot less obvious than that, and they can affect a lot more than just our ability to feel joy.
Depression is a powerful thing, and it can have major cognitive symptoms that go beyond what we commonly expect. Signs of depression can even go so far as to affect us physically.
Below, we’ll examine some of these lesser known symptoms of depression and take a look at a revolutionary new kind of treatment that might be able to help.
Cognitive Symptoms of Depression
Among the traditional signs of depression that make themselves more observable to outside parties, there are a lot of other internal cognitive symptoms that are less obvious.
Many people suffering from depression talk about negative or distorted thinking, like vague feelings of dread and foreboding with no obvious causes. It’s not uncommon for somebody who’s suffering from the mood disorder to feel like something horrible is about to happen upon waking, even though everything in their lives is seemingly going well.
On top of these feelings, sometimes there is an accompanying feeling of guilt, as though this dread is somehow the fault of the person having those feelings.
Less obvious are cognitive symptoms like being easily distracted throughout the day, or forgetfulness. Memory loss isn’t unheard of, and indecisiveness and an inability to concentrate on tasks can be symptoms as well.
While it’s not common, it’s possible for somebody who is suffering from depression to only display some of these lesser known symptoms as well, making diagnosis more difficult.
Physical Signs of Depression
Did you know that depression can affect you physically as well as cognitively?
While we think of depression as a psychological disorder, its symptoms can affect our bodies as much as our minds.
Trouble falling asleep or staying asleep are common symptoms, and so is sleeping too much. Fatigue can become a part of daily life for a depressed person, regardless of how much sleep he or she gets.
Depression can even cause physical pain. Chest pains are sometimes a symptom, as well as aching muscles and joints. Headaches are common as well.
Since the brain and digestive system are strongly connected, many people with depression can experience stomach aches, nausea, diarrhea or constipation. This can be especially true when patients are feeling heightened worry or stress.
The fact is that what’s happening in the brain can easily influence what’s happening in the body, and depression is such a powerful influence over the former that it is sometimes able to take hold of our physical well being too.
A New Kind of Treatment for Depression
If you suspect that you may have depression, it’s important to speak with a doctor and be completely honest about your symptoms.
There are a variety of treatments for the mood disorder. Your doctor may ask you to attend therapy (which can sometimes even be done over the phone), take medication, or a combined regiment of both.
However, sometimes traditional treatments are ineffective. For people who have hit a wall with their depression treatments, Sun Health Center is proud to offer a new kind of help: Ketamine Therapy.
Essentially, ketamine allows the patient’s brain to create new thoughts and feelings to displace the current depressive symptoms. This results in an almost immediate lightening of the mood and better outlook on life.
Because the ketamine is introduced via an IV drip, the effects can provide nearly instant relief and last for weeks.
Sun Health Center is proud to be at the forefront of this new wave of treatment, and we’re excited to help the people of Florida achieve a greater fulfillment within their own lives.
If you are one of the many victims of depression in the Deerfield Beach and Boca Raton area, and you’ve found that other treatments simply aren’t helping, call or email us today and book a free consultation.
This article has been medically reviewed by our staff at Sun Health Medical Center in Deerfield Beach, Florida.
