Do these questions sound familiar?
- Are you tired or fatigued?
- Do you have trouble falling asleep?
- Do you have little interest in doing things you once enjoyed?
- Do you feel sad, depressed, or hopeless?
They are typical questions asked by a doctor (psychiatrist, general practitioner, gynecologist) or provided in a questionnaire to screen for depression. However, you could be snoozing like a baby, performing at work just fine, and training for a marathon only to have some really bad back pain that won’t go away.
Could it be depression?
Yes.
In a study published in Dialogues in Clinical Neuroscience, 69 percent of persons who met the criteria of depression consulted a doctor for aches and pains. Mood disorders can show up in surprising symptoms – like migraines, bloating, backaches, or joint pain.
Moreover, these aches and pains don’t go away – and can get downright dangerous — if the depression isn’t treated. A 2007 Norwegian study found that those participants with significant depression symptoms had a higher risk of death from most major causes, including heart disease, stroke, respiratory illnesses, and conditions of the nervous system.
Here are some the most common physical symptoms associated with depression.
