While any human being can have good and bad days, the incidence of certain mental health disorders often has an impact on a person's general mood. Beyond any logical concern, it is necessary to understand what happens and know, in this case, how depression affects people's thoughts, behaviors and emotions.
To approach this issue with the seriousness it requires, we need to know some indicators of the presence of this harmful clinical picture. In this Psychology-Online article we will talk about whether depression changes people, that is, how it affects on a physical and psychological level.
Index
- Lack of interest
- brain inflammation
- Changes in appetite
- Thoughts linked to death
- Social isolation
- Lack of sexual desire
- physical pains
- sleep disturbances
- Memory loss
- Low self-esteem
- Body Weight Variations
Lack of interest.
In global terms, depression affects emotions in a negative way, since it produces apathy and reluctance to carry out daily activities
Brain inflammation.
Depressive symptoms that are not effectively treated by psychotherapy and psychiatric medications often cause brain inflammation. This condition translates into a lack of oxygen that does not adequately reach the brain. When this occurs, the neurotransmitters found in the cerebral cortex they do not work correctly and cognitive functions can be seriously affected.
Changes in appetite.
Does depression change people? The truth is that either through the presence or absence of appetite, it is clear that depression modify the rhythm and eating routine of the person who suffers from it. Although it is true that in some cases a state of loss of appetite arises that can put life at risk, This should not be taken as a general rule, since it is necessary to study each case individually. individualized.
Thoughts linked to death.
How does a person with depression change? Lack of desire is one of the most frequent symptoms within the depressive clinical picture. In this sense, the fact that a person who do not have projects and intentions to achieve goals in life It may be related to thoughts linked to death.
In the presence of suicidal ideas, it is necessary to contact a mental health center to be able to be attended immediately.
Social isolation.
When it is said that depression drives people away, it is because those who suffer from this clinical picture tend to isolate themselves from their closest surroundings, from the desertion of certain activities in which they previously they participated. This is related to a state of apathy and a lack of energy to enter into new social relationships in everyday life. In turn, social isolation can denote a lockdown at home.
In this article you will find more information about what is apathy: meaning, symptoms and how to overcome it.
Lack of sexual desire.
Regardless of whether or not a person is in a relationship, a lack of sexual desire is another example of how depression changes people. This condition is reflected in a inhibition of sexual activities, both with other people and in an autoerotic way. The stress and distance involved have a negative influence on individuals suffering from depression.
physical pains.
Depression changes people because it is also felt in the body. According to various investigations, it has been shown that there is a connection between this clinical pathology and various bodily ailments. Given this, it is important to mention that the neural connections are associated with receptors in the body They translate electrical signals as pain. However, this does not happen in all cases, since the intensity of the symptoms in each person must be taken into account.
Sleep disturbances.
How does a person with depression feel? This mental health disorder can cause sleep disturbances such as hypersomnia, excessive and prolonged sleep in time, or insomnia, light and restless sleep during the night. In this article you will see what are the types of insomnia and their treatment.
Beyond the particularities of each person, feeling or experiencing these types of symptoms is very common during depressive stages.
Memory loss.
As we have explained previously, depression directly affects the central nervous system. This can be seen in that people with depression have episodes of forgetfulness with regarding episodes in the past. The explanation for this lies in, during a depressive episode, brain activity is less than usual and gaps are generated in memories.
Low self-esteem.
What does a person with depression think? Normally, it is difficult for them to face new situations and challenges, which is associated with low self-esteem. When this happens, the person usually shows a lack of confidence in own abilities to overcome obstacles and consolidate the actions it carries out. All this is part of a set of harmful ideas that unfold in the emotions and behaviors of the affected person. Discover the characteristics of people with low self-esteem in this article.
Body weight variations.
As we have seen, depression changes people in many ways. One of them is due to the lack of physical activity and/or dietary dysregulations linked to depression as a clinical picture. All this can cause variations in body weight that affect the physical and mental health of the person. Faced with this indicator, in each case, it is necessary to evaluate the risk that it can cause to the person and help them through the containment of a mental health professional.
This article is merely informative, at Psychology-Online we do not have the power to make a diagnosis or recommend a treatment. We invite you to go to a psychologist to treat your particular case.
If you want to read more articles similar to Does depression change people?, we recommend that you enter our category of Clinical psychology.
Bibliography
- Botelho de Oliveira, S., Jaimes Alvarado, L., Conde Cotes, C. (2015). Long-term effects of depressive symptoms on a working memory task with and without attentional interference. Psychological Sum Magazine, 22 (1), 29-36.
- Botto, A., Acuña, J., Jiménez, J.P. (2014). Depression as a complex diagnosis. Implications for the development of clinical recommendations. Chilean Medical Journal, 142 (1), 1297-1305.
