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EFFECTS OF DEPRESSION ON HEALTH


Feeling sad or anxious at certain times is a normal part of life. However when these feelings persist for more than two weeks, disrupting an individual’s relationships and daily routine, they could be considered as symptoms of depression (Pietrangelo et al., 2017). According to the World Health Organisation, about 300 million people around the world have depression (WHO, 2018). It is also estimated that 15% of the adult population will experience depression at some point in their life (Morin, 2019). These statistics therefore make depression one of the most common problems faced by populations worldwide. There are a lot of negative effects that depression has on the health of individuals. Research has documented many of these deleterious effects and this article will highlight a few of them.



One major long term effect of depression is suicide. In the US, suicide is ranked as the 10th leading cause of death and the second cause of death among people ages 15-24 (Morin, 2019). About 66% of suicide cases can be attributed to depression (My Essay Point, 2019). People who are depressed feel hopeless, worthless and see no essence of life. Depression is also known to cause weight loss and/or weight gain. This can be attributed to changes in appetite experienced by people with depression. Weight loss is also associated with weakened immunity. Depressed individuals are therefore prone to a number of infections and other health comorbidities.
Depression impacts negatively on sexual activity. People who are depressed may have a decreased libido and thus may not able to engage in pleasurable sexual encounters with their spouses or partners. Such people are therefore likely to experience concomitant problems in their relationship and marriages.



The effect of depression on pregnancy has also been noted. Depression in pregnancy is often associated with low birth weight and preterm labour (Tracy, 2012). Research has shown that babies born to preterm mothers usually present with, increased irritability, reduced activity, decreased attentiveness and fewer facial expression (Tracy, 2012).
Depression also often has the snowball effect of increasing ones tendency to involve in unhealthy lifestyle behaviours such as alcoholism and smoking. Therefore individuals who are depressed have an increased risk for developing cardiovascular disorders such as hypertension, atherosclerosis and heart failure.

Early recognition and treatment is necessary to forestall the harmful effects of depression. Unfortunately, depressed individuals often fail to report to the hospital on time due to ignorance of these negative effects, frank denial of their conditions and also a substantial fear of stigmatization associated with mental illness. In conclusion, depression is a clinical condition that should be treated by health professionals with optimum priority and assistance as it could easily slip down a slippery fatal road.

Author: Samuel Owusu Fordjour




REFERENCES
Pietrangelo, A., & Cherney, K. (2017). The effect of depression in your body. Retrieved from
https://www.healthline.com/health/depression/effects-on-body#1
WHO. (2018). Depression. Retrieved from https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-
sheets/detail/depression
• Villines, Z. (2018). How does depression affect the body. As retrieved from
https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/322395.php
• Morin, A. (2019). Depression statistics everyone should know. As retrieved from
https://www.verywellmind.com/depression-statistics-everyone-should-know-4159056
• My Essay Point. (2019). Effect of depression on health. Retrieved from
https://myessaypoint.com/effects-depression-health
• Tracy, N. (2012). Effects of Depression: Physical, Social Effects of Depression, HealthyPlace.
Retrieved from https://www.healthyplace.com/depression/effects/effects-of-depression-
physical-social-effects-of-depression
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