People who often hear about depression may find it difficult to explain how they feel, even to themselves. This is because depression is not just about feeling down, it can also lead to a series of physical discomforts. This is known as somatic symptoms.
1. Sleep Disorders
Depressed individuals often face disturbances in their sleep, characterized by difficulty falling asleep, vivid dreams, insomnia, and early morning waking with anxiety. These issues significantly impact the quality of sleep, leaving them feeling extremely fatigued during the day and struggling to concentrate.
2. Gastrointestinal Discomfort
Depression can also trigger gastrointestinal discomfort, manifested as indigestion, stomach pain, diarrhea, and constipation. These symptoms may stem from the negative impact of depression on the nervous system, causing disruptions in gastrointestinal function, further affecting the overall physical well-being of individuals.
3. Palpitations and Shortness of Breath
Depressed individuals may sometimes experience chest tightness, palpitations, and shortness of breath, where these discomforting sensations feel like irregular heartbeats – sometimes too fast, sometimes too slow, and occasionally irregular. This could be due to the effects of depression on the heart and circulatory system.
4. Wandering Pain
Commonly seen in patients with dysfunction of the autonomic nervous system due to anxiety, depression, mood swings, stress, or inadequate sleep. It presents as pain throughout the body, with variable locations, and the nature of pain can be diverse, such as crawling sense, numbness, or burning sensation.
