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Nov 8, 2024 · However, research has linked repression to an impaired immune system, so if you tend to get sick frequently, there is a chance that repressed memories may be affecting your physical well-being.
Sep 5, 2023 · Repression is a defense mechanism that involves the unconscious blocking of unwanted or overwhelming emotions, memories, thoughts, and impulses. While repression can be protective against emotions that cause anxiety or discomfort, in the long run, it can contribute to mental health disorders and impact your physical health.
How can repression affect mental and physical health? Repression can lead to mental health issues such as anxiety, depression, and PTSD. Physically, it can manifest as chronic pain, weakened immune function, and cardiovascular problems. Repressed emotions may also contribute to increased stress levels and emotional instability.
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Jul 2, 2024 · It’s important to note that repression and suppression can adversely affect mental and physical health if left unaddressed. These defense mechanisms may temporarily relieve distressing emotions but can lead to long-term consequences, including increased psychological distress, relationship problems, and physical health issues.
- Overview
- What is depression?
- Effects of depression on the central nervous system
- Effects of depression on the digestive system
- Effects of depression on the cardiovascular and immune systems
- Depression in children and teens
- Frequently asked questions
- Takeaway
Depression is technically a mental disorder but also affects your physical health. It may impact everything from your heart, kidney, nervous system, and immune system health.
Depression is one of the most common mental health conditions in the United States. At least 6% of U.S. adults had a major depressive episode annually in 2020.
Feeling sad or anxious at times is a normal part of life. But if these feelings last more than a few weeks, they could be symptoms of depression.
Clinical depression, especially left untreated, can interrupt your day-to-day life and cause a ripple effect of additional symptoms.
Major depression (a more advanced form of depression) is considered a serious medical condition that may dramatically affect your quality of life.
The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition (DMS-5) says that to qualify for a diagnosis of major depression, a person has to experience at least five symptoms for longer than two weeks.
Depression can cause a lot of symptoms within the central nervous system, many of which are easy to dismiss or ignore.
Older adults may also have difficulty identifying cognitive changes because it’s easy to dismiss the signs of depression as related to “getting older.”
According to the American Psychological Association, older adults with depression have more difficulties with memory loss and reaction time during everyday activities compared with younger adults with depression.
Symptoms of depression include overwhelming sadness, grief, and a sense of guilt. It may be described as a feeling of emptiness or hopelessness. Some people may find it difficult to put these feelings into words.
It may also be difficult for them to understand as symptoms can manifest and cause physical reactions. Frequent episodes of crying may be a symptom of depression, although not everyone cries if they’re depressed.
You may also feel tired all the time or have trouble sleeping at night. Other symptoms include:
While depression is often thought of as a mental health condition, it also plays a heavy role in appetite and nutrition. Some people cope by overeating or bingeing. This can lead to weight gain and obesity-related conditions like type 2 diabetes.
You may even lose your appetite entirely or fail to eat the right amount of nutritious food. A sudden loss of interest in eating in older adults can lead to a condition called geriatric anorexia.
Eating problems can lead to symptoms that include:
•stomachaches
•cramps
•constipation
Depression and stress are closely related. Stress hormones speed heart rate and make blood vessels tighten, putting your body in a prolonged state of emergency. Over time, this can lead to heart disease.
Recurrence of cardiovascular problems is linked more closely to depression than to other conditions like:
•smoking
•diabetes
•high blood pressure
•high cholesterol
Depression may be more difficult to detect in children who can’t articulate their symptoms.
You may want to look out for behaviors that include persistent clinginess, worry, and unwillingness to attend school without improvement over time. Children may also be excessively irritable and negative.
In addition, teens are particularly susceptible to depression.
About 4.1 million adolescents ages 12-17 in the U.S. had at least one episode of depression in 2020, which is about 17%. It’s more common in adolescent females and adolescents who self-identified as belonging to two or more races.
Symptoms of depression in teens may include:
•unusually poor grades
Does depression cause permanent brain damage?
Scans of the brain of people living with depression show significant changes in areas of the brain like the frontal lobe, hippocampus, temporal lobe, and amygdala.
Is depression a chemical imbalance?
A chemical imbalance of neurotransmitters in the brain, like serotonin, can play a role in depression, but the causes of the condition are often more complex. Other factors that play a role are: •genetic history of depression •hormones •substance use disorders (SUD) •other medical conditions •environmental factors like trauma Learn more about the causes of depression.
Depression is a mental health disorder that can also have an impact on your physical health. It may affect your cardiovascular and digestive systems and your immune system.
In addition, it can significantly negatively impact your quality of life. If you or someone you’re experiencing symptoms of depression, know that help is available.
- Ann Pietrangelo
Feb 12, 2019 · Such repressed emotions may accumulate and eventually lead to mental health problems, including anxiety symptoms, generalized anxiety disorder, social anxiety, depressive symptoms, and post ...
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Feb 18, 2024 · The repercussions of repressing emotions extend far beyond the realms of mental health. From physical well-being to the dynamics of our relationships, the impact can be profound. As a society, it is crucial to foster an environment that encourages emotional expression and destigmatizes seeking support for mental health.
