Clinical study after clinical study has shown that depression and anxiety can cause devastating impacts on the body. Most people experience mild depression and anxiety from time to time caused by everyday happenings, from a favorite sports team losing a big game to expecting a new child. However, depression and anxiety can become severe enough to cause problems with simple day-to-day activities. When this happens, and if left untreated, anxiety and depression can result in many minor and major health issues. These can include:
• Altered state of mind
• Emotional instability
• Fatigue
• Feelings of hopelessness
• Gastrointestinal issues
• Guilt
• Hypertension
• Irritability
• Loss of appetite
• Reduced immune system function
• Restlessness
• Sadness
• Sleep issues
• Trouble concentrating on tasks
• Weight loss
People are often affected by anxiety or depression without realizing it and may not even know why they feel anxious or depressed.
Altered State of Mind
People with depression may be mentally sluggish and feel their bodily movements are heavier than usual or can feel agitated, anxious, and fidgety. Sometimes referred to as psychomotor symptoms, these tend to be more common in older individuals. It is important to note that while depression is expected in the elderly, possibly from isolation, it is not normal.
Hypertension
Chronic stress that often results in anxiety and depression has been linked to elevated blood pressure, increasing your risk of cardiovascular disease and stroke.
Emotional Instability
One of the first symptoms of anxiety or depression, or both, is experiencing mood swings. Many people who may not even realize they are suffering from anxiety or depression will begin to experience unexplained mood swings. The swings can be minor and pass quickly or be more pronounced and last for several days or weeks. This can cause feelings of hopelessness and irritability, causing you to snap at family, friends, and coworkers for no apparent reason.
Pain
Both depression and anxiety can lead to physical discomfort ranging from minor aches and pains in the limbs, joints, and back to chronic and debilitating pain throughout the body. Studies as recent as 2017 found that lower back pain in adults was directly linked to depression. While people with chronic pain can become depressed, there is the possibility that both physical pain and emotional issues can have the exact cause. While the cause of depression-related pain is not well understood, it is believed the pain may result from reduced neurotransmitter production.
Gastrointestinal Symptoms
People suffering from anxiety or depression often have gastrointestinal issues that include nausea, diarrhea, and constipation. They often become so severe people lose their appetite enough, so they lose weight. Researchers are examining the possibility that these digestive issues may be the result of low serotonin levels.
Immunity
While the relationship between depression and reduced immune function is not exactly clear, the stress caused by anxiety and depression can depress the immune system to the point where you will be more susceptible to everything from a head cold to cancer. Some studies have found evidence that chronic stress may result in an inflammatory response that can slow down immune system response.
Sleep Problems
Sleep disorders are among the main symptoms of anxiety and depression. Sleep problems can include insomnia, restless sleep, or sleeping too much. It should also be noted that having trouble sleeping can increase your risk of depression. Research suggests that disruption of the body’s circadian rhythms, which control the wake-sleep cycle, can contribute to depression.
Fatigue
Anxiety and depression often cause fatigue in the afflicted, no matter how much sleep they get. Depression and fatigue can become part of a vicious cycle where low energy worsens depression, and the worsening depression can increase fatigue. This can cause people not to want to get out of bed in the morning and struggle to perform routine daily activities. While low energy can be connected to poor sleep, research indicates the relationship between depression and fatigue is more complex. Fatigue is one of the most common physical effects of depression and tends to be one of the most difficult to treat. Studies have found that roughly 80 percent of people suffering from significant depression still experience fatigue even when taking antidepressant medications.
Appetite and Weight Changes
People suffering from depression will often see changes in their eating habits, with either a loss or increase of appetite. This can lead to predictable weight loss or gain. Many people suffering from depression often say they have lost weight without trying, and this can occur if people become so despondent they don’t feel like eating. On the other side of the spectrum, other people gain weight without knowing why, and this is usually the result of “emotional eating” that works as a comforting mechanism. Weight loss or gain is also a common side effect of taking antidepressant medications.
Medications
Both over-the-counter and prescription medications can cause a wide range of side effects. While most side effects are mild and decrease as the body adjusts to the medication, some side effects can be severe enough to cause serious problems. Examples of side effects include:
• Appetite changes
• Blurred vision
• Difficulty concentrating
• Dizziness
• Dry mouth
• Fatigue
• Nausea
• Sexual dysfunction
• Trouble sleeping
• Weight loss or gain
Natural Treatment Options
While the first impulse of many doctors is to treat depression disorders with drug therapy, there are all-natural ways of dealing with the stress that is usually the underline cause. Some highly effective ways to relieve stress, and the pain that is often associated with it, include:
Counseling
Licensed mental health professionals are trained to provide counseling to help you ferret out the root of your depression or anxiety. Counseling can work very quickly, but you will only get out of it what you put into it.
2. Massage Therapy
Massage therapy helps relieve stress through light pressure and deeper muscle manipulations that reduce body tension by relaxing the muscles and helping with pain relief.
3. Float therapy
Float therapy uses a sensory deprivation tank where you will effortlessly float in a high salinity water solution. This allows you to float on the water without any external stimuli of light or sound to distract you peacefully. The U.S. Center for Disease Control recently performed a study that showed the benefits of float therapy on reducing anxiety and stress.
4. Infrared Sauna Treatment
Cortisol is a stress hormone that builds up in your system from prolonged exposure to stress. In severe cases, it can result in both psychological and physiological illnesses. Infrared sauna therapy helps promote relaxation by helping to relax your muscles, relieve tension throughout your body and help return cortisol levels to normal.
5. Sound Healing
Listening to pleasing sounds or soothing repetitive tones is shown to lower stress and reduce blood pressure. Sound healing is a type of rest therapy and can help with the symptoms of depression, anxiety and help restore quality sleep.
Conclusion
Suffering from anxiety or depression can affect every aspect of your life and, in severe cases, can leave you feeling despondent and isolated. If you have been looking for sound healing Jacksonville for help with anxiety or depression, Be Still Float in the Jacksonville, Florida area offers several all-natural treatment options to reduce the stress that can help you get back to feeling like yourself. Contact them today at 904-619-9615 or visit them online at bestillfloat.com for a no-obligation consultation.
