How badly can mental ailments like depression and stress affect your physical well being?

Question

I know there's plenty of info about this on various websites but I really want to know what people have personally experienced and not what some doctors have said could happen.

Cheers

Answer 1

Loss of appetite and self harming come to mind .  

Answer 2

I feel when I'm depressed I catch colds and viruses more, and also begin to have headaches.  It's a tell tale sign that I need to go back to the doctors.

I think being depressed and stressed lowers your immune system, and makes you more lethargic.  Hope this helps.

Answer 3

From personal experience, it does a lot of harm. I'll notice my appetite will fluctuate, sometimes I won't eat at all, and sometimes I will binge til my stomach wants to burst. Dramatic changes in your diet can really effect your metabolism. I will also get really sleepless at night, yet I will be extremely wiped out during the day. Everyone is different though and if you really want to know the facts you should look up www.webmd.com that site is awesome!

Answer 4

alot makes you feel older  

Answer 5

Worst case scenario for stress is heart attack, partial hair loss has also been known to happen in bad cases. Depression can cause constant fatigue, weight loss, or weight gain, abdominal pain, possibly headaches. Stress can also cause a nervous breakdown, paranoia, and insomnia. Both of them together for some people can cause self harm, drug use, and sometimes suicide.  

Answer 6

My husband has chronic depression since he was 10years old.  He has suicidal thoughts, experiences chronic pain, epilepsy and alcohol and drug addictions.  Yea,depression & stress affects your physical well being alright.

Answer 7

Loss of appetite, lack of sleep and s*x drive.  When i take a panic attack i get what i call my sea legs, very unsteady and shaky its h**l!

Answer 8

A lot .  

Answer 9

An awful lot. I am sure both stress and depression caused my anorexia.  

Answer 10

Death.

Answer 11

A great deal -- and different for different people. Some lose weight and get anxious; some get lethargic and overeat. I am a thin and miserable, fat and happy sort of person myself. The body and mind act as a whole, so I think we should expect the well-being of one to influence the other. Some years ago I was enormously helped by good and sympathetic psychotherapy in my need to become more integrated, but it is a lifelong quest, I think.

Good luck!

Answer 12

I've been so depressed it hurt too much to get out of bed. That went on for about 2 weeks.

So, how much can it affect you physically? A lot.

Answer 13

Hi,

I have been through a period of suffering with stress and anxiety due to work place bullying and this in turn led to slight depression.

I had physical symptoms and these were, lethargic, fatigue, not feeling as though I had slept after a decent nights sleep, mood swings mostly on a short fuse rather than anything else with mood swings, felt vulnerable and tearful at the slightest thing, loss of appitite slight loss of weight. lack of energy and could not be bothered to do anything for myself such as put nice clothes on do my make up etc.

Much better now though, hope this helps.

Answer 14

I have had reactive depression and it made me suicidal. I am over it now.

Answer 15

loss of appetite mainly! not good! :/

Answer 16

a LOT. i'm always tired, all the time. like, i'll fall asleep in school. also, when i get really depressed i stop eating. you either eat lots or don't eat if u have that problem...

also, i get really pale and generally look sick. sometimes for some people your hair starts to thin and fall out and you can get bad skin

Answer 17

These things are interconnected. Depression and stress put a strain on your immune system, which is exacerbated by the poor eating habits that depression produces. I've been there, when I was depressed I seemed to have a constant cold, diarrhoea, migraines and general low health.