Can Depression Cause Physical Symptoms?

Reader’s Question

Can dysthymia be the cause of severe dizziness, nausea, random tingling and numbness, an inability to get warm and disorientation such as momentarily forgetting where you are (as well as fatigue, short term memory loss, confusion, depression, irritability, decreased appetite, etc.)?

Our Consulting Clinical Psychologist’s Reply

Dysthymia (depression) can produce all those symptoms. Depression is associated with the neurotransmitter Serotonin. While this neurotransmitter is related to depression, it is also a major body regulator. Folks who are depressed often experience hot flushes, cramps in their legs/shoulders, eye twitching, tingling sensations, etc. Serotonin also helps regulate appetite, sleep, and sexual interest. As a body neurotransmmitter, Serotonin is concentrated in the brain and gastrointestinal tract. For this reason, depressed folks have nausea, bowel/bladder problems, etc.

In an odd situation, the use of antidepressants can produce the same symptoms. Antidepressants work to increase the levels of neurological Serotonin and when doing so, influence Serotonin in the GI tract. For this reason, most antidepressants produce dizziness, nausea, bowel problems, and dizziness when first used. Some antidepressants can also produce tingling sensations, like electric charges, as well as hot and cold flushes. The use of antidepressants will stabilize Serotonin levels and most of those symptoms will disappear with treatment.

Additional information can be found in an article I’ve written entltled Chemical Imbalance on my website at www.drjoecarver.com. There are also articles on depression on this website, as well as several tests for depression symptoms you might find useful.

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