HomeBlogPatientChronic Illnesses & Depression: Breaking the Cycle Chronic Illnesses & Depression: Breaking the Cycle November 6, 2017Patient It’s a vicious cycle: depression increases the risk for chronic illness, and chronic illnesses may bring on episodes of depression. According to WebMD, up to one third of people with chronic illnesses also suffer from depression. Cardiovascular disease, stroke, cancer, diabetes, and other chronic conditions are strongly associated with depression. Depression Can Worsen Chronic Diseases According to a paper by Gregory Simon of the Center for Health Studies published in the Western Journal of Medicine, depression greatly increases the degree of illness in patients with chronic conditions. Patients with depression had almost twice as many days of restricted activity or missed work as who were not depressed. Depression is linked to a 50 percent to 100 percent increase in health services use and costs. Some behaviors linked to depression may make chronic illnesses worse, including: Not following treatment, including not taking prescribed medications Being more likely to smoke and drink Lack of exercise Poor eating habits Depression can cause physical fatigue, insomnia, anxiety and anorexia or binge eating. As your body is robbed of quality sleep, good nutrition, and restful periods of “me time,” it begins a downward spiral that puts you at higher risk for disease. According to a review of 31 studies in Dialogues in Clinical Neuroscience, patients with depression and chronic illnesses experienced a much higher number of medical symptoms, particularly pain and fatigue. Dr. Nelson Rodriguez, a staff psychiatrist at Cincinnati’s Lindner Center of HOPE, often sees comorbidity in his patients. “I’ve tried to understand the correlation between physical illnesses and mental illnesses,” says Dr. Rodriguez. “One of our roles as psychiatrists is to help educate our patients about the interactions between illnesses. “I see a number of first-time patients who are overweight, may complain of being tired during the day, or have trouble sleeping,” he explains “If they have trouble sleeping, I may refer them to a specialist for a sleep study to find out if they have sleep apnea. Once that is treated, they may experience relief from their symptoms of depression.” How Chronic Illness Impacts Depression The National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) writes that dealing with a chronic illness can lead to “uncertainty, grief, sadness, anger or fear.” But if these feelings continue beyond a few days and affect normal daily functions, it may be a sign of depression. A NAMI fact sheet suggests that diet, exercise and good habits – along with medication and/or talk therapy – can help ease symptoms of depression and chronic illness. NAMI advises patients to try to remain involved in activities or learn new skills, maintain a daily routine, keep an active support network and practice proper self-care. The Cleveland Clinic advises patients to seek treatment for depression, stating, “Those with chronic medical conditions who get treatment for co-existing depression often experience an improvement in their overall medical condition, achieve a better quality of life, and find it easier to follow through with their treatment plan.” Most treatment studies have found that talk therapy and antidepressant medications are effective in treating depression in patients with depression and comorbid illnesses. Even if depression and chronic illness go hand in hand, it’s not an unbreakable bond. Speaking up, asking for help, and working with a health care team to establish the proper treatment can increase patients’ motivation for self-care and reduce symptoms. Our articles are for informational purposes only and are reviewed by our Medical Information team, which includes PharmDs, MDs, and PhDs. Do not make any changes to your current medications or dosing without consulting your healthcare provider. The GeneSight test must be ordered by and used only in consultation with a healthcare provider who can prescribe medications. As with all genetic tests, the GeneSight test results have limitations and do not constitute medical advice. The test results are designed to be just one part of a larger, complete patient assessment, which would include proper diagnosis and consideration of your medical history, other medications you may be taking, your family history, and other factors. If you are a healthcare provider and interested in learning more about the GeneSight test, please contact us at 855.891.9415. If you are a patient, please talk with your doctor to see if the GeneSight test may be helpful. Healthcare Provider Overcoming Side Effect Concerns: Leveraging Pharmacogenomic Insights to Inform Depression and Anxiety Medication Selection Whitnee Brown, a lifelong resident now practicing in Birmingham, Alabama has nearly an entire alphabet following her name, abbreviations for degrees and certifi... Read more Patient Concerns about Mental Health Medication Side Effects Remain a Barrier to Getting Help for Those Diagnosed with Depression and Anxiety Lisa Roberts has raised a family, reached an impressively high level in her career, and was an anchor for her mother and other family members. When, within ... 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Read more Patient Mindful Moments: Tips for Anxiety If a well-meaning friend or family member has ever told you to “just breathe” when you’re feeling worked up or stressed out, you’d be forgiven if you felt l... Read more Patient Hints To Help You Have A Better New Year The holidays have ended, and a new year has begun—a time when many embrace a fresh start by setting New Year’s resolutions. This year, why not consider s... Read more Patient Movement as Medicine: Solutions for Anxiety Moving forward. It sounds like a nice idea, especially when you’re feeling stuck deep in the throes of an anxiety spiral. But it turns out that physically m... Read more Patient Weight-Loss Drugs and Mental Health: What You Need to Know New medications for weight loss seem to be flying off pharmacy shelves these days. But could they be linked to mental health conditions? Researchers are ... Read more Learn more Learn more about GeneSight How to talk to your provider View our clinical studies
Healthcare Provider Overcoming Side Effect Concerns: Leveraging Pharmacogenomic Insights to Inform Depression and Anxiety Medication Selection Whitnee Brown, a lifelong resident now practicing in Birmingham, Alabama has nearly an entire alphabet following her name, abbreviations for degrees and certifi... Read more
Patient Concerns about Mental Health Medication Side Effects Remain a Barrier to Getting Help for Those Diagnosed with Depression and Anxiety Lisa Roberts has raised a family, reached an impressively high level in her career, and was an anchor for her mother and other family members. When, within ... Read more
Patient Common Antidepressant Side Effects Taking an antidepressant can be an effective way to help treat a mental health condition like depression or anxiety. However, these medications can also cre... Read more
Patient MTHFR Mutations: Clinical Implications and Management Strategies MTHFR mutations—changes in the methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR) gene—have gained increased attention in the medical community due to their potent... Read more
Patient Can an App Help Me Manage My Anxiety? Health and wellness smartphone apps have become so common that if you can name a health goal, desire or condition, you can probably find an app for it. N... Read more
Patient Black Trailblazers of Psychiatry and Mental Health: A Legacy of Healing and Advocacy As we celebrate Black History Month, we want to recognize a few individuals who have made extraordinary contributions to the field of psychiatry and mental heal... Read more
Patient Mindful Moments: Tips for Anxiety If a well-meaning friend or family member has ever told you to “just breathe” when you’re feeling worked up or stressed out, you’d be forgiven if you felt l... Read more
Patient Hints To Help You Have A Better New Year The holidays have ended, and a new year has begun—a time when many embrace a fresh start by setting New Year’s resolutions. This year, why not consider s... Read more
Patient Movement as Medicine: Solutions for Anxiety Moving forward. It sounds like a nice idea, especially when you’re feeling stuck deep in the throes of an anxiety spiral. But it turns out that physically m... Read more
Patient Weight-Loss Drugs and Mental Health: What You Need to Know New medications for weight loss seem to be flying off pharmacy shelves these days. But could they be linked to mental health conditions? Researchers are ... Read more