April 01, 2025

Depression's Physical Toll: How it Impacts Chronic Disease

11 minutes

Story at-a-glance

Aside from being a mental health issue, depression also speeds up the onset of chronic illnesses like diabetes, heart disease and arthritis, making them appear years earlier than expected
People with depression are significantly more likely to be hospitalized for serious physical conditions, with some illnesses requiring up to five times more hospital visits compared to those without depression
Depression causes chronic stress and inflammation, which damage your body at a cellular level, weakening your immune system, increasing blood sugar issues and accelerating disease progression
Poor sleep and gut health disruptions in depressed people worsen both mental and physical health, leading to higher rates of infections, digestive problems and metabolic disorders
Breaking the cycle of depression and disease requires addressing the root causes with appropriate sun exposure, gut-supporting probiotics, deep sleep, stress management and mitochondrial support

...more

By Dr. Mercola

4.6

14671,467 ratings

April 01, 2025

11 minutes

Story at-a-glance

Aside from being a mental health issue, depression also speeds up the onset of chronic illnesses like diabetes, heart disease and arthritis, making them appear years earlier than expected
People with depression are significantly more likely to be hospitalized for serious physical conditions, with some illnesses requiring up to five times more hospital visits compared to those without depression
Depression causes chronic stress and inflammation, which damage your body at a cellular level, weakening your immune system, increasing blood sugar issues and accelerating disease progression
Poor sleep and gut health disruptions in depressed people worsen both mental and physical health, leading to higher rates of infections, digestive problems and metabolic disorders
Breaking the cycle of depression and disease requires addressing the root causes with appropriate sun exposure, gut-supporting probiotics, deep sleep, stress management and mitochondrial support

...more