Can depression cause the following physical symptoms?`?!
Question: Can depression cause the following physical symptoms?`?
The most notable is what I call "Brain Sludge". It's very hard to explain in words, but it's as if my mind slows down. I cannot focus on things, and it feels difficult to surmount coherent thoughts. When it hits me the hardest, I can barely have a conversation with someone as the cognition required to form words and sentences escapes me. Second is the fatigue. I don't mean pouring a second cup of coffee fatigue, I mean incapacitating fatigue. It's so severe, I sleep 10-12 hours a night and still struggle to keep my eyes open. It often hits alongside a bought of Brain Fog and many times I have to simply stop what I'm doing and go lie down. Sometimes I drift off into an hour long nap, sometimes I merely just lay there for a bit and try to gather my thoughts. My final main symptom is a disturbing loss in libido. I mean this in both the physical and mental sense. I'm a fairly young man, but I've found myself almost completely uninterested in women lately. Not only that, but I've developed an issue with getting physically aroused as well. I thought all these symptoms were indicative of something like mono, or a thyroid issue, or God forbid some bizarre cancer, but I was negative for all these things. I still have a hard time believing depression can affect me in such a physical way. Should I take my doctor's advice and see a psychiatrist, or should I find a new doctor?
Answers:
Your doctor is right. I have had recurring depressive episodes where I have experienced all of those symptoms! So I know exactly what you mean by brain sludge; I can break down in tears talking to people because all of what they say just mixes up and I get so confused at everything. It's horrible: there's no clarity, right? And yes, I have fallen asleep at random times in school due to it. And the lack of libido. So you should definitely go to a counsellor or therapist or psychiatrist, I believe they will help you. And don't be ashamed at having depression, a lot of people have it and you can get out of it!