The Effects of Leaving Your Depression Untreated

There’s a reason that people get their depression treated. This condition, if left untreated, can have drastic and destructive effects on a person’s quality of life.

If you’re thinking that your depression isjust something that can be left on the back burner, think again. Depression is important to treat, and these are some of the things that can happen if you don’t manage it sooner than later.

Increased Risk of Addiction or Drug Use

Depression, drug use, and drinking go hand-in-hand without question. Many people, in lieu of getting their depression treated by a therapist or another professional, begin to self-medicate – intentionally or unintentionally – with drugs or alcohol.

Not only does this not solve the root of the problem, it creates an entirely new set of problems that you”ll have to deal with eventually. Drug addiction can create issues in the family, lead to serious health problems, and run the risk of withdrawal symptoms – none of which anyone wants to deal with, least of all while they’re depressed.

Physical Health Problems

There is more and more evidence being unearthed that suggests that untreated depression can have a serious effect on physical health. Depressed patients are often lethargic and thus have an increased chance of becoming obese or having cardiovascular problems like strokes and heart attacks. Depressed people recovering from these things are also less likely to make proper health choices during their recovery.

Sleep Problems

Depression is known to affect a person’s sleep schedule in a number of ways. After all, it is a core symptom of depression. Some depressed people tend to oversleep – some have been noted to sleep more than 16 hours a day – whereas others develop insomnia.

Both of these problems can further contribute to the emergence of other physical health problems.

Emotional Instability

Depressed patients are less likely to be in control of their emotions, and this can lead to emotional instability. Many depressed people are irritable and have a hard time controlling their anger. You may find that you experience random bursts of crying, feelings of hopelessness, or even suicidal thoughts.

Relationship Problems

It can be very difficult for a depressed individual to maintain a personal relationship, primarily because they still need to work on themselves. It can be difficult for someone to maintain a close partnership if they have unaddressed issues themselves that they are unwilling to work on, as this manifests as an unwillingness to contribute to the relationship. It takes two to tango, and both people should be willing to work on their own mental health for the sake of the relationship.

Seeking Help For Depression

Fortunately, there are a lot of options for someone who wants to work on their depression.

• Counselling and therapy are the most reputable options. Counsellors and therapists are professionally trained to help people recognize their own issues and begin working on improving themselves. In fact, for moderate to severe cases of depression, the only form of help you should be seeking is therapy via a licensed professional. Talking to other individuals may help temporarily, but it will not resolve your problems in the long run.
  
  Online counselling is a form of counselling that’s easily accessible and great for individuals who have never engaged with a therapist before. You will be able to communicate with a pro from the comfort of your home, via your smartphone or computer.

• Nature walks and other outdoor activity is known to be a major mood booster. Consider taking some time off of your stressful life or job, and start focusing more on the great outdoors.