Can depression cause chills?

Can depression cause chills?

Yes, depression can cause chills along with other physical symptoms. In this blog post, we will be speaking about one of the most common mental health issues among the younger population: Depression. We will discuss what depression is, whether depression can cause chills and ways to deal with physical symptoms emerging from depression. 

Depression is a mental health issue that can cause a person to experience a wide variety of physical symptoms. Depressed mood and problems with cold feet and hands may be related to circulatory conditions, which could be present at the same time. Chen-Bo Zhong, PhD, and Geoffrey J. Leonardelli, PhD, of the University of Toronto, discovered that social isolation makes individuals feel physiologically chilly. 

This sensation may feel like you’re in a chilly drought or that you have a chill that won’t go away no matter what you do, including using blankets, more clothes, or turning up the heat. Most people will agree that depression can cause emotional symptoms – feeling sad, depressed, down, numb. 

But what many don’t realise is that depression can have a very real effect on your body as a whole. Depression makes it hard to concentrate and sometimes it even gives you physical symptoms such as: weakness and fatigue, headaches and stomach aches and yes, feeling cold. 

What is depression? 

Depression is a psychological disorder that negatively affects the way we think, feel and behave and which causes danger, distress, dysfunctionality at home and/or in school or work and may deviate one from most people.

To be diagnosed with depression, loss of interest or depressed mood should be present within a two-week period and at least 5 of the following should also be present:

– most of day in depressed mood, nearly everyday as observed by one’s self and/or others. (note: children may show agitation)

– anhedonia or loss of interest in pleasurable activities

– drastic weight loss or weight gain

– unfocused or diminished thinking

– lethargy

– feelings of unworthiness

– psychomotor agitation

– having recurring thoughts of suicide or death

– lack of sleep or excessive sleep

However, symptoms of depression manifest differently across ages.

Symptoms of exhaustion, worry, insomnia, sorrow, difficulty to focus and memory, mood swings, and other stressful life events such as the death of a loved one may also be present. Physical aches and pains can sometimes be an indication of sadness. 

Depression can be induced by a variety of factors. As far as the biopsychosocial model is concerned, it might be a mix of three components. Environmental conditions, eugenics, and genetic vulnerability all induce some.

Can depression cause chills? 

During the winter, most people are confronted with cold air and low temperatures. Some suffer from intense chills and feel like they’re seeing their breath – and even put on a cardigan or wrap up in a blanket because of it! But what is really going on? Why do we feel chilly when we aren’t actually exposed to severe weather conditions but still feel as though we’ve stepped into an arctic climate?

Feeling chilled or experiencing chilly feelings is a particularly perplexing physical symptom that may arise as a result of worry, and it merits extra attention in order to comprehend how something as basic as feeling cold can be a result of your mood and emotions.

Zhong and Leonardelli performed two experiments on college students.

• First, they divided 65 students into two groups. They asked the first group to recall a time when others left them out. The second group recalled a time when they were included by others. In the middle of this, purportedly in response to maintenance staff, they were asked to estimate the temperature of the room.

• The room temperature was always the same. But the students’ guesses ranged from 53 degrees to 104 degrees Fahrenheit. And those who remembered feeling lonely guessed lower temperatures than those who remembered feeling social support.

Second experiment studied social rejection and its effects 

• In the second experiment, the researchers had 52 students play a computerized ball-toss game. The students thought they were playing with other people online, but the game was rigged. A few of balls were tossed to half of the kids. They were then left out after it appeared that other players had hoarded 30 extra throws for themselves. The other half of the kids received the same number of balls as the other “players.”

• Later, after completing a meaningless marketing survey to throw them off track, the students were asked how much they wanted five different products: hot coffee, hot soup, an apple, crackers, or an ice-cold Coke. Students excluded from the game wanted the soup or the coffee more than those who got to play with others.

The idea, according to Zhong and Leonardelli, is that how we feel emotionally, physically, and mentally are all linked. 

As a result, it appears that feeling chilly is part of the human experience of social rejection. And social rejection isn’t simply frigid and unpleasant. Loneliness is known to cause anxiety and sadness, as well as activating brain regions associated with physical pain.

Ways to help with physical symptoms of depression

Have Whole Foods 

One common reason why people experience depression and anxiety is due to all the quick energy they intake. It’s better to take things in moderation. High-fiber foods are ideal for lasting energy rather than sugar-loaded ones. Additionally, eat nonfat proteins like fish instead of fatty meats, which will help your body feel more at ease and less stressed out about its health. 

Saturated fats have also been shown to have a negative effect on mental health so try to avoid them by choosing unsaturated fats found in nuts, fish, olive oil, or avocado instead of butter or margarine, While alcohol can help reduce stress levels for some people it might do the opposite if you’re predisposed to anxiety disorders – so it’s best avoided.

Incorporate Movement in Your Life

It’s no wonder that exercise can have a positive effect on our mood. Not only does exercising help us relieve stress, grow muscles, but it also keeps us fit! When you are healthy, you feel much better overall physically and mentally. And when your mind is working at its best it’s much easier to cope with any challenges or worries that come your way. 

So if you are feeling stressed out, try exercising! It will allow you to feel proud of yourself for making the effort to keep up their health-and it might even help you sleep better at night either because of tiredness or feeling proud for all that you’ve achieved both during the day and in terms of looking after yourself physically.

Relaxation Techniques 

Yoga and meditation are just two examples of relaxation strategies that you can try. Breathing exercises are great for calming down, and have the added benefit of stabilizing the body by slowing heart rate. Relaxation and mindfulness techniques are a great way to relieve stress and physical tension in the body, as well as distract your mind from concerns that may otherwise keep you burned out. 

Going for walks in nature is also a great way to clear your mind, step back from work worries, boost creativity, get some physical activity into your day, get back into “work mode” or simply relax after a stressful day!

Get Professional Help

Chills may be caused by a variety of infectious illnesses, including the flu, which is a frequent example. Chills can be caused by an inflammatory illness such an allergic response or an autoimmune disease like lupus in rare situations. Certain tumours might also cause chills and fever.

Understanding your symptoms and signs and educating yourself about health conditions are also a part of living your healthiest life. Despite it being depression, it is important to rule out any other physical possibilities. Once physical illnesses are done, it is time to discuss your physical manifestations with your therapist, and come up with plans to cope with it in a healthy manner. 

Conclusion 

Mental health issues have been a problem for a long time among people of all ages, but they have been a serious issue among the younger generation. Children and adolescents have a lot of stress to deal with, and it can be difficult to cope with it all. If these feelings are not being expressed in a healthy way, then they may go unnoticed and unresolved. This can lead to a mental health issue. 

These symptoms may include loss of appetite, anxiety, fatigue, and a lack of motivation. If they are left untreated, these symptoms can be extremely harmful to a person’s health. In this blog post , we will be going into depth about some of the reasons why depression can cause physical symptoms, and how to deal with them.