Can you die of depression?

[tiredplant777]

Perhaps a stupid question. Being in this state it just feels like on some level my body is giving up. I'm sure I won't die from just being depressed, but I feel like I am so depressed I'm in this weird liminal space where physical survival seems like, less possible somehow just by being in this state. It's kind of weird that you can't mentally will yourself to die.

 

[bennay]

Perhaps a stupid question. Being in this state it just feels like on some level my body is giving up. I'm sure I won't die from just being depressed, but I feel like I am so depressed I'm in this weird liminal space where physical survival seems like, less possible somehow just by being in this state. It's kind of weird that you can't mentally will yourself to die.

There are cases of people that have died from giving up on life altogether.

 

[FTL.Wanderer]

There's a long history of findings in clinical research that link depression and several diseases--like cancer, diabetes, and heart disease. In more recent studies, the relationship (heart disease...) seems more complicated than what most of us would expect (disease diagnosis alters mood...). Depression, studies since the early 2000's have been showing, can seriously alter key physiology, creating chronic states that, for instance, change control of blood vessels supporting both the heart and brain. More recent research has even been showing how depression can even alter immune function and increase infection susceptibility. For those of us who experience depression, we're not surprised that it can also discourage us from self-care.

Even though studies (maybe others have more up-to-date info) don't yet show a clear cause-effect relationship, they're consistently showing that depression is worryingly related to negative physiological and other cognitive changes, some of which are related to early death.

Not trying to sound morbid. But depression is very serious, even though our culture--including many in the medical community--treat it as the result of bad personal choices. It's especially telling that the "mental health" community can be dismissive and abusive towards depression sufferers who either don't get better quickly or satisfactorily enough or don't exhibit enough docility and compliance in following the instructions of our betters ... I mean licensed professionals.

Here's to your health.

 

[Flippy]

I'm not sure "what" causes "what" in my situation anymore. I started having physical problems a few years ago and roughly the same time my meds seemed to start to cause unusual side effects. Then the depression bit down hard on me.

Sometimes I do wonder if my body is waving the white flag due to my low mood. Oddly I'm actually much better mood wise, than I had been, but my mood has never reached anything like the way it had been for so long when I was doing better. At least not for long :-(

Now I have lots of potentially serious stuff going on physically that I'm getting lots of tests for. I'm in pain nearly all the time. It has crossed my mind over recent months if maybe finally all the stress hormones have finally numbered my days.

 

[Angst Filled Fuck Up]

I seem to be doing my best to find out, lmao.

 

[Chockles]

Unlikely.
I can't die from severe nerve & muscle damage. I have chronic inflammation from head to toe but according to the docs my heart is beating fine, my liver blood tests ok. It's my brain misfiring with central nervous system causing severe electrical burning pain, choking on own phlegm, blocked ears, head aches, little sleep, inability to go to toilet much,, severe anxiety & depression as result of mental & physical health issues yet I'm still here in agony.
depends on which part of brain isn't working I've been told.
But it would certainly be a slow death.
The organs shit down last.

 

[91Days]

Perhaps a stupid question. Being in this state it just feels like on some level my body is giving up. I'm sure I won't die from just being depressed, but I feel like I am so depressed I'm in this weird liminal space where physical survival seems like, less possible somehow just by being in this state. It's kind of weird that you can't mentally will yourself to die.

No but you can die from heartbreak. Look up heartbreak syndrome
https://www.heart.org/en/health-top...pathy-in-adults/is-broken-heart-syndrome-real

 

[WiltedFlowers]

There's a long history of findings in clinical research that link depression and several diseases--like cancer, diabetes, and heart disease. In more recent studies, the relationship (heart disease...) seems more complicated than what most of us would expect (disease diagnosis alters mood...). Depression, studies since the early 2000's have been showing, can seriously alter key physiology, creating chronic states that, for instance, change control of blood vessels supporting both the heart and brain. More recent research has even been showing how depression can even alter immune function and increase infection susceptibility. For those of us who experience depression, we're not surprised that it can also discourage us from self-care.

Even though studies (maybe others have more up-to-date info) don't yet show a clear cause-effect relationship, they're consistently showing that depression is worryingly related to negative physiological and other cognitive changes, some of which are related to early death.

Not trying to sound morbid. But depression is very serious, even though our culture--including many in the medical community--treat it as the result of bad personal choices. It's especially telling that the "mental health" community can be dismissive and abusive towards depression sufferers who either don't get better quickly or satisfactorily enough or don't exhibit enough docility and compliance in following the instructions of our betters ... I mean licensed professionals.

Here's to your health.

Wow! Impressive well thought out reply.

 

[Marktheghost]

I hope so, and I hope it happens quickly for me, and for everyone else here who needs to.

 

[depressedsoul]

There are also dramatic gender differences in lifetime risk of suicide in depression. Whereas about 7 percent of men with a lifetime history of depression will die by suicide, only 1 percent of women with a lifetime history of depression will die by suicide.

 

[FuneralCry]

No. I do not think so. We can basically die inside, but stay conscious for decades on end. If only it was that easy, we mentally deteriorate, and it causes us to deteriorate physically and die. No, instead we have to do it ourselves.

 

[motel rooms]

I seem to be doing my best to find out, lmao.

 

[Midgardsorm]

Depression will probably lower your body's strength and make you more vulnerable to diseases, also since you're depressed you will probably be sedentary too, which will also result in more physical health problems.

Along with sleep disorders, eating disorders and everything ...

I would say that depression would be like aids. It might not kill directly, but it will make something else kill you.

 

[NeuroDamaged3]

There is an interesting article on psychogenic death: https://qz.com/1407287/giving-up-on-life-can-lead-to-actual-death-in-less-than-a-month/

It suggests that it is possible to die via giving up on life.

 

[Angst Filled Fuck Up]

That's so weird, I literally just ordered some Dr Squatch soap. Gotta keep that sperm count up. I didn't know the guy in your avatar was in the commercial though. Learn something new every day.

 

[Hurt]

I don't think I can. I want to die but I also keep going. I get out of bed everyday, eat, work, study, exercise. But that doesn't change my suicidality. I don't think you can die just by a state of mind.

 

[Someone123]

There are cases of people that have died from giving up on life altogether.

It is almost impossible for this to happen, though maybe in the elderly who are already close to dying.

 

[motel rooms]

I didn't know the guy in your avatar was in the commercial though.

The guy in my profile pic doesn't wear so much clothes at work

 

[bennay]

It is almost impossible for this to happen, though maybe in the elderly who are already close to dying.

Redirect Notice

 

[Fadeawaaaay]

There are also dramatic gender differences in lifetime risk of suicide in depression. Whereas about 7 percent of men with a lifetime history of depression will die by suicide, only 1 percent of women with a lifetime history of depression will die by suicide.

7 % It's actually a very high number… I have a lifetime history of depression so it looks like… Also if you add in a previous attempts… Percentage skyrockets

 

[drune11]

As others have said with their cited studies, you're not going to just drop dead from being depressed, but the tolls it takes on your body physically are real, especially with your heart and immune system. Couple that with the fact that people with depression are probably not living the healthiest lifestyles and damaging themselves more, and there's a reason that in decades to come, our views on it will seem archaic beyond palpability.

The cascading effects that a serious spell of depression can have can indeed be life-destroying, and most people looking from the outside have no understanding of this, which makes it MORE alienating and furthers the cascade.

 

[Istanbulite]

I wish!

 

[Graytaichi]

its 0% that is unless u die of starvation depression . solely on depression its not possible.

 

[myopybyproxy]

Unlikely purely due to psychogenesis or whateer the word is. But depression can lead to behaviours such as poor nutrition, social isolation (which in and of itself is directly linked to poor outcomes in health and mortality - even more so than smoking a pack a day), unhealthy outlets, and slower cognitive and physical functioning - that can increase one's mortality risk - eg smoking, eating junk, irregular eating pattern, only drinking nonwater beverages, drug abuse, sedentary lifestyle, reduced resources (stress generation whee) such as insufficient funds for healthcare due to fewer work hours/lower income or scholarship money removed due to inability to maintain high marks etc

cool we are now writing in text blocks consisting of one extremely long runon sentence yay

 

[Kristicide]

There's a long history of findings in clinical research that link depression and several diseases--like cancer, diabetes, and heart disease. In more recent studies, the relationship (heart disease...) seems more complicated than what most of us would expect (disease diagnosis alters mood...). Depression, studies since the early 2000's have been showing, can seriously alter key physiology, creating chronic states that, for instance, change control of blood vessels supporting both the heart and brain. More recent research has even been showing how depression can even alter immune function and increase infection susceptibility. For those of us who experience depression, we're not surprised that it can also discourage us from self-care.

Even though studies (maybe others have more up-to-date info) don't yet show a clear cause-effect relationship, they're consistently showing that depression is worryingly related to negative physiological and other cognitive changes, some of which are related to early death.

Not trying to sound morbid. But depression is very serious, even though our culture--including many in the medical community--treat it as the result of bad personal choices. It's especially telling that the "mental health" community can be dismissive and abusive towards depression sufferers who either don't get better quickly or satisfactorily enough or don't exhibit enough docility and compliance in following the instructions of our betters ... I mean licensed professionals.

Here's to your health.

My health issues:
Heart - stage 2 hypertension
Brain - Chronic Migraine, Depression, Anxiety
Immune Function - Ulcerative Colitis (autoimmune disease)
You my friend are on target with your assessment!