Co-morbid Depression

If you are suffering from a disease and get another disease, it is called a secondary or co morbid disease. Here, we are not talking about a worsening of the original disease but a new disease in addition to the one you are already suffering from.

Every serious or chronic physical illness unfortunately can increase the risk of developing depression. There can be several reasons for this:

Psychological reasons
It is understandable that you may become unhappy and even develop depression if you are in severe chronic pain or you find it difficult to function the way you would like to. The same is of course true if you are suffering from a disease which is chronic and perhaps causes disability.It may be difficult to accept your limitations and adjust to a life which is different from what you are used to.

Physical reasons
Some diseases affect brain function and may trigger depression. For example: Stroke, Parkinson's Disease, Dementia and Multiple Scerosis. If the disease has altered your body’s chemical balance or hormonal balance, it can also trigger depression or other psychological disorders.

Medication
In some cases prescribed medications may trigger or maintain depression, anxiety or other psychological disorders. For example, some of the medications used in heart disease e.g. beta blockers. Talk to your doctor if you are concerned about medications you are on.