Herpes and Depression

The most common symptoms of depression are anxiety, frequent crying, difficulty in functioning, lack of concentration, an achy feeling all over, too much sleeping or not enough sleep. Most people who are depressed would say that they are sad and feel alone. People who have had to deal with depressed patients describe them as broody, moody and often times anxious and uninterested.

There have been instances wherein a depressed individual has inflicted harm on himself and on other people too. There have also been many suicide cases among depressed individuals. This is why depression needs to be treated before it gets worse.

Depression Caused by Herpes

The exact causes of depression usually vary from person to person. There are lots of reasons why people get depressed, but one of the most common reasons is a chronic illness. With these types of patients, depression is magnified tenfold.

People with genital herpes have it even harder. Aside from coping with the disease and mental and emotional stress, there is an attached social stigma to herpes. It is a tough situation to be in. There are lots of issues that need to be addressed such as treatment, quality of life, relationships and so on.

The stigma from herpes comes from the fact that it has been around since the dawn of mankind. The disease has been around even during the Roman era and even the poet Shakespeare had something to say about it. During these periods very little was known about the disease and people with herpes were generally thought of as "unclean" and promiscuous. It wasn't until during the 1950's that it was discovered that herpes was a virus.

Nowadays herpes is no longer taboo. With almost 20% of the adult population in the United States infected with the virus, it isn't as "embarrassing" as it was once before, although the stigma that surrounds herpes is still strong.

Treatment for Herpes Depression

Although there is no cure for herpes, there are ways of managing the virus. Aside from ensuring a proper diet, and taking vitamin supplements and medication to mange the physical symptoms of herpes, it is also prudent to seek attention for the mental and psychological well-being of the patient as well.

The first step to getting better is to acknowledge that the herpes virus is indeed present in the body. Acknowledgement is the first step towards understanding the disease. If there is understanding then a person will have better coping mechanisms and a broader perspective on the chronic nature of herpes.

Once the mental conditioning has been addressed, the medication for herpes should help the body heal faster. In the case of herpes, the saying "mind over matter" is very true. A healthy mind contributes to a healthy body and a healthy body can effectively fight off the virus.