By definition, depression means to depress is to "sadden, make less active, and lower in value". Depression is defined as a hollow or low place, a lowly spirit, and less activity (not as busy).
Some say Herpes Simplex Virus doesn't cause anxiety or depression, but I beg to differ. Two things can contribute to depression while living with herpes. Firstly, living with herpes can affect your self-esteem. Inwardly feeling like the punchline of "social jokes" isn't easy to live with. It can make you feel dirty and unworthy of everything you've yearned for, like love. You can feel depressed even though it's not true depression. It's stressful, and stress is an HSV trigger, which can cause the virus to reactivate.
Secondly, the Herpes Simplex Virus does its fair share of causing inflammation in the body.
Most herpes outbreaks last between 7 and 21 days. If you experience frequent blistering, you'll often only have a week or two of normalcy before the next outbreak. Frequent outbreaks affect your immune system and cause chronic, low-grade inflammation. Even the general malaise experienced during the prodromal phase affects stress hormones, which can lead to inflammation in the body and resulting anxiety and feelings of depression.
So, based on this information, can herpes cause anxiety or depression? Yes. Frequent herpes outbreaks can be either the cause or the result of anxiety and depression. And the more frequent your breakouts, the more likely you will suffer.
Additionally, while we still don't know much about how viruses work, scientists have proven that HHV-6 viruses can infect neurons and possibly cause cognitive disturbances leading to bipolar and major depressive disorder. HHV-6 is associated with fever, diarrhea, and roseola. It typically infects nearly 100% of all humans by the time we are three years old. By the way, HHV-6A can also cause Alzheimer's. You can read more about it here.
Studies show HSV does not biochemically contribute toward suicidal thoughts but contracting HSV can be devastating for some. So if you have Depression and contract herpes it may worsen how you feel emotionally. If you are severely depressed, be sure to talk with your doctor. It's crucial to get your mood under control. Furthermore, if your depression or herpes outbreak is leading you to consider suicide, please refer to HSV Resources where I've provided a number you can call to talk to someone about your feelings.
Back to HSV Q & A.
Add comment
Comments