Eight years ago, I got really sick after taking antibiotics for 24 days. I ended up in bed, weak and tired.
During my long illness, one of the symptoms that I faced was serve depression.
I never had depression before. I was always a pretty happy individual who loved life and enjoyed living it to its fullest. I tried to make the best out of every circumstance that came my way.
When I was sick, all of that changed overnight.
Does candida die-off cause depression? It absolutely does. When Candida dies, the toxins released from the dying yeast get into your bloodstream and affect every part of your body. It causes muscle pain, headaches, mood swings, and also depression.
I researched the dying-off process of Candida several years ago when I struggled with the issue. This article is my findings.
Candida and Depression
My happy-go-lucky personality turned into a depressed, sad individual in just days.
While dealing with this new-found depression, I never wanted to be around others and found my days and nights in bed all alone, staring at a blank wall with the blinds down in the dark.
There’s something terrible about being sick and not knowing why or what is going on. It doesn’t help that doctors don’t have the answers to your issue, and people start to wonder if you’re a little crazy.
On top of all the uncertainties, there is the die-off feeling of being sick and the situation’s emotional distress.
Why does candida cause depression? Let’s dig deeper into the why of this whole problem.
Why Does Candida Cause Depression?
Our brain and gut are intimately connected. When our gut isn’t healthy, it often means that our mind is affected by it.
When we have Candida or when candida begins to die it, it affects the balance of our bodies and potentially can cause a host of problems. Our body doesn’t absorb needed nutrients to make it function properly, and die-off toxins are flowing through our bodies.
When we have a die-off from Candida, it spreads 180 different types of toxins into our bloodstream which messes with our brain’s chemicals. These toxins cause so many issues, including mood swings, anxiety, panic attacks, and depression.
My Story Die-Off Depression
When I was at the pinnacle of my illness, I remember being sad and having no real reason or idea why. I mean, I was sick. But the depression I faced was deeper than my illness.
My doctor couldn’t explain my problem and decided to try to solve it by giving me medication. I’ve never been opposed to a doctor prescribing medications for illnesses, and I am definitely not a doctor. Yet, the depression started when the Candida did (when I got sick), and that wasn’t a coincidence.
My depression was real. Even though I had never experienced depression before, I knew what it was. That feeling of unexplained sadness was present, and I couldn’t shake it no matter how others tried to cheer me up.
I would spend days in my room just staring out a window and getting lost in my thoughts. Sometimes my thoughts were dark and distorted, and it was so hard to breakthrough.
Also, along with the depression was heavy brain fog. Brain fog is when you find it difficult to think or concentrate. I found my thoughts were broken, and I found it really hard to focus my attention on anything.
The brain fog began to impact my everyday life. I would feel disconnected and spaced out. My family life was affected and so was my job.
Today, as I look back on the situation, I’m convinced that Candida was why I was facing depression and the other issues with my mind.
My body was under attack, and I didn’t know it.
Candida and Panic Attacks
As my depression would get worse, there was one night that it entered a whole new level.
I was having a shower and was feeling terrible. My entire family was away that night, and I was home alone. I was frustrated that I was still sick and even more frustrated that I didn’t want to go away with my family.
As I sat in the shower and considered how I was feeling, I wondered if I would ever get better. I thought that I was dying, and the doctors didn’t even know or care. All of a sudden, completely out of the blue, I started to shake uncontrollably. I did everything in my ability to calm myself, but my body wasn’t going to be tamed that night.
I fell to my knees, as I couldn’t hold myself up any longer; I was shaking, weak and freaking out.
It wasn’t until later that I realized that I had a panic attack. This was actually the first time in my life that I had ever experienced a panic attack, and I wasn’t a big fan.
Remember, at that time I didn’t know I even had Candida. Now, I believe that the candida (I was having a die-off at that time) was the source of the panic attack.
After everything was over, I went back into my bedroom to stare out the window again.
This was my life for months.
Anytime someone tells me that candida cannot cause emotional problems, I simply laugh at them. I went from someone that loved life and was always trying to make people laugh, to laying in bed all day not wanting to leave.
Something was messing with my mind – I’m convinced it was Candida.
Several studies link candida with panic attacks and anxiety. Doctors will agree that Candida can mess with a person’s brain and cause depression and other emotional issues.
This isn’t something uncommon, and if you’re dealing with depression or anxiety and also have digestive problems in the past or present, I encourage you to get tested for Candida.
Your test for Candida may come back negative, but it’s important to know who the enemy is before we start the attack.
How Do You Deal With Candida and Depression
Depression isn’t something to take lightly. I believe it’s important to talk to a doctor if you’re experiecing depression at any time. At the end of the day, you know your own body.
If you have Candida and are experiencing some sort of emotional side-effects, then consider these hacks to get to the other side of wellness.
I wrote some ideas down on a piece a paper one night because they helped me (snap) out of the rut that I was in.
1. Don’t Be Alone
When I was depressed, one of the things that helped me break my depression was being around others.
I had some pretty awesome friends that supported me and would come and visit with me. A good laugh was great medicine for me.
If I had my way, I would sit in my room all night and stare out a window.
Getting outside and being with other people was what I needed, and what you’ll need as well.
Get outside. Be with other people.
2. Get Exercise
Exercise and sunshine will help you.
I would often go for walks in the evenings. Because I had weakness in my legs, I thought that one day I wouldn’t be able to walk, so I walked as much as possible.
I would walk for hours all by myself. It was a good exercise for me, and it also allowed me to spend some time in the sunshine, which helped.
Getting outside and seeing the world, showed me that it still existed and that I needed to find a way to keep moving forward.
3. Don’t Forget the Root
You need to remember that Candida is the root of the problem.
Remember to fight the true enemy in all of this – Candida. To heal our gut and bring the correct balance back to our bodies again is the goal. By following a Candida diet, creating a blueprint, and taking the proper steps to eliminate Candida from our bodies – the whole of our body will be healed. That’s why I love the Candida Warriors Community. Our Community will connect you with real people with Candida, and you can hear their stories. Plus, you can share yours.
Often with Candida, people will focus on treating the symptoms and not fight the source of our problem.
When we fight the symptoms we become frustrated because we never see a difference.
4. Absorb the Toxins
Try using some supplements that will absorb the toxins and lower the die-off effects of Candida.
I recommend that you try using activated charcoal, for example (you can check out the price on Amazon here).
Activated charcoal is known for absorbing the free radicals within our bodies that interfere with our body’s balance. You’ll also want to make sure you’re drinking a lot of water to wash those toxins out.
I noticed a huge difference when I added these things into my daily routine.
5. Get Enough Sleep
Make sure that you get lots of sleep.
Sleep allows our bodies to heal and is vital for the rejuvenating and repairing of the liver to filter the toxins from our bodies.
Sleep does more than you think, and it’s so important to make sure that your body gets the rest that it needs to fight back.
It would help if you remembered that you’re at war with candida. While at war, rest is a great way that we can fight back.
Conclusion
I began this post with a question, does candida die-off cause depression? It does. Candida is a nasty foe and causes such a wide variety of symptoms that it’s hard to list all of them.
Candida also affects our entire body, and its seemly broad symptoms can have us running in another direction looking for answers.
My advice for you is to check out the Candida Warriors Community.
Most people who have candida either don’t know it or know very little about the enemy within them. The Candida Warriors Community will connect you with other Candida sufferers. You don’t have to be alone in this battle.