The physiological effects of chronic illness and depression

More and more, I have come to believe that chronic illness has serious ties to the development of depression in patients. And I don't mean the obvious: that any disease that makes you feel like crap physically is going to make you feel the same emotionally. I really believe that there is a physiological process going on behind-the-scenes, and not enough research has been done about it. Perhaps it is long-standing inflammation or pain that is the cause. Many of us Crohn's patients have depression, including myself.

I believe that serotonin is deeply involved in many conditions, including autism and schizophrenia. Only time and research will illuminate what is truly going on.

There's a growing about of research that the gut is the second brain and it serves as big a role in serotonin production as our brain. There's a book out there called the Second Brain. It's a bit on the technical side, but fascinating.

Anyway, I agree there's a link.