Managing Depression

In a way, the society of the current day and age has become more accepting towards mental health conditions such as depression, anxiety disorders, anger disorders, etc. People diagnosed with depression are met with more empathy and have more options to seek help than, say, some twenty or thirty years ago. At the same time, however, it’s become a commonplace for people who don’t actually suffer from such a condition to self-diagnose themselves with depression (or another type of disorder). 

To be fair, the words “depression” and “depressed” seem to have become a catch-all term used to describe a wide range of emotional states including sadness, sorrow, melancholy, or a simple case of afternoon or post-vacation blues. Unfortunately, this waters-down the meaning of the word and makes it difficult for people to recognize when they may truly need professional help because they are suffering from the actual mental condition known as depression. 

Here, we’ll go over some common symptoms, both emotional and physical, associated with depression and known to be caused by it. If a big number of them apply to you (or a person you know), then it may be a good idea to consult a therapist and talk with them about your symptoms to help determine if further help is required.

When talking about depression and its mental/emotional symptoms, many people think of a persistent feeling of sadness that doesn’t go away over an extended period of time. While this is indeed one of the more common symptoms of depression, it’s important to understand that depression and sadness are two different things that affect people differently. 

Sadness is only one of the possible depression symptoms, so if you are simply feeling sad at the moment because of a specific reason, then this cannot be defined as depression. In fact, very often, the sadness felt by depressed people is caused not by one specific thing, but is rather a more general feeling that either has no defined cause or is caused by a big number of things at the same time. Furthermore, this type of sadness is persistent and stays with the person for days, weeks, and months even if, from a third person-perspective, everything with their lives seems to be going fine and there isn’t an objective reason for them to be sad.

Aside from this specific type of sadness, there are many other common symptoms associated with depression that we’ll talk about below. However, before we get to them, understand that the goal of this post is to give you the incentive to delve deeper and seek more detailed information if you, or a person you care about, are struggling with the condition. 

The information presented here is intended as nothing more than a starting point for people who are seeking help, but when it comes to mental problems like depression, anxiety and panic disorders, or anger disorders, it’s important to take them seriously and seek professional help and guidance. Talking to therapists, enrolling in courses such as depression or anger management classes, as well as becoming a member of a support group for the specific problem that you have are all valid and viable ways of getting back in control of your mind, emotions, and life.

As for the current post, here are some other commonly-encountered depression symptoms.

Depressed people are prone to losing interest in things they normally find engaging and pleasant, such as their hobbies and favourite activities. They also tend to feel overall apathy towards everything that’s happening around them and are rarely able to get excited or enthusiastic about things that would normally have that effect on them.

If you are struggling with depression, it’s likely that you’d feel fatigued a lot of the time, including in days when you haven’t done anything that would get you tired (such going to work). Someone who is depressed is prone to feeling severe weakness and fatigue even in non-working days. 

The worst part about this is that choosing to stay at home in order to rest and recharge your batteries will often have the exact opposite effect, making you feel even more fatigued. In such cases, it may actually be better to go out for a walk, especially if it’s a sunny day, as being in the sun stimulates the release of serotonin, the lack of which is commonly linked to depression.

Depression can also cause you to have problems with your appetite - either eating too little or too much. Both options are bad and can negatively affect your physical health and self-image, which can further deepen your depression.

Similarly to the appetite problems, depression can also lead you to fall into extremes as far as your sleeping is concerned. On one hand, it can cause you to have difficulties falling and staying asleep and on the other, it can lead to oversleeping and sleeping too much without physically needing it.

Lack of focus, difficulty learning and remembering things, as well as problems with processing information are also possible symptoms of being depressed.

This category of symptoms is a big one because feelings of hopelessness, worthlessness, or guilt are defining characteristics of depression that set it apart from conventional sadness. A depressed person will often feel an overwhelming sense of pointlessness and hopelessness that cannot be linked to anything in particular, but is rather all-encompassing and felt on an existential scale. 

It’s the same with feelings of worthlessness and guilt. It doesn’t matter how good or successful a person is - if they struggle with depression, they can still feel worthless or guilty because of something or, rather, because of everything. 

This all-encompassing, existential nature of such feelings is also what makes it so difficult to reconcile with them, as they don’t have a definite source or trigger that can be resolved. What triggers them will always be there, and it’s enough for your brain chemistry and mood-regulating hormones to become unbalanced for you to become trapped by those feelings and emotional states.

Sadly, in its most severe cases, depression can lead to suicidal thoughts and tendencies. This is also why it’s crucial that help is sought by and offered to people struggling with depression. Therefore, if you know somebody who might have depression or if you, yourself, think (or know) that you have this mental condition, know that there is help out there and all that it takes is to reach out to it.

In conclusion, understanding depression is crucial for both those who are suffering from it and those who want to support them. While society has become more accepting of mental health conditions, it's important to differentiate between genuine depression and temporary emotional states. Recognizing the symptoms, seeking professional help, and exploring various avenues of treatment such as therapy, support groups, and self-care practices can be instrumental in reclaiming control over one's mind and emotions. Remember, help is available, and reaching out is the first step towards finding hope and healing.