If you ask a group of people who’ve suffered from clinical depression to define the illness, you’ll hear a variety of answers. Depression is a very personal experience that millions of people all over the world experience.
Different people manifest different symptoms, but one thing is certain: depression is a difficult illness that can seriously stall your life if left unresolved. Many people with depression describe it as a sense of despair that engulfs everything they do and everything they feel.
If you think being depressed is akin to feeling sad because your favourite team just lost the championship game, you really have no idea what suffering from a true depression is like. Depression is much deeper and more invasive than sadness or frustration.
Depression takes everything away from you; it saps your energy, focus, concentration, and especially your joy. You just don’t care about anything; nothing matters and even the people you love become unimportant. And worst of all, you begin to believe the critical voice inside that convinces you that the dark cloud will always be hovering over you.
Physical Concerns of Depression
Depression doesn’t only take its toll on your emotions and mental state; it can cause serious physical problems as well. Depression may cause you to either lose your appetite or eat incessantly. It also zaps your energy and motivation.
When you’re depressed, you tend to become inactive. This alone can cause a number of problems, but when added to some of the other physical side effects of depression, it’s easy to see why depression is such a serious illness.
In addition, depression can lead to:
1. Lack of sleep. Depression can cause insomnia, which strips the body of the necessary sleep to function properly.
2. Poor nutrition. When depressed, many people fail to take in proper nutrients. It takes too much effort to plan and prepare a meal. This can cause several health problems.
3. Aches and pains. If anyone tells you that your mental state has no effect on your physical state, they’re wrong. When you’re depressed, the chemicals in the brain that signal pain are as affected as the chemicals in your brain that help you feel happy. Physical aches and pains are increased, which in turn, kicks in the sad feelings and the cycle begins again.
4. Hygiene issues. Someone suffering from depression doesn’t have the energy or the motivation to be concerned with self-care. Simply put, even routine self-care activities like brushing your teeth or showering daily can seem overwhelming.
What are the Symptoms of Depression?
These are some specific things those with depression experience:
- Persistent sadness
- Hopelessness
- Lack of motivation
- Feelings of guilt
- Difficulty making decisions
- Insomnia or trouble sleeping
- Irritability / repressed anger
- Difficulty concentrating / brain fog
- Loss of interest in things that once interested them
- Feelings of worthlessness / low self-esteem
- Changes in appetite
- Physical pain
- Lack of energy and fatigue
- Changes in sexual appetite
- Suicidal thoughts / suicidal ideation
One thing about depression is certain: it’s a serious condition and should be taken seriously.
As untreated depression progresses, it feeds on itself like a snowball rolling downhill. The longer someone is depressed, the worse the depression gets until they see no way out of it at all. They become resigned to being miserable all the time.
Depression can be caused by trauma, the change of seasons, losing a loved one, change of life transition, or even a chemical imbalance in the body. Emerging research has even connected poor gut health with poor brain health.
The treatment for depression usually involves psychotherapy and/or medication that helps alter brain chemistry. In addition to these two treatments, naturopathic medicine can also be a helpful adjunct to help bring your gut health back to optimal levels.
If you know someone who is depressed, the best thing you can do is be his or her friend. Talk to them and help them through this period. Encourage them to seek medical and psychotherapeutic care to treat their illness.
If you think you may be depressed, talk to your family doctor for a proper diagnosis, and seek out the help of a registered psychotherapist.
Above all, know that depression is a treatable illness – despite what your inner critic might be whispering in your head. Depression doesn’t have to ruin your life! With proper help and support, you can conquer your depression, move past it, and go on to live a joyful life.
43.677582
-79.353199
Mindful Solutions Clinic 
You must be logged in to post a comment.