What Exactly Is Depression?

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As human beings, we have all felt sadness in our lives. But, have you ever experienced ongoing or severe sadness for an extended period of time?

Depression is a very common problem, especially nowadays. According to the American Psychiatric Association, one in six people will experience depression at least once in their lives. You can be of any age or any gender. Symptoms of depression can range from mild to severe such as-

  • Persistent sad mood

  • Loss of interest in favorite activities or people

  • Weight gain or loss

  • Sleeping too much or too little

  • Loss of energy

  • Feeling worthless or guilty

  • Trouble thinking and difficulty making decisions

  • Thoughts of death or suicide

Depression is more than just grieving a loss or your everyday sadness and knowing exactly what it is will show you that you can do something about it.

Causes

Depression can derive from many different things. It can be brought about by biological changes to the brain. Changes in hormones can trigger depression such as giving birth, having thyroid problems, going through menopause, and others. 

Other risk factors can be dealing with traumatic or stressful events that took a toll on you. Maybe you lost someone you loved, suffered physical or verbal abuse, have financial problems, and so on. Depression can take hold when one feels helpless and/or hopeless so that all you see is a bleak picture in which you have no power to change the outcome. 

Complications

Depression that persists for a long time should not be ignored. It can seriously complicate your life if you do not see your depression for what it is. 

For example, some people eat their feelings away since food is associated with good things and thus makes them feel good. However, that good feeling doesn’t last longer than it takes to eat and eating too much can cause massive weight gain, heart problems, and diabetes. Another complication is self-medicating with drugs or alcohol which are mistakenly used to avoid feeling the depression. The truth is that abusing substances can actually make symptoms worse and are barriers to seeking treatment.

If the depression is severe enough that you are committing acts of self-harm or having suicidal thoughts, you need to take action immediately. There are suicide hotlines or you can call 911 if you think you have nowhere else to turn.  

Treatment

While depression can leave you feeling that there’s no way out, there are usually ways to get back to a happier life.  Speaking to a mental health professional can help you sort through what’s causing the problem. In cases where it’s necessary, antidepressants can be helpful while therapy is given some time to work. 

Lifestyle changes can also lead to improvement like exercising more, eating right, getting enough sleep, and taking up a hobby. Despite how hard depression can be, it is not impossible to overcome. 

Do you still feel overwhelmed by your depressive symptoms or just feel you need someone to talk to who will never judge you? Reach out today to schedule your first appointment.