Depression

Being sad and depressed are normal emotions, and these happen to everyone at certain points in their lives. Being depressed doesn’t simply mean being “sad” however, as depression can be an extremely crippling phenomenon that can make someone feel powerless and paralysed because of certain situations. Depression is a serious issue in a lot of countries, and as such being educated about it can be an extremely helpful first step towards coping with it.

What Is Depression?

Depression, or sometimes referred to as a major depressive disorder, is considered a serious and common medical illness that can negatively affect how someone thinks, feels, and acts.

Depression can be the cause of a variety of physical and emotional problems. For instance, it can even impede a person’s ability to function at home and at work, as it can also cause feelings of sadness and loss of interest in one’s passions and drive to dream. In as much as depression can cause a major impact in the lives of people it affects, it’s also a treatable condition.

Some symptoms of depression can range from mild to severe, including:

• Having a depressive mood, or feeling sad for prolonged periods of time.
• Loss of pleasure and/or interest in activities a person used to enjoy.
• Changes in appetite, increased fatigue, and loss of energy. This is sometimes accompanied by sleeping too much or having trouble sleeping.
• A decrease of physical activity or slowed speech and movement (on actions that others can observe).
• Feelings of worthlessness, guilt, or powerlessness.
• An observable difficulty when it comes to making decisions, concentrating, and thinking.
• Suicidal thoughts, a fixation on death, or even considering taking one’s life.

Different than Sadness or Grief

It’s important to understand while experiences such as ending relationships, losing jobs, or losing a loved one can be difficult, it’s normal for feelings of grief or sadness to manifest as a response to these situations. Sometimes, those who are experiencing loss can describe themselves as “depressed.” However, this doesn’t necessarily mean grief is the same as depression.

Grief is something that is unique and natural to an individual, and both depression and grief involves intense feelings of sadness and a desire to withdraw from activities that are otherwise “normal” in life. However, they’re also different in some ways:

• Grief is often interspersed with feelings of both sadness and happiness, especially when it comes to positive memories with the thing that was lost. When depression hits, however, feelings of disinterest are increased most of the time.
• Grief usually allows sufferers to maintain their self-esteem, but feelings of self-loathing and worthlessness are common in depression.

Life Resolutions: Helping You Overcome Depression

Here at Life Resolutions, we understand that depression isn’t exactly something you can just bottle up and expect to disappear in a few days or weeks. Our team of psychologists understand that depression can take a toll on someone’s life when not managed properly, and we’re more than willing to provide you with the kind of tools you need in order to overcome these feelings of helplessness, powerlessness, and depression.

Depression is something that everyone can feel at some point in their lives, but unfortunately there really are instances where depression can be too much to handle. If you feel as though you’re at the point in your life when depression is too overwhelming for you, please don’t hesitate to reach out for professional help. Our team here at Life Resolutions are equipped with the right skills, experience, and tools in order to help you manage your depression so you could have a better, brighter life ahead. You’re not alone, we can help you. Call today to start your journey to a brighter future.