Depression is inevitable for everyone once in a while. I dare say that there is a thread running through all mental disorders that can provide some relief, and that is acceptance of what is. By this, I mean that the pressure then “relieves” so that you can regain the strength to work with yourself with or without help. Sometimes it's just what it is. Then you can't do it anymore. Resisting then makes little sense, in fact, it only makes things worse. Just go into that darkness to find out what's wrong with you. Besides the fact that you're feeling down, you can really still have a serious conversation with yourself. Take time to ask and feel, every thought that comes to mind is the answer to the question you're asking... try to listen so you can gently empty the bucket. Keep in mind that such a bucket has probably taken months, maybe even years to fill up, so you can't expect it to be empty again in an afternoon either. Do try to do your very best to work on this and realize that the beauty of this is that you will learn very important life lessons.
The layers of depression:
Depression is a complex and profound disorder that is deeply rooted in the human psyche. Just like an onion has different layers, depression also has various facets that make it difficult to understand. In this blog, I'll try to explore the different layers of depression and how they work together to have a devastating impact on people's lives.
Emotional Layer:
The most obvious layer of depression is the emotional layer. People with depression often experience intense feelings of sadness, despair, and hopelessness. These emotions can be deeply rooted and sometimes seem to have no clear cause. It's important to understand that this emotional layer is just the tip of the iceberg and there's much more behind the surface.
The Cognitive Layer:
Below the emotional layer is the cognitive layer. Depression often affects a person's thought process, resulting in negative thoughts and self-criticism. Individual thoughts can get stuck in a cycle of negativity, making it difficult to embrace positive perspectives. Changing these thinking patterns is a pivotal aspect of depression treatment.
The Physical Layer:
Depression affects not only the mind but also the body. Fatigue, sleep disorders, and changes in eating habits are common physical symptoms. These symptoms contribute to the layers of depression by affecting an individual's daily functioning.
The Social Layer:
The social layer of depression relates to how this disorder affects personal relationships. People with depression can feel isolated, struggling to understand and express their emotions to others. This can lead to distancing yourself from friends, family and social activities, reinforcing the cycle of depression. It's important that you talk to your loved ones about it before you let it go on too long, so you have an outlet and they also know what's wrong with you, so you can already understand each other.
The Crucial Layer:
Deep buried beneath all other layers is the most important layer. People with depression may wonder about the meaning of life and their own existence. These key questions can further complicate depression and make it difficult to find a sense of purpose and meaning. While you should realize that this is certainly not a bad thing, if you try to keep a balance during all those heavy feelings, you can see that depression can help you get the best out of yourself, which has not yet come out. If you deal with it in the right way, not if you're going to wallow in self-pity (which is really okay, in fact, sometimes it's just as good), you'll never get there. Most people, including myself, have learned to always be positive and happy, which of course causes a lot of pressure. A large part of the world consists of social media where everyone can look into each other's lives, where one person often looks even more beautiful than the other. While there is nothing wrong with the other side, the most important lessons and most growth, pain and sorrow don't necessarily bring happiness. After all, in the dark, you get closest to yourself, and that is the essence of life. This is the part that most people don't want to do, understandable but you'll see you didn't want to miss it.
Peeling the Layers:
Understanding the different layers of depression is a critical step towards recovery. It takes patience, understanding, and sometimes professional guidance to peel these layers off one by one. By recognizing that depression is more than just an emotional state, we as a society can show more compassion and provide effective support to those who struggle with it. Depression is an unknown and often confusing condition when you first experience it. Depression is a complex disorder and has no simple cause. It can occur as a result of a combination of genetic, biological, environmental, and psychological factors. Here are some of the key factors that can contribute to the onset of depression,
Genetics: People with a family history of depression may have a genetic predisposition to the disorder. Heredity seems to play a role, but it's not the only factor. But perhaps the easiest one to solve because you can learn from it.
Chemical imbalances in the brain: Depression is often associated with imbalance in neurotransmitters, the brain's chemical messengers. Serotonin, dopamine, and norepinephrine are neurotransmitters involved in mood and emotion, and disturbances in their levels may contribute to depressive symptoms. If so, it can be measured; this process usually takes longer. There are things you can already try for yourself.. Eat a balanced diet with sufficient protein, tyrosine (an amino acid involved in dopamine production), and foods rich in vitamins and minerals. Bananas, avocados, nuts, seeds, and legumes are a few examples. Exercise, sleep, sunlight and, for example, listening to music you love are also very important. A more extreme remedy is very healing, for example, an ice bath: your dopamine level rises two and a half times and stays on all day long. But before that, always consult a doctor and/or a professional first.
Biological factors: Other biological factors, such as hormonal changes, may also play a role in the development of depression. For instance, postnatal depression is often attributed to hormonal changes after childbirth.
Psychological factors: Personal characteristics and personality traits may increase the risk of depression. For instance, people with low self-esteem, perfectionism or a tendency to think negatively may be more susceptible. These are also the factors that need to go through deeper layers, it comes from a past that no longer defines you. You are your unique you, who needs and deserves your love. You are in the NOW and now you are in control.
Traumatic events: Serious stressful events, such as loss of a loved one, serious illness, unemployment, relationship problems, or traumatic experiences, can trigger depressive symptoms. Chronic illnesses: Some physical conditions, such as chronic pain or long-term illnesses, may increase the risk of depression. Drugs and drug use: The use of certain medications or drugs may cause or worsen depressive symptoms.
Environmental factors: The environment in which someone lives can also play a role. For example, a lack of social support, unstable family relationships, a narcissistic relationship or exposure to chronic stress may increase the risk of depression.
It's important to note that depression is a highly individual experience and that not everyone exposed to these risk factors necessarily becomes depressed. In addition, people with no obvious risk factors can still develop depression. Understanding the complex interaction between these different factors is challenging for scientists and clinicians, but recognizing the versatility of depression is an important step towards effective treatment and support. The feelings of intense sadness and the general sense of feeling bad during depression can stem from a complex interplay of biological, psychological, and social factors.
Depression can perilous become when it leads to severe symptoms that impair daily functioning and threaten a person's well-being. Here are some indicators that depression is serious and requires urgent attention:
Suicidal thoughts: If someone has suicidal thoughts, such as a desire to harm themselves or has made explicit plans for self-harm, this is a serious and immediate risk. In such cases, it is essential to seek professional help immediately.
Self-neglect: Severe depression can lead to self-neglect, where a person no longer takes care of themselves, for example by stopping eating, drinking, or taking medication. Extreme emotional exhaustion: If the depression leads to extreme emotional exhaustion and lethargy, where even daily activities seem impossible, this is an indication of severe depression.
Psychotic symptoms: Sometimes depression can be accompanied by psychotic symptoms, such as hallucinations or delusions. This increases the risk and requires immediate professional intervention.
Worsening of physical symptoms: If the physical symptoms of depression become more severe, such as severe insomnia, weight loss, or an increase in physical symptoms, this may indicate a worsening of the condition. Inability to perform daily activities: If someone is unable to perform daily activities, such as work, school, or self-care, due to the severity of the depression, this can be considered dangerous.
It is crucial that people with depressive symptoms or their loved ones seek professional help, especially if there are signs of a potentially dangerous situation. Consulting a primary care physician, psychiatrist, or other mental health professional is the first step in getting appropriate assessment and treatment. In emergency situations, such as suicidal thoughts, immediate help is needed via emergency mental health or emergency care numbers. It is important to take the severity of depression seriously and take swift action to ensure the person's safety. Accepting depression as a real and challenging situation is an important step in dealing with this disorder.
Acceptance does not mean that you are resigned to the fact that you will always be depressed, but rather it refers to acknowledging the reality of your current condition.
This recognition can have a positive impact on the recovery process for various reasons:
Reduction in self-judgment: Depression is often accompanied by negative thoughts about yourself. By accepting the condition, you can begin to reduce self-judgment and understand that depression is a sign of your body and mind that it's enough that your bucket is full, it's not a sign of weakness. Access to resources: Acceptance opens the door to seeking help and support. It may encourage you to seek professional help.
Set realistic goals: Acceptance helps set realistic goals for recovery. It doesn't mean you can't expect improvement, but it helps to take achievable steps and adjust expectations to what's realistic for you at the time. Reducing inner strife: Opposing feelings of depression can increase the emotional burden. Acceptance doesn't mean being passive, but it can help reduce inner strife and free up energy for positive action.
Creating emotional space: Acceptance can create emotional space for experiencing emotions other than sadness, such as hope, joy, and compassion. It doesn't mean that these positive emotions will appear immediately, but it opens up the possibility for a wider range of feelings.
To sum it up, depression will change you, personally I think that's for the better because in the end, you'll always come to your deeper self, and you won't stay on life's autopilot.