Depression- What is it? How is it different from being Sad, and Why doesn’t everyone reach out?

 

Depression- What is it? How is it different from being Sad, and Why doesn’t everyone reach out?

Depression can sneak up on you. It’s this bout of sadness that just spirals out of control and begins to consume your day, week and then month. I have talked to people that are depressed, sad and some that just don’t get it. It’s okay if you don’t understand depression. However, one thing that is really important for those who have not been diagnosed with depression to know, is that you should never criticize those who do have it. I know it can be very hard to not understand why someone can’t snap out of depression and “just be happy,” but the reality is, they can’t.

Take a moment to think about what it is like to be a gold miner. That’s right. Tell me everything there is to know about mining gold. Tell me the smells, the touches and all the special terminology and tools that they use. You say you can’t? That is because you are not a gold miner. Same goes for depression, if you have not walked in the shoes of a person with depression, then you won’t understand all the in’s and out’s of what this illness really can do.

The best thing that our society can do is educate ourselves so that we can help those who have been diagnosed with depression.

1.       What is depression?

Depression is a clinical diagnosis that is characterized by symptoms of feeling hopeless and notable changes in eating and sleep patterns. In addition, you will notice that a person is withdrawing from activities that they once enjoyed and that the feelings of sadness are going beyond two weeks and encompass most days of the week. It is important to note that men and women display different symptoms when it comes to depression. Whereas women tend to follow the above symptoms a bit more closely, men tend to display more anger, aggressive behaviors and/or being withdrawn.

 

 

2.       How is depression different from sadness?

People who are sad tend to bounce back from events that made them sad, relatively easily. Things happen each and every day to us that make us sad, but we are still going to that football game tonight or hanging out with friends this weekend. When you are depressed you are not going to do those things. You not only don’t have the energy to bounce back, but you also begin to avoid those activities altogether.

People who are depressed also tend to think in black and white. Black and white thinking is the all or nothing thinking, this or that. This type of thinking is very extreme- at one end of the spectrum or the other-no in between. Thinking in black and white steers the mind away from the shades of grey. It is in the grey areas of thinking that opportunity and variety lie. If you can’t see opportunity or variety in your life, that is when a sense of hopelessness begins to sneak up.

 

3.       Why won’t someone just reach out for help if they are really that “sad”?

It can be hard to understand why some people don’t reach out for help, but the reality is, there are many reasons why people choose not to. For one, the field of counseling and psychology has had a negative connotation associated with it for years.  People hide or even deny that they are seeing a therapist, or what some people call a “shrink” (part of the negativity associated with therapy). Also our society deems that men should be strong enough to “deal with it.” Women don’t want to burden people by taking time for themselves and their healing so they often avoid counseling. And, some cultures also view talking to people outside of the family as being negative.

 

4.       So what are some treatments?

 First and foremost, prevention. Teach little boys and girls that it is okay to cry. Cry it out. Teach them who they can cry to and who they can talk to. Children don’t have to be strong at age 5. Let them cry. Adolescents and adults should look into finding a life coach. Although life coaching is very motivating and goal focused, if bouts of sadness come into your life, you and your coach can catch them quickly and work through them. This helps to avoid “slipping” into a depression.

For those people that have already been diagnosed with depression, there are many options available for you. Medication is a choice and that is something that should be between you and your MD. Be sure to ask questions about the pros and cons of medication. Speak up to your doctor about everything that concerns you before starting medications.

Aside from medication, exercise helps with depression. The release of endorphins boosts your mood. Nutrition also impacts your mood. Ninety percent of serotonin is made in your gut. If you are eating junk and processed foods, the serotonin has a harder time distributing through your body. Serotonin is the chemical that makes us happy. Also, be creative. You would be amazed at what painting, journaling and music can do for the soul and your mood.

 

Your challenge this week:

If you have a loved one who is depressed- take a different approach (using something you learned in the above article) to help them through the week.

If you have been diagnosed with depression- Use at least one of the treatments options listed above for one full week.

 Dr. Jaime Kulaga is the author of Type "Superwoman: Finding the LIFE in Work-Life Balance - A Self-Searching Book for Women". She is the inspirational founder of the nationally known SuperWoman Workshops. Dr. Kulaga has been featured in Forbes, Glamour, Self and Prevention magazines as well as the national show Daytime for her expertise in Work-Life Balance.
http://www.mindfulrehab.com