What is Depression?

Depression is different from ordinary sadness. While occasional bouts of sadness are part of the human experience, depression stays for weeks or more, seeping into your daily life. Activities once enjoyed lose their fun, and decision-making becomes challenging. Sleep and diet patterns are disrupted, leading to insomnia or lack of appetite. Even in the company of others, an overwhelming sense of being alone happens. Depression engulfs one in profound, hopeless darkness, making self-recovery seem difficult and challenging.

Types

Seasonal affective disorder (SAD)

This type of Depression is experienced during specific seasons, mainly in winter.

Dysthymia

Mild Depression that lasts longer, i.e., two years or more. It is also known as chronic Depression.

Major Depressive Disorder (MDD)

One continuously feels intense and constant sadness for two weeks.

Postnatal Depression

This is a form of Depression seen in women soon after childbirth.

Signs

Mind

MIND

Unable to concentrate
Forgetfulness
Trouble thinking clearly
Difficulty in making decisions
Loss of interest in pleasurable activities
Loss of self-confidence
Hopeless, that is, a state where one feels like they have nothing to look forward to or nothing good will happen
Helpless, that is, a state where one is unable to help themselves
Worthless
A sense of losing touch with reality
Delusion, that is, a false belief that is not held by a person
Hallucinations, that is, the experience of seeing, hearing, or feeling things that are not present
Repeated thoughts of death

Heart

HEART

Low mood
Intense sadness
Irritability and agitation
Emotionally numb
Feeling hollow inside
Lonely

Body

BODY

Changes in appetite
Weight fluctuations
Changes in sleep pattern
Aches and pains without any obvious physical reason
Constantly feeling tired

Actions

ACTIONS

Crying bouts
Avoiding social activities that one previously enjoyed
Trouble speaking clearly
Trouble speaking clearly
Increased intake of alcohol, tobacco, and drugs
Having slow movements or being restless
Isolating self from others
Self-harming tendencies (cutting, ingesting substances)

Causes

Several factors may cause depression in people, which are,

Genetics: Research proves that if any family member with whom one has a connection through bloodline, has experienced certain symptoms, then the likelihood of their future generations having similar experiences increases. However, there is no guarantee that one will experience it.

Life events: Stressful and traumatic experiences can lead to depression. It can arise from different areas of life, such as losing a loved one, major life changes, financial problems, breaking up from a long-term relationship, etc.

Childhood Experience: Past experiences of neglect, physical, sexual, and emotional abuse, or unstable family relations in childhood can make one vulnerable to developing depression later in life.

Substance Abuse: Initially, individuals experiencing depression can use drugs and alcohol to cope with problems and reduce their emotional pain. It induces a good feeling temporarily, but in the long run, it can become addictive and intensify the symptoms of depression.

Physical-health issues: Chronic problems related to physical health can lead to depression. Often life-threatening illnesses are difficult to cope with and can affect our mood.

Chemical Imbalance: An imbalance in the neurotransmitters (chemicals that help different areas of the brain interact with one another) is responsible for regulating our mood and can cause depression.

Myth

How to Help Self

Following are some of the ways that you can make use of to help yourself.

Challenge negative thoughts: It’s common to engage in negative thinking when feeling depressed. Thoughts like, ”I am a failure”, ”No one likes me” or ”I always feel this way” can become an unconscious habit that validates the feelings of depression. The solution is to challenge negative thoughts by arguing with positive ones. Try to shift your focus from dark moments to light-hearted ones. Instead of focusing on your flaws, try to look at your strengths. Consider the praises and compliments you receive rather than pushing them back.

Let us tell you a trick to tackle these pulling-down thoughts effectively!As the “I am a failure, No one likes me….” thought enters your mind, PAUSE for a moment and tell yourself how it’s untrue. When you think no one likes you, remind yourself of all those loved ones who care and support you. This will help you see both sides of the coin. You can do this by writing it or telling yourself.

This is how you can do it –

You: I am a failure

Your Argument: I am yet to prove myself.

But by searching for a more realistic perspective, you can minimize the damaging effects of pessimistic thoughts and deal with them better!

Tip: Argue with yourself to WIN, just like a Lawyer does in court!

Exercise: Exercise is a useful tool to boost your mood. It helps to increase brain chemicals known as endorphins (feel-good hormones) that can pump in more energy and make you feel better.

Initially, it can be quite a challenge to exercise when depressed, so it’s easy to start small by doing something you enjoy. Taking a walk, jogging, doing regular chores at home, or dancing to the music of your choice can be useful for reducing depression. Breaking up exercises into smaller chunks can also be handy. Little movements a day can do the trick and help elevate your mood.

Getting adequate sleep/Sleep hygiene: Sleep disturbances are common when you are feeling depressed. This can seem like a never-ending circle. You may feel exhausted and, at the same time, be unable to fall or stay asleep. It’s important to incorporate a few strategies to get adequate sleep throughout the night.

Sleep Hygiene Tips:

Go to bed and get up simultaneously every day, including weekends and days off!
Sleep when you are sleepy or tired.
Avoid caffeine for at least 4-6 hours in bed.
Try to avoid using your bed to eat, watch TV, or work. Use your bed to sleep.
Try to avoid taking naps during the daytime.
If you cannot sleep, get up and do something calming, like reading a book, or boring, like counting until you feel sleepy.
Turn off the lights and make your bedroom dark and quiet before you sleep.

Diet: When you are depressed, you tend to find comfort in your food. It makes you feel good and gives you a sense of happiness. But later on, you may find yourself overwhelmed with guilt about eating. It’s okay to indulge. The key is to strike a balance and eat mindfully. You can keep a tab on your indulgence and plan meals accordingly. For instance, if breakfast is more like cravings, then lunch could be a blend of some greens of your choice. When you indulge in your favorite food, try to eat it slowly. Enjoy it in the process. This helps curb the need to eat to feel good constantly.

List of some food items to boost your mood:

Dark chocolate
Bananas
Berries
Nuts
Hot Cocoa

Peer-Support: Connecting with people who have gone through similar things creates a group where everyone helps each other based on their own experiences. By talking to them, you can learn how they deal with similar problems. This type of shared respect leads to commitment, motivation, and feeling less alone. Being part of such a helpful group makes it easier to handle things and gives you the strength to reach the goals.

A Dose of Laughter: Laughing reduces the symptoms of depression by increasing the level of dopamine (a chemical that is linked to feelings of happiness) in your brain. Laughing with friends or loved ones can induce a sense of belongingness; watching comedy movies, reading jokes, scrolling through funny videos, or just thinking about something funny can help improve your mood and crush the weight of depression.

Journaling: (Use this description wherever needed on IK): Journaling is recording your emotions, thoughts, or ideas in a diary. It can be an outlet for your worries and help declutter your mind.

There is no right or wrong way to write in a journal. There are a few points you can keep in mind while doing it:

List your feelings, what you want, what you think, and your unmet expectations.
Use this to let out the unwanted thoughts constantly bothering you.
Set a time window for yourself to write for a few minutes daily.
When you have no one to share your innermost feelings with, you can always share them in your journal.

Logging in your experiences can help you notice the things that didn’t work for you throughout the month or week. Journaling helps release pent-up emotions, regain control, and improve mental well-being.

Tip: Decorate your journal with photos, quotes, and stickers to make it interesting and fun.

Talking to your loved ones: Opening up to those who care for you, the good listeners, the ones you trust, can make you feel supported and not alone. Sharing and saying things aloud can give you a sense of relief. You don’t need to share everything, just the things that feel right for you. If you fall short of words to say, you can use these to start a conversation.

‘I want to talk to you about something. It’s been going on for a while now. I feel____________.
‘Can we talk? I feel that I may be depressed.’
‘I seem down lately. Can we talk about what is bothering me?’

Alternatives that can benefit you and keep Depression at bay:

Connecting with nature
Taking warm baths
Listening to your favorite music
Reading a book
Looking out of the window and paying attention to the details outside

Note: In times of emergency, when you feel overwhelmed with the condition. It’s important to consult a psychiatrist or a professional and take their prescribed medicine. This will help to bring the situation under control.

How to Help Others

To support and reach out to your loved ones (friends or family members), you can take these small steps to show that you care and want to help.

Listen: When one feels depressed, they often feel very lonely and find it difficult to talk about their problems. Simply listening can be helpful for them to share, vent, and feel lighter. Be there for your loved ones and let them do the talking.

Be patient: There may be times when you want to know about their situation in detail or try to get immediate help. But the key is to have patience and offer them the space and time to talk at their own pace. You can care by providing your support throughout.

Try not to undermine the condition: If your loved ones share how they feel, try to give importance to it. You can avoid saying things like “I know how you feel” or “You will be fine.” It will make them think that you are not understanding them and not taking their conditions seriously.

Try saying,

“I understand.”, instead of “You’ll be fine.”
“Tell me more.”, instead of “I once.”
“What makes you feel supported?”, instead of “You should.”

Try to keep them within social contact: When one feels depressed, they are likely to withdraw from their social circle, avoid socializing, and stay away from people or places. It’s important to keep them in the loop. Try involving them in social events, but at the same time, don’t push them too hard. Calling and checking up on them, inviting or going out with them will reassure your loved ones that they aren’t alone. It will gently remind them that they aren’t forgotten and you are still there whenever they are ready to catch up.

Offer Practical Support: Often, it becomes difficult for individuals feeling depressed to keep up with their everyday tasks. They might neglect their daily chores or work as it overwhelms them. You can help them by asking if they require anything from the market or taking over a chore for the day, help listing down queries or questions they would like to ask a professional, accompany them to appointments if they want you to, sometimes reminding them to take medicines on time can help them to take care of it, etc. These little acts of help can be of great comfort to your loved one.

In case you fall short of words to communicate with your loved ones. You can make use of these to start a conversation.

“Lately, I have noticed that you have been ___________. Is there anything you want to talk about?”
“Please share what is bothering you. I can help you.”
“Lately, you seem very down. Can we talk about it? ”

Note: In times of emergency, when your loved one feels overwhelmed with their condition, it’s important to consult a psychiatrist or a professional and take their prescribed medicine. This will help to bring the situation under control.